Derivation of "Wales"

[Harold F. Schiffman]

German also has the term Welsch, meaning something like "outlander" or
foreigner. (Now pejorative in "Kauderwelsch" meaning 'mish-mash',
jibberish, etc.)

Hal S.

On Fri, 23 Sep 2005, Kephart, Ronald wrote:

> >  I doubt Ron's derivation of Wales.  I understand it comes from
> >Galicia  of which there was one in old Anatolia, hardly a place
> >where Old English was spoken.
> >
> >  Christina Paulston
>
> Christina, I could be wrong. I'm going by my American Heritage
> Dictionary of the English Language, New College Edition (1980), which
> gives the etymology as:
>
> Middle English Wales, Old English Wealas, [...] plural of wealh,
> foreigner, Roman, Celt, Welshman.
>
> Ron
>
>