Limigantes

Tuomo Pekkanen
The Ethnic Origin of the Î"ουλοσπόροι
pp. 139 - 144

'The names `άνται and σκλαβηνοί probably cannot be connected with each other semantically. A most interesting starting point, however, is pro­vided by the name of the Sarmatae Limigantes, who lived in the basin of the middle Danube in the 4th century A.D.1 The sources concerning this group are as follows:

Eusebius, Vita Constantini 4, 6
σαυρομάτας δ' α`υτός ´ο θεός ´υπ`ο τοι~ς κωνσταντίνου ποσ`ιν `ήλαυνεν, ´ω~δέ πη το`υς `άνδρας βαρβαρικω,~ φρονήματι γαυ­ρουμένους χειρωσάμενος. σκυθω~ν γ`αρ α`υτοι~ς `επαναστάντων τους ο `ι κ έ τ α ς ´ώπλιζον ο´ι δεσπόται πρ`ος `άμυναν τω~ν πολεμίων. `επε`ι δ' `εκράτουν ο´ι δ ο υ~ λ ο ι, κατ`α τω~ν δεσποτών `ήραντο τ`ας `ασπίδας πάντας τε `ήλαυνον τη~ς ο`ικείας, ο´ι δ`ε λιμένα σωτηρίας ο`υκ `άλλον ``η μόνον κωνσταντι~νον ε´ύραντο, ´ο δ`ε ο´ι~α σώζειν ε`ιδ`ως τούτους πάντας ´υπ`ο τη,~ ´ρωμαίων ε`ισεδέχετο χώρα, `εν ο`ικείοις τε κατέλεγε στρατοι~ς το`υς επιτηδείους, τοι~ς δ' `άλλοις τω~ν πρ`ος τ`ην ζω`ην ε´ίνεκα χώρας ε`ις γεωργίαν διένεμεν, ´ως `επ`ι καλω,~ τ`ην συμφορ`αν α`υτοι~ς ´ομολογει~ν γεγενη~σθαι ρωμαϊκη~ς `ελευθερίας `αντί βαρβάρου θηριωδίας `απολαύουσιν.
http://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf201.iv.vi.iv.vi.html
[With respect to the Sarmatians, God himself brought them beneath the rule of Constantine, and subdued a nation swelling with barbaric pride in the following manner. Being attacked by the Scythians, they had entrusted their slaves with arms, in order to repel the enemy. These slaves first overcame the invaders and then, turning their weapons against their masters, drove them all from their native land. The expelled Sarmatians found that their only hope of safety was in Constantine’s protection: and he, whose familiar habit it was to save men’s lives, received them all within the confines of the Roman empire. To the number of 300,000, according to Anonymus Valesianus. This was in the year 334. Those who were capable of serving he incorporated with his own troops: to the rest he allotted lands to cultivate for their own support: so that they themselves acknowledged that their past misfortune had produced a happy result, in that they now enjoyed Roman liberty in place of savage barbarism. ]

Hieron. Chron. ad annum 334 p. Chr.
S a r m a t a e L i m i g a n t e s dominos suos, qui nunc Argaragantes (ardaragantes Î' arcaragantes P argaragantes [argarag i. Ras.] N) vocantur, facta manu in Romanum solum expulerunt.
[The Limigantes Sarmatians, having gathered a force, expelled their masters, who are now called the Argaragantes, onto Roman soil.]
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/jerome_chronicle_03_part2.htm

Amm. 17, 12, 18
potentes olim ac nobiles erant huius indigenae regni (scil. Sarmata­rum), sed coniuratio clandestina s e r v o s armavit in facinus. atque ut barbaris esse omne ius in viribus adsuevit, vicerunt dominos ferocia pares, et numero praeminentes etc.
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_17_book17.htm#C12
[There were formerly many natives of this kingdom, of high birth and great power, but a secret conspiracy armed their slaves against them; and as among barbarians all right consists in might, they, as they were equal to their masters in ferocity, and superior in number, completely overcame them.]

