Editing Saxons (section)

==Saxon as a demonym==
===Celtic languages===
In the hypothetical [[insular Celtic languages]] grouping, the words designating English nationality may derive from the Latin word {{lang|la|Saxones}}. 

{{lang|sco|[[Sassenach]]}} (older spellings: Sassanich or Sassenagh) is a [[loanword]] in English from the [[Scottish Gaelic]] term {{lang|gd|Sasunnach}}, originally used by [[Gaels]] for both the English and the [[Scots language]] speaking lowlanders of Scotland. In the 20th century, Scots–English tended to use it as a disparaging or jocular term for an [[English people|English person]].<ref name="DSL">{{cite web |title=Dictionaries of the Scots Language:: SND :: sassenach |website=Dictionaries of the Scots Language |date=27 February 2025 |url=https://www.dsl.ac.uk/entry/snd/sassenach |access-date=27 February 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sassenach |title= Definition of SASSENACH |publisher= [[Merriam-Webster|Merriam-Webster, Inc.]] |access-date= 2019-01-16}}</ref>   

{{lang|ga|Sasanach}}, the [[Irish language|Irish]] word for an Englishman (with {{lang|ga|Sasana}} meaning England), has the same derivation, as do the words used in [[Welsh language|Welsh]] to describe the English people ({{lang|cy|Saeson}}, singular {{lang|cy|Sais}}) and the language and things English in general: {{lang|cy|Saesneg}} and {{lang|cy|Seisnig}}.

[[Cornish language|Cornish]] terms the English {{lang|kw|Sawsnek}}, from the same derivation. In the 16th century Cornish-speakers used the phrase {{lang|kw|Meea navidna cowza sawzneck}} to feign ignorance of the English language.<ref>[[Richard Carew (antiquary)|Richard Carew]], ''Survey of Cornwall'', 1602. N.B. in revived Cornish, this would be transcribed, {{lang|kw|My ny vynnaf cows sowsnek}}. The Cornish word {{lang|kw|Emit}} meaning 'ant' (and perversely derived from [[Old English]]) is more commonly used in Cornwall {{as of|2015|lc=on}} as slang to designate non-Cornish Englishmen.</ref> The Cornish words for the English people and England are {{lang|kw|Sowsnek}} and {{lang|kw|Pow Sows}} ('Land [Pays] of Saxons'). Similarly [[Breton language|Breton]], spoken in north-western France, has {{lang|br|saoz(on)}} ('English'), {{lang|br|saozneg}} ('the English language'), and {{lang|br|Bro-saoz}} for 'England'.

===Romance languages===
The label ''Saxons'' (in {{langx|ro|Sași}}) also became attached to [[Transylvanian Saxons|German settlers]] who settled during the 12th century in southeastern [[Transylvania]].<ref>{{cite web|lang=ro|url=https://politeia.org.ro/magazin-istoric/sasii-saxonii-transilvaniei/18256/|title=Saşii – Saxonii Transilvaniei|author=Magazin Istoric|work=Politeia|date=5 September 2013}}</ref>
From Transylvania, some of these Saxons migrated to neighbouring [[Moldavia]], as the name of the town [[Sascut]], in present-day Romania, shows.

===Non-Indo-European languages===
The [[Finns]] and [[Estonians]] have changed their usage of the root ''Saxon'' over the centuries to apply now to the whole country of Germany ({{lang|fi|Saksa}} and {{lang|et|Saksamaa}} respectively) and the [[Germans]] ({{lang|fi|saksalaiset}} and {{lang|et|sakslased}}, respectively). The [[Finnish language|Finnish]] word {{lang|fi|sakset}} ([[scissors]]) reflects the name of the old Saxon single-edged sword – [[seax]] – from which the name ''Saxon'' supposedly derives.<ref>{{cite book |title=Suomen sanojen alkuperä. Etymologinen sanakirja |publisher=Suomalaisen kirjallisuuden seura, Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus |year=2012 |volume=3. R-Ö |pages=146 |language=fi}}</ref> In [[Estonian language|Estonian]], {{lang|et|saks}} means colloquially, 'a wealthy person'. As a result of the [[Northern Crusades]], [[Estonia]]'s upper class comprised mostly Baltic Germans, persons of supposedly Saxon origin until well into the 20th century.