>From: Cindy Walcott <[email protected]> >Date: Wed, 1 Jul 1998 22:33:23 -0400 >... >Hi Karen [Roblee]-- To comment on the Rapalje theory -- If we are indeed >desc. from Joris Rapalje, that family spent a generation or two in the >Netherlands, and came with the Dutch settlers. Thus, the Dutch >pronunciation seems the >most relevant, rather than the French/Belgian. I asked a Dutch >acquaintance how Rapalje would be pronounced. He pronounced the first >syllable like "rop" (rhymes with "bop") and emphasized the three >syllables kind of equally -- rop-el-yea (last syllable vowel sound a >long a). It seems a very short leap from there to Rop-lea (ending sound >a long a) to Robblee. However, this interim spelling we get in >Huntington of Rublier or Rublear does not fit with this sequence. I also >note that if Robilliard was pronouced as you suggest, without the final >rd, it would also sound very similar to Rapalje. Interesting. > >The persistance of the Rapalje theory (I keep running into it) is >somewhat persuasive to me and geographically, of course, it works very >well. The Rapaljes settled in Brooklyn NY and spread out from there. >Huntington is just a hop, skip and a jump away from there. > >Cindy > > >Cindy Walcott >Planning, Policy and Practice Unit >Social Services >103 South Main St. >Waterbury, VT 05671 >phone: (802) 241-2126 >e-mail: [email protected] > >-----Original Message----- >From: K E Robblee [SMTP:[email protected]] >Sent: Wednesday, July 01, 1998 7:16 PM >To: Roblee, Phil >Cc: [email protected] >Subject: RE: Passenger Lists > >At 9:26 AM -0400 6/30/98, Roblee, Phil wrote: >>To our resident Linguist, Karen Robblee... >>do you have any comments on Lynda's message? >> >>Phil Roblee > >Phil, This is a tough question. Based on the consonants, the "Rapelje" >theory seems more plausible. It would be much more likely for "p" to be >replaced by "b(b)" than for "dg" to be replaced by "b(b)". > >(Only one thing needs to happen for the sound "p" to change to "b": the >vocal cords need to start vibrating. But at least two things need to happen >for "dg" to change to "b". First the cluster would need to simplify to one >or the other sound ["d(d)" or "g(g)"], and then the place of articulation >needs to change. [Either the "d" produced with the front of the tongue or >the "g" produced using the back of the tongue would be replaced by a "b" >which is produced using one's lips.]) > >But "Rapelje" does not account for the vowel in the first syllable. Since >we see variation between "o" and "u" in the forms "Rob(b)lee" and >"Rub(b)lee", I am inclined to think that there must have been a rounded >vowel in the first syllable. "a"-like vowels tend not to be rounded, and >are less likely than "o" to be replaced by "u". > >>From a purely linguistic point of view, I like Bob's theory that the >family >name is derived from "Robbilliard". From what I understand, in the 17th >century the French probably would not have pronounced the word final "rd". >The rounded French "o" might also account for the variation between "o" and >"u". In addition, since the "i" after the "bb" was not stressed, it could >easily have dropped out through a type of contraction. > >But I wouldn't rule out the other possibilities. I agree with Lynda's >suggestion that orthography can be significant. If the "B" was written in a >way that looked like "dg" it could have replaced it. > >(I hope this wasn't more "linguistic" information than you wanted!) > >Karen > > >> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: [email protected] >>> [SMTP:[email protected]] >>> Sent: Tuesday, June 30, 1998 8:05 AM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Passenger Lists >>> >>> Hi, >>> Do any of you have records of any Robblee (or similar spelling or >>> sound) >>> from passenger lists? I was wondering thru the NEHGS library this >weekend >>> and >>> found a book with 2 possibles. >>> >>> "Passengers To America", edited by Michael Tepper, Gen. Publ. Co., >>> Baltimore, >>> 1977. >>> >>> 1) pg 65: >>> "2 Maij 1635 >>> Theis (sic) under written names are to be transported to ye Barbadoes >>> imbarqued >>> in the Alexander Capt. Burche and Gilbert Grimes Mr P'Certificate from >the >>> Minister where they late dwelt the men tooke the oaths of Alleg and >>> Supremacie >>> die et a pred." >>> >>> This list includes: >>> "Geo: Rudglie" age 17 y >>> "Jo:Bush" age 22 y >>> {This name is a stretch for Robblee-like but, it would be easy to >mis-read >>> a "B" >>> with a tail, as "dg". Especially if the person reading it wasn't >familiar >>> with >>> the name of Robley/Roblie. Also, in sound, this name is as close to >>> Robblee as >>> is Rapelje/Raplee.} >>> >>> 2) pg 256: >>> "Port of London, 28 Feb. to 7 Mar. 1774." >>> List includes: >>> Joseph Robley, age 25y, Planter from Togabo, on the ship "Tobago >Planter", >>> going >>> to Tobago to his plantations. >>> Charles Thomas, age 23, Clerk from Westminster, on the ship "Tobago >>> Planter", >>> goin to Tobago on business. >>> >>> {During the 1600's, there were quite a few people who moved between New >>> England >>> and Long Island to and from the Carribean Islands like Tobago and >>> Barbados.} >>> Has anyone searched passenger lists? Any idea where the info came >>> from >>> which states that George & William came to Long Island in 1623? This >>> sound >>> pretty specific and must have originated somewhere. Any thoughts? >>> If anyone has done a routine search of passenger lists, could you >send >>> us a >>> listing of the sources you've already check so that we're not having to >>> duplicate work already done? >>> Lynda >