... 17, 13, 1
His (ut narratum est) secundo finitis eventu, ad L i m i g a n t e s, S a r m a t a s s e r v o s, ocius signa transferri utilitas publica flagitabat, quos erat admodum nefas, inpune multa et nefaria perpetrasse. nam velut obliti priorum, tunc erumpentibus Liberis, ipsi quoque tempus aptissimum nancti, limitem perrupere Ro­manum, ad hanc solam fraudem dominis suis hostibusque concordes.
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_17_book17.htm#C13
[These matters then, as has been related, having been thus successfully terminated, the public interests required that the army should at once march against the Limigantes, the revolted slaves of the Sarmatians, who had perpetrated many atrocities with impunity. For, as soon as the countrymen of free blood had attacked us, they also, forgetful of their former condition, thinking to take advantage of a favourable opportunity, burst through the Roman frontier, in this wickedness alone agreeing with their masters and enemies.]

... ib. 4
has enim terras Parthiscus inruens obliquatis meatibus, Histro miscetur etc.
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_17_book17.htm#C13
[For the Parthiscus waters this land, proceeding with oblique windings till it falls into the Danube]

... 19, 11, 1
Inter haec ita ambigua, Constantium Sirmi etiam tum hiberna quiete curantem, per­movebant nuntii metuendi et graves, indicantes id quod tunc magnopere formidabat, L i m i g a n t e s S a r m a t a s quos expulisse paternis avitisque sedibus dominos suos ante monstravimus, paulatim posthabilis locis, quae eis anno praeterito utiliter sunt destinata, ne (ut sunt versabiles) aliquid molirentur inicum, regiones confines limi­tibus occupasse, vagarique licentius genuine more (ni pellerentur,) omnia turbaturos.
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_19_book19.htm#C11
[While these perplexing transactions were taking place, intelligence full of importance and danger reached Constantius who was reposing in winter quarters at Sirmium, informing him (as he had already greatly feared) that the Sarmatian Limigantes, who, as we have before related, had |204 expelled their masters from their hereditary homes, had learnt to despise the lands which had been generously allotted to them in the preceding year, in order to prevent so fickle a class from undertaking any mischievous enterprise, and had seized on the districts over the border; that they were straggling, according to their national custom, with great licence over the whole country, and would throw everything into disorder if they were not put down.]

Cf. 19, 11, 5-9
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_19_book19.htm#C11
[He at once therefore sent two tribunes, each accompanied by an interpreter, to the Limigantes, to inquire mildly why they had quitted the homes which at their own request had been assigned to them after the conclusion of the treaty of peace, and why they were now straggling in various directions, and passing their boundaries in contempt of his prohibitions.

They made vain and frivolous excuses, fear compelling them to have recourse to lies, and implored the emperor's pardon, beseeching him to discard his displeasure, and to allow them to cross the river and come to him to explain the hardships under which they were labouring; alleging their willingness, if required, to retire to remoter lands, only within the Roman frontier, where, enjoying lasting peace and worshipping tranquillity as their tutelary deity, they would submit to the name and discharge the duties of tributary subjects.

When the tribunes returned and related this, the emperor, exulting that an affair which appeared full of inextricable difficulties was likely to be brought to a conclusion without any trouble, and being eager to add to his acquisitions, admitted them all to his presence. His eagerness for acquiring territory was fanned by a swarm of flatterers, who were incessantly saying that when all distant districts were at peace, and when tranquillity was established everywhere, he would gain many subjects, and would be able to enlist powerful bodies of recruits, thereby relieving the provinces, which would often rather give money than personal service (though this expectation has more than once proved very mischievous to the state).

Presently he pitched his camp near Acimincum, where a lofty mound was raised to serve for a tribune; and some boats, loaded with soldiers of the legions, without their baggage, under command of Innocentius, an engineer who had suggested the measure, were sent to watch the |206 channel of the river, keeping close under the bank; so that, if they perceived the barbarians in disorder, they might come upon them and surprise their rear, while their attention was directed elsewhere.

The Limigantes became aware of the measures thus promptly taken, but still employed no other means of defence than humility and entreaty; though secretly they cherished designs very different from those indicated by their words and gestures.]

and 29, 6, 15.
http://www.tertullian.org/fathers/ammianus_29_book29.htm#C6
[Amid these calamitous inflictions of adverse fortune, Theodosius the younger, Duke of Moesia, then in the first bloom of youth, but afterwards a prince of the highest reputation, in many encounters defeated and vanquished the Free Sarmatians (so called to distinguish them from their rebellious slaves), who had invaded our frontier on the other side, till he exhausted them by his repeated victories; and with such vigour did he crush the assembled crowds combined to resist his arms, that he glutted the very birds and beasts with the blood of the vast numbers justly slain.]

