[gothic-l] LANG: Names of Amals & Associated Persons

[keth at ONLINE.NO]

Hi Mathew,
I suppose language discussions are a bit above
most people's level of discourse. It seems so
much easier to discuss about battle formations
and armour; topics where everybody can have an
opinion.

As far as I am concerned, I try to look up language
questions in the most authoritative books I can find.
But very often the answers I find there presupposes
basic knowledge, that I yet have to acquire. It was better
some years ago, when there were a lot of language persons
contributing to the list.

The list you put up below is perhaps a bit long
to treat all the details in a single post. For example
"Gapt" I recall we discussed last summer, but the conclusion 
was far from clear. Some said the "p" was a form of "f",
which was again closely related to "v" and "u".
Others related it to "Raft" which was associated with
a wooden beam or a "rafter" in English, hence an example
where the "f" was not merely a Greek spelling convention,
but was related to the meaning.

I think it was Grimm in his "Geschichte der deutschen Sprache"
(Leipzig 1880), who launched the hypothesis that Gapt = Gauts;
and even though Mullenhoff objected to this in his Jordanis
comments, it still makes sense in terms of the late Greek
failure to distinguish between alpha-upsilon and alpha-phi.

It should be noted, however, that standard Latin transcription
of Greek phi is 'ph' and 'f', but usually not 'p'. The latter
is more commonly associated with Greek pi, which the Greeks did
not confuse with phi.

Hulmul may perhaps be compared with *Humli*, which is the
name Saxo gives to the ancestor of the Danish kings.

For "Amal" Cassiodor writes "Hamalus".
Amal is supposedly related to ON "ama" = to bother, or
to pester somebody. Could there be a relationship to
Amlóði = Hamlet ?

Isarnis is also written Hisarnis. The H is called "prothetic".

Fastida is thought to relate to the Gothic verb "fastan".

Well, I'll post this now; lest it grow too long.

Best regards
Keth


Mathew wrote :

>I include my own guesses & translation:
>
>Gapt = ? Gaut
>Hulmul = Hulmuls "Holm-like", Hulmalhs "Holm-temple", Hilmuls "Helmet"
>Amal = Amals "Brave"
>Isarnis = Eisarneins "Made of Iron"
>Ostrogotha = Austraguta "Shining-Goth"
>Fastida = Gpc. Fastitha ?"Firmness, Protection"
>Hunuil = Huniwiljis or Huniwilja "Hun-desire" (though Go. 'huns'
>"[young] bear")
>Athal = Athals "Noble of Lineage"
>Achiulf, = Agiwulfs "Sword-Wolf" or "Terror-Wolf", Ahawulfs
>"Mindful-Wolf", Agilawulfs "Boar-Wolf"
>Oduulf = Audawulfs "Fortune-Wolf"
>Ermanaric = Airmanar[e]iks "Great Ruler"
>Ediulf = Aidawulfs "Fire-Wolf", Ai?awulfs "Oath-Wolf", Hai?iwulfs
>"Heath-Wolf"
>Ansila = Ansula "Little-God" (or -Demon or -Spirit), Ansila
>"Little-Plank"
>Vultuulf = Wulthuwulfs "Glory-Wolf"
>Sunhild = Sunihilds, -hildis "Truth-battle, Sonahilds "Atoning-Battle"
>Swanahilds "Swan-Battle"
>Valaravans = Walahrafns "War-Raven" or "Raven of the Slain", Walabrands
>"Battle-Sword" or "-Fire"
>Vidimer = Weidamers "Wide-Famous" (or -merei "-Fame")
>Vinitharius = Winithharja? "Wend-Warrior"
>Vandalarius = Wandalharja? "Vandal-Warrior"
>Boz
>Balamber
>Thorismund = Thaurismunds "Giant-Ward"
>Videricus = Weidar[e]iks "Wide-Ruler"
>Valdamerca = Waldamarka "Rule-Sign" or "Rule-March"
>Valamir = Walamers "War-Famed"
>Thiudimir = Thiudamers "Folk-Famed"
>Theoderic = Thiudar[e]iks "Folk-Ruler"
>Odoacer = Audawakrs "Fortune-Watchful" or "Fortune-Brave"
>Amalafrida = Amalafrith[?w]a (fem.) Brave-Peace (prob. understood as
>Amal-Reconciliation)
>Amalaberga = Amalabairga "Brave-Shelter" or "Amal-Preservation"
>Audoin = Audawins "Fortune-Friend"
>Alboin = Albawins "Elf-Friend"
>Amalasuintha = Amalaswintha (fem.) "Brave-strong" or "Amal-strong"
>Athalaric = Athalar[e]iks "Noble Ruler"
>Thiudimund = Thiudamunds "Folk-Ward"
>Theodgotha = Thiudaguta "Folk-Goth"
>Amalaric = Amalar[e]iks "Brave-Ruler" or "Amal-Ruler"
>Aidoingus = ? Aidawiggs "Fire-?", Haidu-Iggws ? "Ing of Custom" ?
>Ai?a-Iggws "Ing of Oath"
>Tuluin, = Tulguwins "Firm-Friend"
>Theodehad = Thiudahathus "Folk-Struggle"
>Thiudegisklos = ? Thiudageisls "Folk-Hostage" or "Folk-?Spear"
>Thiudinanda = Thiudanantha (fem.) "Folk-strong"
>Gesimund = Gaisamunds or Geisamunds "Spear-Ward"
>Giso = ? Geiso- "Spear-"
>Gunthigis = Guntheigs "Warlike", Gunthigeis "War-Spear"
>Hunimund = Hunimunds "Hun-Ward" or "Bear-Protection"
>Andela = Anthila "Little-Ghost" or "Little-End", Handila "Little-Hand"
>Andagis = Anthageis "End-Spear" (= ? "Spear-point"), Handugei "Wise One"
>
>Eutharic = Iuthareiks "Descendent-Ruler", Audareiks "Fortune-Ruler"
>Beremund = Baira- or Beramunds "Bear-Ward"
>Sidimund = Sidumunds "Custom-Ward"
>Sigeric = Sigu- or Sigisreiks "Victory-Ruler"
>



------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor ---------------------~-->
Buy Stock for $4
and no minimums.
FREE Money 2002.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/k6cvND/n97DAA/ySSFAA/wWMplB/TM
---------------------------------------------------------------------~->

You are a member of the Gothic-L list.  To unsubscribe, send a blank email to <gothic-l-unsubscribe at egroups.com>. 

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/