LL-L "Etymology" 2009.03.02 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 02 March 2009 - Volume 02

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From: Mike Morgan <mwmosaka at gmail.com>

Subject: LL-L "History" 2009.03.01 (05) [E]



R/R wrote:

Speakers of Balto-Finnic got it right; they referred to them as the Saxons
(Finnish *saksalaiset*, Estonian* sakslased*) those folks considered
themselves to be, and later this became words for Germans in general when
the Saxon parts were gobbled up by Germany.



And the Balto-Finns may have also got another thing right: their word for
Swedes (*ruotsi* in modern Finnish) may well be the source of the word
Russian русский / Rossia Россия / Rus' Русь, etc).


U C > || mwm
================
Dr Michael W Morgan
Ishara Foundation || ईशारा फॉउंडेशन  || イシャラ基金
Mumbai/Bombay *|* मुंबई *|* ムンバイ/ボンベイ (インド)
www.ishara.org
+++++++++++++++
Wer fremde Sprachen nicht kennt, weiß nichts von seiner eigenen. (Johann
Wolfgang von Goethe)



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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Right you are, MM.

Estonian *Rootsi* (Sweden), *rootslased* ('Swedes', sg. *rootslane*)
Finnish *Ruotsi* (Sweden), *ruotsalaiset* ('Swedes', sg. *ruotsalainen*)
Karelian *ruočči* (Swede)
Livonian *Rūotšmō* ('Sweden', *mō* = Finn. *maa* 'land')
Sami *Ruoŧŧa* etc. (Sweden)

The names "Russ", "Rusyn" and "Ruthenian" are believed to be derived from
this, going back to a time when parts of Russia and Ukraine were ruled by
people of Swedish origin (to which time also Scandinavian-derived personal
names go back, such as Олег (Oleg < Helge), Ольга (Ol'ga < Helga) and Глеб
(Gleb < Guðleifr).



According to the Wikipedia:



The origin of the name is a matter of considerable dispute. In general, the
hypothesis of E. Kunik and Vilhelm Thomsen has met with the widest
acceptance. According to them this appellation derives from the Finnic
languages. The name of Sweden in Finnish is *Ruotsi*; in Estonian: *Rootsi*.
This name is commonly held to be derived from Roslagen, the coastal areas of
the Uppland province in Sweden. The Danish scholar T.E. Karsten has pointed
out that the territory now occupying the areas of Uppland, Sodermanland and
East Gotland in ancient times was known as *Rođer* or *rođin*. Thomsen
accordingly has suggested that *Rođer* probably derived from *rođsmenn* or *
rođskarlar*, meaning seafarers or rowers.



However, it has been also suggested that the name Rus might have originated
from the Iranic name of the Volga River (by F.Knauer Moscow 1901), as well
as from the Rosh of Ezekiel. Prof. George Vernadsky has suggested a
derivation from the Roxolani or from the Aryan term *ronsa* (moisture,
water). There is a recurrence of river names like Ros in Eastern Europe.


Because of early contacts and relatively conservative phonologies, the
Balto-Finnic languages are interesting sources of early Germanic loans, such
as Finnish *kuningas* (< *kuningaz, *king), *ruhtinas* (< *druhtinaz*,
prince, nobleman), *äiti* (*< eiþai* mother), *armas* (dear, <
*armaz*'poor', 'dear').

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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