Origo Const. 6, 32 (MG. Auct. IX, 10)
sed s e r v i S a r m a t a r u m adver­sum omnes dominos rebellarunt, quos pulsos Constantinus libenter accepit et amplius trecenta milia hominum mixtae aetatis et sexus per Thraciam Scythiam Macedoniam Italiamque divisit.
http://www.constantinethegreatcoins.com/Constantine/Origo.html
[But the slaves of the Sarmatians rebelled against all their masters and drove them from the country. These Constantine willingly received, and distributed more than three hundred thousand people of different ages and both sexes through Thrace, Scythia, Macedonia, and Italy]

Consul. Constant. ad annum 334 p. Chr. (MG. Auct. IX, 234)
Optato et Paulino. His conss. S ar m a t a e s e r v i universa gens dominos suos in Romaniam expulerunt.


Šafařík,2 Niederle,3 and Vernadsky4 hold the view that the Sarmatae Limigantes (= Sarmatae servi) were Slavs. This view seems to be supported among other things by the conclusions concerning the Slavic origin of the Scythian farmers and ploughmen at which I arrived above. If we agree with Rostovtzeff that the main structure of the states formed successively by the Cimmerians, Scythians and Sarmatians was almost the same, a small mino­rity of nomads ruling over a large majority of conquered peoples and tribes,5 it must in principle be permissible to assume that the population, formerly dependent on the Scythians, continued its existence under the domination of the Sarmatians. Since the subjects of the Scythians (ο´ι τυφλοί) were iden­tified with the Antae, it is quite natural that the Antae should also be repre­sented among the subjects of the Sarmatians, the Sarmatae Limigantes. On the other hand, if the subjects of the Sarmatians can be proved to be of Slavonic origin, there is every reason to presume that the Slavs were also represented among the subjects of the Scythians. In these circumstances I find Vernadsky's etymology Limigantes < Limig-Antes 'the Weak Antes' (cf. Ossetic læmæg 'weak', 'meek') very plausible, since it allows us to connect the subjects of the Scythians even by name with those of the Sarmatians.6 If we agree with Šafařík, Niederle, and Vernadsky on the Slavonic origin of the Limigantes and also accept Vernadsky's etymology of their name, we can say that the Iranian conquerors of South Russia called their Slavonic subjects by the name 'the Weak', 'the Meek'. I do not see any reason why the name used by the Sarmatians of the Slavs could not be a translation of a Slavonic name that was in use among the Slavs themselves. The equivalents of Ossetic læmæg 'weak' in the principal Slavonic languages are as follows: Church Slavic slabŭ, Serbo-Croatian slab, Czech slabý, Polish słaby, Russian slabyj.7 The variants of the name of the Slavs in the Greek and Latin sources have been collected by Niederle,8 Dölger,9 and Moravcsik.10 Pseudo-Caesarius writes σκλαυηνοί, Procopius σκλαβηνοί, σκλαβι~νοι. In the Arabic sources the Slavs are called by the name saqlāb (pl. saqāliba).11 The form σκλάβοι, appears for the first time in Malalas (circa 491-578) and is frequently used in later sources, e. g. Chronicon Paschale, Theophanes, Constantine Porphyrogenitus, etc. It is generally agreed that the element k in this name is a secondary addition to avoid the combination sl-, which is alien to Greek.12

The prevalent opinion is that the form σκλάβοι should be considered as an abbreviation of σκλαβηνοί.13 Although the etymology of this name has remained undecided, there seems to be a consensus of opinion among Slavists that its stem was originally slov.14 As far as I know, it has not been connected with the stem slab. Now, even if we accept that the form σκλαβηνοί has been derived from a stem slov, I do not think that it is also necessary to con­nect the form σκλάβοι with the same stem. If there was a Slavonic group which was called 'the Weak' by its Iranian neighbours and if we presume that it also had a Slavonic name with the same meaning, this name m u s t appear in the Greek and Latin sources as σκλάβοι, Sclabi. Precisely this form appears in our literary records from Malalas onwards. In my opinion, the connection between this well-established form σκλάβοι and the Slavic slab 'weak', cannot be denied. After the phonetic development b > ν had taken place in Greek and Latin,15 the form derived from the stem slab was confused in the literary records with another from the stem slov, the o of which was not pure and could therefore be transcribed as a.16 In these cir­cumstances the forms σκλάβοι (< slab) and σκλαβηνοί (< slov-) could no longer be distinguished from one another and were used from the very beginning of the Byzantine records on the Slavs as equivalents.

