[gothic-l] Re: Reidgoths-Reidmare-horses?

[trbrandt at POST9.TELE.DK]

--- In gothic-l at y..., dirk at s... wrote:
> 
> Hi Troels,
> 
> about Hreidgoths and Hreidmares; has a possible link to a meaning 
> relating to horses been explored? A Mar or Maere is a name for an 
old 
> run-down horse. Also the word Gote/Goths is believed to have a 
meaning 
> for horse. If this word is related to German Gaul (i.e. an old 
> run-down horse) than Hreidmare and Hreidgoths would be synonyms. 
> 
> cheers,
> 
> Dirk

Sorry Dirk - I did not see this letter when I returned from my 
holiday.

Actually Keth mentioned some earlier posts where Reidgotaland was 
regarded as the place you can ride (=same in Scandinavia) to (You can 
ride to Jutland from the Continent, but not to the islands). In my 
opinion this theory is too far out - and that was also Keth's final 
conclusion.

An early and important source was as far as I remember not mentioned 
in the last discussions. Unfortunately I have only an OE version of 
Widsith, and I will not present my poor and maybe wrong translation 
for all the linguistic experts of this list. However 100 years before 
the Roek-stone "Hredcyninges" were mentioned in line 7, "Hredgotum" 
in line 57 and in line 119-123 "Hræd" in connection with a battle in 
the Wistla-woods against Attila. This is why Kemp Malone called 
them "Nest-Goths", but your translation "River-Goths" makes also 
sense - especially if it is a North or East Germanic word. For a 
Scandinavian it was natural to call the Sea between him and the 
remaining Hreidgoths "Hreidmare" until they finally left the shores 
of the Sea.

Troels   


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