[gothic-l] Re: Vandal exhibition gives new explanations

[Francisc Czobor]

--- In gothic-l at y..., babeck at a... wrote:
> ...
> Hi,
> I was always under the impression that the Wends were the people 
> referred to by Pliny as the Venedi and by Tacitus as the Veneti.  
> These were, I believe, quite distinct peoples from the Vandals.
> 
> Cheers,
> 
> Brian Beck

Hi Brian,

I have the same viewpoint. The name "Wend" is presented in all sources 
that I have found as derived from "Venet(h)i/Venedi". The name 
denominated initially an old Indo-European people living approx. in 
the actual Veneto region of Italy (whence also the name of the city 
Venezia = Venice), but also further north, thus in the east of the 
territory settled by the Old Germanic peoples. Later, when the old 
Veneti were replaced by Slavic tribes, the old Germans transferred 
this denomination (OHG winid-/wind-, MHG wend) to these new eastern 
neighbors of them. The term seems to be known also by the Goths, since 
Iordanes uses it:
"(34) Within these rivers lies Dacia, encircled by the lofty Alps as 
by a crown. Near their left ridge, which inclines toward the north, 
and beginning at the source of the Vistula, the populous race of the 
Venethi dwell, occupying a great expanse of land. Though their names 
are now dispersed amid various clans and places, yet they are chiefly 
called Sclaveni and Antes." (Getica V)
It is clear that for Iordanes "Venethi" was another name of the 
"Sclaveni" (Slavs).
Later ther Germans restricted the name "Wend" to their immediate 
Slavic neighbors - the Sorabs.
The term passed also in other languages, being used to denominate 
Slavic neighbors:
in Finnish: Venäjä "Russia", venäläis "Russian"
in Hungarian: vend "Slovenian of Hungary"

Regarding the derivation Wend < Vandal, made by mediaeval authors, I 
think that it is merely folk ethymology.

Francisc


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