The name of the Limigantes (= Limig-Antes) could be rendered as σκλάβοι `άντες (`άνται), if the first component is left in its Slavonic form. Since the Limigantes, being servi Sarmatarum, represent the δουλοσπόροι group during the Sarmatian period, we can arrive at the equation σκλάβοι `άντες = δουλοσπόροι. Now, if there was a Slavonic group, the name of which meant 'the Weak', there is every reason to suppose that this name might also have been translated into Greek or Latin. It seems to me that such a translation is very easy to find.

It is common to the tribes classed among the δουλοσπόροι, that they arc called in our sources degeneres 'degenerate': Plin. nat. 4, 80 Scythae degeneres; Val. Fl. 6, 86 degeneresque ruunt Sindi; Tac. Germ. 45, 6 in tantum . . . degenerant. The Greek equivalent of the Latin degener is `αγενής. As has already been established, the words of Pliny in nat. 4, 80 can be translated as σκύθαι `αγενει~ς κα`ι δουλόσποροι. In Church Slavic, the Greek `αγενής is slab.17 It seems to me that the epithet degener (`αγενής), when used of the δουλο­σπόροι, can be considered as a translation of a Slavonic name with the stem slab. If the name had not been translated, the important words in Plin. nat. 4,80 would run Scythae Sclabi et a servis orti, in Greek σκύθαι σκλάβοι κα`ι δουλόσποροι.18 Ι think the idea that the δουλοσπόροι were 'degenerate' should be accepted in this sense. Just as the translation of the Iranian name of the Antae led to the idea that the slaves of the Scythians were blind, so the translation of a Slavonic name with the stem slab explains why the tribes of the δουλοσπόροι are called degeneres in our written records.

On the evidence discussed above, the problem of the Spori seems to be settled in a way which is in agreement with the earlier literary tradition and also confirms the presumed Slavonic origin of the σκύθαι `αροτη~ρες - γεωργοί and the Sarmatae Limigantes. The explanation given by Procopius for the name σπόροι corresponds exactly to the conditions which can be gathered from earlier literary records, for the group known as δουλοσπόροι was earlier known both as τυφλοί (= `άνται) and as degeneres, Limig-[Antes] (= σκλάβοι). Procopius only substituted the form σκλαβηνοί for σκλάβοι, which was possible, since these two names had become fused in the Greek and Latin literary records.

The analysis of the names Argaragantes and Limigantes in the manner sug­gested by Vernadsky (see p. 140 n. 3)19 shows that the name Antae, Antes was not only that of the tribes in South Russia ruled over by the Iranian Scythians and Sarmatians but could also have included the Iranian rulers who lived among their subjects. When necessary, the rulers and subjects could be distinguished from each other by means of prefixes (Argarag-, Limig-). The Slavo-Iranian character of the 'Chernoleska' culture, which has been con­nected with the Scythian farmers, corresponds in a significant manner with this bipartition.20 In the period described by Herodotus, the Iranian name meaning 'the Dark' pertained, as far as can be proved, only to the subjects of the Royal Scythians. The form Argaragantes (Argarag-Antes) shows that the same name, at some stage or other, also began to be used for those belong­ing to the dominating Iranian population. This was possibly to some extent the case even in Herodotus' time. Later, when the Antae became totally slavonized as their Iranian rulers were either driven away (cf. the sources quoted on pp. 139 f.) or became fused with them, there was no further need for the distinguishing prefixes (Argarag-, Limig-), which could therefore be done without.


