 In the form "Charles", the initial spelling "ch-" corresponds to the palatalization of the Latin group "ca-" to [tʃa] in Central Old French (Francien) and the final "-s" to the former subjective case (cas sujet) of masculine names in Old French like in Giles or James (< Latin "-us", see Spanish/ Portuguese "Carlos").According to Julius Pokorny, the historical linguist and Indo-Europeanist, the root meaning of Karl is "old man", from Indo-European *ĝer-, where the ĝ is a palatal consonant, meaning "to rub; to be old; grain.