"nightmare" and "bugbear"

[JoatSimeon at aol.com]

In a message dated 10/17/00 1:41:16 PM Mountain Daylight Time,
roz-frank at uiowa.edu writes:

<< In reference to the comparative studies, I would be most pleased to find
 those that have examined the different phonological variants of this 'mare'
 that are found in Germanic and Slavic. Celtic materials would also be most
 welcome. >>

-- the Germanic "mare" is a derived feminine of PIE *markos ('horse',
possibly 'wild horse'), with the feminine ending, -ih(a), thus *markiha

>Old Norse merr, 'mare',  Old English miere, 'mare', Old High German meriha,
'mare'.

There's a Celtic cognate but only with the general meaning of "horse";
Gaulish 'marco', Old Irish 'marc', Welsh 'march'.