1 For these Sarmatians see Kretschmer, RE I A, 2547 f.; the sources on them are quoted in Niederle, Slovanské starožitnosti II, 128 f., but partly from out-of-date editions.
2 Slawische Alterthümer I, 344 »Um 334 empörte sich das unterjochte, wie wir glauben, slawische Volk (Sarmatae servi) gegen die Jazygen (Sarmatae liberi) und befreite wenigstens einen Theil ihres Landes vom Joche»; the free Sarmatians, however, are not called Iazyges in the sources available.
3 Niederle, Manuel de l'antiquité slave I, 54 »I1 n'est pas douteux que ces evenements de 334 se ramènent a une guerre entre les deux grandes classes fixées dans la plaine hongroise. Qu'on admette que l'une fût libre, maitresse de l'autre asservie, qu'en même temps la premiere vécût d'une vie nomade, et la seconde d'une vie villageoise, pratiquant l'agriculture et cul­tivant surtout le millet, et l'on tiendra pour infiniment vraisemblable que les Sarmates noma­des, c'est-à-dire iraniens, dominaient en Hongrie une population d'une autre origine, consacrée à l'agriculture. Cette population ne pouvait etre qu'une population slave».
4 The Origins of Russia p. 24 «When an agricultural tribe was conquered by a pastoral tribe, it had to till land for the benefit of the conquerors. Of this pattern were the relations of an 'outer' Sarmatian tribe, Acaragantes (Acarag-Antes) and a Slavic tribe, Limigantes (Limig-Antes), both residing in the fourth century of our era in the basin of the middle Danube River»; ibid. p. 70 »In Ossetic æqæræg means 'voiceless', and læmæg 'weak', 'meek'. The Limig-Antes were obviously Slavs . . . The name Læmæg, survives in that of the Lemki (singular Lemak), a tribe in the Carpathian Ukraine. The Acarag-Antes were Iranians».
5 Iranians and Greeks p. 211, quoted on pp. 125 ff. above.
6 For the name Argaragantes, see below p. 149.
7 Buck, A Dictionary of Selected Synonyms 4. 82.
8 Slovanské starožitnosii II, 477 ff.
9 »Ein Fall slavischer Einsiedlung im Hinterland von Thessalonike im 10. Jhdt.,» SB Bayer. Akad. d. Wiss. Phil.-hist. 1952: 1, p. 23 n. 2.
10 Byzantinoturcica II, 278.
11 Moravcsik, loc. cit.
12 Dolger, art. cit. p. 19 n. I. thinks that the Latin forms Sclavini, Sclavi have been derived from Greek; but this need not have been the case, since the combination sl- is alien even to Latin, for there are no Latin words with an initial sl.
13 Kretschmer, AfslPh 27, 1905, 232 »Die kürzere Form σκλάβοι, . . . ist vielleicht auf griechischem Boden in der Weise entstanden,. dass σκλαβηνοί nach Analogie von περ­γαμηνός, Λαμψακηνός, κυζιχη,νός, `αρτακηνός u. s. w. als adjektivische Ableitung auf­gefasst und dazu gleichsam als substantivisches Stammwort σκλάβοι gebildet wurde»; the same explanation is given by Vasmer, ZfdW 9, 1907, 22 (cf. REW II, 656 f.), and it is even accepted by Dölger, loc. cit.
14 Diels, Die slavischen Völker p. 15; Vasmer, REW II, 656; Arumaa, Urslavische Grammatik I, 74 (43)·
15 In Latin b intervocally already became a bilabial fricative in the beginning of the prin­cipate, as is evidenced by the frequent interchange of b and υ; see Leumann & Hofmann & Szantyr, Lateinische Grammatik I, 130 (§ 114. b); Väänänen, Introduction au latin vulgaire p. 51 (89). In Attic-Ionic e. g. Λειβία for Lima appears about the beginning of the Christian era; see Schwyzer, Griechische Grammatik I, 207 f.; cf. Buck, The Greek Dialects p. 58 (62).
16 Arumaa, loc. cit.
17 Meyer, Altkirchenslavisch-griechisches Wörterhuch des Codex Suprasliensis p. 229 s. v.
18 The Slavs are called by this very compound in Chrestomathiae ex Strabonis libro VII, 47 (GGM II, 574): κα`ι νυ~ν δ`ε πα~σαν `ήπειρον κα`ι `Ελλάδα σχεδόν κα`ι ΙΙελοπόννησον κα`ι Μακεδονίαν σ κ ύ θ·α ι σ κ λ ά β ο ι νέμονται; cf. Vasmer, Die Slaven in Griechenland p. 17; Dölger, art. cit. p. 28.
19 Gf. also p. 149 below.
20 Gimbutas, The Balts pp. 99, 108; eadem, Bronze Age Cultures pp. 440, 443.'


