Etymological musing

[Neill Payne]

I have been wondering how we got suffragan bishop to suffragette, and how does frangor relate to all this?

[Dan F]

And suffragette is a derogatory term later adopted by the movement. (Derogatory terms are often later co-opted as a self-identity by the targeted parties, and yet name-callers never learn.)

Having done a short stint working for the Anglicans' lawyers, I wouldn't presume to argue with Wikipedia's definition of a suffragan bishop, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suffragan_bishop namely one who is the deputy or representative of a diocesan bishop, and so hearing pleas and making decisions (ecclesiastical and regarding property) on behalf of that diocesan bishop.

[Laura Gibbs]

Hi Neill, my favorite source for etymologies online is the very nifty etymonline.com site, which has this for suffrage; I'm not sure what a suffragan bishop does, but "prayers or pleas on behalf of another" definitely sounds like it comes from the ecclesiastical realm.
http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=suffrage
suffrage
c.1380, "prayers or pleas on behalf of another," from O.Fr. suffrage (13c.), from M.L. suffragium, from L. suffragium "support, vote, right of voting," from suffragari "lend support, vote for someone," from sub "under" + fragor "crash, din, shouts (as of approval)," related to frangere "to break" (see fraction). The meaning "right to vote" is first found in the U.S. Constitution, 1787.