Main Focus

I was listening to song by Paul Kelly called "I'm on Your Side" recently when I came across these words in the lyrics:

The trees on the shoreline are all fresh from the rain

The ship on the water is heading for the main

I had to ask myself what was this "main" that the ship was heading towards? I'd heard of the Spanish Main but I realised that I didn't know what that was. So Bard to the rescue:

Main often refers to the open sea, as opposed to sheltered bays or harbors. So, when you say "The ship on the water is heading for the main," it means it's leaving the coast and sailing out into the open ocean.

"Spanish Main" refers to a specific historical region encompassing the Caribbean Sea and the coasts of Central and South America, particularly during the era of Spanish colonization and piracy. 

The word "main" has significance for me because my childhood home was located in a street in Milton, Brisbane, called Mayneview Street. The street often ended up being spelled as Mainview Street because it wasn't realised that the street was named after a person whose surname was Mayne. The error was encouraged because the street running parallel to Mayneview Street was Parkview Street. The former surmounted a hill and so did provide what could be considered the main view over the nearby Lang Park as it was then called and later to be renamed Suncorp Stadium.

I asked Bard for information about who this historical character called Mayne might be:

There is a street in Milton, Brisbane Australia, called "Mayneview Street". Do you have any information about the person called "Mayne" after which the street was named?

Unfortunately, pinpointing the exact "Mayne" who inspired Mayneview Street in Milton, Brisbane, proves a bit tricky. While historical records offer several possibilities, conclusive evidence linking a specific individual to the street name remains elusive. Here's what we can uncover:

Potential Candidates:

John Mayne (1800-1864): This John Mayne was a prominent early settler and businessman in Brisbane. He arrived in the colony in 1842 and quickly established himself as a successful merchant and landowner. Mayne owned considerable property in the Milton area, including land near the present-day Mayneview Street. He also served on the Brisbane Town Council and was a Justice of the Peace.

Charles Mayne (1832-1907): Charles Mayne was the son of John Mayne and followed in his father's footsteps as a successful businessman and politician. He served as a member of the Queensland Legislative Assembly for several terms and was also Mayor of Brisbane from 1885 to 1888. Charles Mayne also owned property in the Milton area, and some speculate the street might be named after him.

Other Maynes: Several other individuals with the surname Mayne appear in Brisbane's early history, including landholders, farmers, and community figures. While their contributions were significant, their direct connection to Mayneview Street is less documented.

Challenges in Identifying the Exact "Mayne":

Lack of official records: Unfortunately, there's no definitive official record stating the specific individual who inspired the street name. Historical documents often mention the street's existence but don't explicitly state its origin.

Multiple possibilities: With several prominent Maynes in Brisbane's early history, attributing the street name to a single individual becomes challenging. Without concrete evidence, it's difficult to definitively say who deserves the credit.

Despite the ambiguity, Mayneview Street undoubtedly holds a historical connection to the Mayne family's legacy in Brisbane. Their contributions to the city's development, particularly in the Milton area, likely played a role in the street's naming. While the exact "Mayne" may remain a mystery, the street serves as a tangible reminder of their influence on Brisbane's early history.

I asked Bard about the etymology of the word "main" and some examples of its use in compound words.

The word "main" has a rich and interesting etymology, boasting multiple origins depending on its meaning:

1. Direction/Open Sea:

This meaning of "main" traces back to Old English "mān," which simply meant "great" or "large." It likely referred to the vastness of the open sea compared to sheltered bays or harbors.

2. Emphasis/Most Important:

This sense of "main" originates from the Old French "maigne," meaning "strength" or "power." It later evolved into the Middle English "mayne," signifying "greatness" or "importance."

3. Sail/Mast:

This nautical meaning comes from the Middle English "mayne," referring specifically to the "mainsail" or "mainmast." It likely developed from the idea of the mainmast and mainsail being the largest and most important components of a sailing vessel.

