Slavs and nemtsy

[anon at example.com]

I think, the etymology of "nemets" as "a mute person" is a popular one.
Much more probable is a derivation from a tribe called in Latin "nemetes" -
they originally settled in the region of today's Hungary. Still now in
German there exists the family name "Nemeth".

Ulrich Schmid

[Comment]  I'd suppose that numerous migrants within/from the Habsburg
Empire had this surname as a Magyarized version of Slavic 'nemec.'
Sir Lewis Namier had a footnote on the Slav-Nemets question: "The name Slav
is derived from slovo, which, in all Slav languages, means 'word'--they
were the 'worded ones', who could understand each other, whereas the
Germans, who merely mumbled (mye-mye), were the myemtsy, which changed into
Nyemtsy, the name common for them with all Slavs; nyemy also means 'dumb'.
The names of two of the Slav nations--the Slovaks and the Slovenes--are
mere variations of the racial cognomen."

Pozdravi,
l.

p.s. Off-topically, Russian Constitution stipulates that the name of the
country is Russia OR Russian Federation. Let us be precise when asking
precision of others. Also, let us avoid Antisemitic comments like those of
Mr. Pyziur.

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