Examples of "main" in compound words:

Direction/Open Sea: mainland, main channel, main course (nautical route)

Emphasis/Most Important: mainstay, mainframe, mainshaft, mainstream

Sail/Mast: mainsail, mainmast, mainboom, mainsheet

As you can see, the word "main" has versatile origins and applications, lending itself to various compound words across different domains. Its historical evolution and diverse meanings add a fascinating layer to its usage in contemporary language.

What's particularly interesting is that "main" derives from Middle English "mayne" signifying greatness or importance but originally from Old French "maigne," meaning "strength" or "power." One thinks of Charlemagne or Charles the Great as his name would be rendered in English. Speaking of Charlemagne and the Spanish Main, I happened to notice that there was a region between present day Spain and France that was called the "Spanish March":

The "Spanish March," also known as the Hispanic March, was a historical buffer zone established by Charlemagne, King of the Franks, in the late 8th century. It existed for several centuries and played a significant role in shaping the Iberian Peninsula's history.

Origins and Purpose:

In 778, Charlemagne conquered Septimania, a Visigothic region in southern France bordering the Muslim-ruled Umayyad Caliphate of al-Andalus (Iberian Peninsula).

To defend Frankish territory against Muslim incursions, Charlemagne established the Spanish March along the Pyrenees mountains.

This fortified frontier zone encompassed several counties ruled by Christian lords under Frankish authority.

Characteristics and Development:

The Spanish March consisted of various counties like Barcelona, Girona, Urgell, Pallars, and Ribagorza.

These counties served as military outposts and gradually expanded southward through conquests and assimilation of Muslim borderlands.

Over time, the counties gained increasing autonomy from Frankish rule, developing their own distinct cultures and identities.

Legacy and Impact:

The Spanish March played a crucial role in the Christian Reconquista, the centuries-long struggle to drive out Muslim power from the Iberian Peninsula.

The counties within the March became the nuclei of future Iberian kingdoms, including Catalonia, Aragon, and Navarre.

The cultural and linguistic influences of the Spanish March laid the foundation for the development of Catalan, Aragonese, and other Romance languages in the region.

Therefore, the Spanish March was more than just a border zone; it was a dynamic frontier that facilitated cultural exchange, political evolution, and ultimately, the Christian reconquest of Iberia.

Further resources:

Wikipedia article on the Spanish March: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanish_March

Britannica article on the Spanish March: https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Spain

History Channel article on the Reconquista: https://www.ncpedia.org/anchor/spain-and-america-reconquest

It's clear that Mayne would be the surname of choice for a family wishing to emphasise its status and importance in a region. In the United States, "Mayne" ranks around 16,000th based on census data and in the United Kingdom, it's estimated to be even more common, falling within the top 5,000 surnames.

While the prefix "re" is the only common one added to the root word "main" to give "remain" (continue as the main element), the following suffixes can be added:

• -stay: Denotes a state of being the main element, e.g., mainstay (a pillar of support)

• -line: Emphasizes centrality or direct relevance, e.* mainline* (the primary course or direction)

• -stream: Refers to the dominant or popular trend, e.g., mainstream (the prevailing current of thought)

• -force: Highlights power or influence, e.g., mainforce (the principal driving force)

• -ship: Denotes a position or role related to the main element, e.g., mainship (the leading vessel in a fleet)

The name "Mayne" crops up is a wide variety of contexts, even on the labels of wine bottles.

One can't end this discussion without mention of the homonym "mane" which has the following etymology, to quote from Bard:

• Origin: Proto-Germanic mano "neck hair of a horse"

• Evolution: Old English manu, Middle English mane

• Meaning: The long hair growing on the neck and head of some mammals, especially horses and lions.

Of course in Indonesian, "main" means "to play" and is pronounced like the English word "mine". Here is its etymology:

• Origin: Austronesian language family.

• Evolution: Proto-Austronesian ma-en "to do, make, act."

• Development: Over time, the meaning in Malay and related languages like Indonesian specialized to focus on recreational activities, hence "to play."

The Indonesian translation of the word "main", in the sense of important, would be "utama".