I have a suspicion that in *læmæg- etc we're dealing here with my old friend *λaN- "put down, lay down; subdue(?)"; if so, the laeti "bound; slave" is related, and the "bind; tie" sense is not independent, but derived from the "put down, subdue" sense. Let's see what semantic field we can cover with the formal derivatives of λaN-, namely *(s)(t)la/e(n)k/p- etc (*λ- > (s)(t)l- or sw- or d-, *aN -> *aŋ, a -> a or e, *ŋ -> -(ŋ)k or -(m)p).


Pokorny

'le:b-, lōb-, lāb-, leb- ,schlaff herabhängen', auch ,Lippe' (?), z. T. mit anlaut. s-; daneben, aber weniger häufig (s. dazu lep- ,abschälen' am Schlusse) Formen auf -p-; nasaliert (s)lemb(h)-. Viele expressive Bildungen.

Gr. λοβός ,Schotenhülse, Samenkapsel; Ohrläppchen',
`έλλοβος ,schoten­tragend',
λεβηρίς ,Schlangenhaut, Bohnenhülse' Hes.,
λέβινθοι ,Erbsen';

lat. nur mit ă:: lăbō, -āre ,wanken, schwanken',
lābor, -ī, lapsus ,gleiten, sinken, fehlgehen';
lābe:s, -is ,Einsinken, Fall, Erdrutsch; Untergang, Ver­derben' und ,Makel, Schandfleck';
vielleicht labor, -ōris ,Mühe, Last; An­strengung; dann: Arbeit',
labōrāre ,sich mühen, geplagt sein' (eigentlich ,das müde Wanken unter einer Last');
wohl labium (labeum), labrum n. (meist Pl. labia, labra) ,Lippe, Rand';

reich entwickelt im Germ.:

1. isl. norw. lapa ,schlaff herabhängen', isl. lapi ,homo sui negligens', mhd. erlaffen ,erschlaffen', nhd. laff ,schlaff, matt';
geminiert:
aisl. leppr m. (*lappja-) ,Lappen, Locke',
as. lappo ,Zipfel, Lappen',
mnd. lappe ,Stück, Lappen, Wamme',
ags. læppa, lappa m. ,Zipfel, Lappen' (engl. lap ,Schoß'),
ags. e:ar-liprica,
nhd. (nd.) Ohr-läppchen (mit einf. p mnd. or-lepel ds., mhd. leffel ,Ohr des Hasen', nhd. die Löffel);
ndd. laps, schlaps, lapp ,läppischer, dummer Mensch',
nhd. Laffe (*lapan-);
daneben auf idg. -p:
holl. laffaard ,Laffe' - zunächst von holl. laf ,matt, schlaff, albern' - und mit germ. bb mhd. lappe - auch lape - und nhd. Lapp, läppisch, endlich dehnstufig mhd. luof ,Tölpel';
von der Wurzelform auf idg. p weiter
aisl. lafa ,baumeln, hangen',
mhd. Partiz. erlaben ,erschlafft',
schweiz. labe ,Pferd mit hängenden Ohren, Ochse mit abwärts gekehrten Hörnern';
schwed. dial. labba ,anhängen', ndd. labbe ,(hängende) Lippe',
ahd. (aus dem Ndd.) lappa f., mhd. lappe f. m. ,niederhängendes Stück Zeug, Lappen';

2. mit der Bedeutung ,Lippe' als ,die hängende' (wie lat. labium):
mnl. lippe. f., nhd. Lippe, afries. ags. lippa m. ,Lippe', (*lepy-an-), norw. lepe (*lep-an-), ahd. leffur, as. lepur ds., ahd. lefs ,Lefze' (*lep-s);

3. mit anlaut. s-:
got. sle:pan, saizle:p, as. slāpan, ahd. slāfan, ags. slæ:pan ,schlafen', got. sle:ps usw. ,Schlaf,
aisl. slāpr ,träger Mensch',
ndl. slaap, ahd. slāf m., nhd. ,Schläfe'; mnd. ndl. slap ,schlaff', ahd. slaf (-ff-), nhd. schlaff,
isl. norw. slapa (= lapa) ,schlaff herabhängen';
geminiert aisl. slappi ,langer, verwachsener Mensch', schwed. slapp ,arm, untätig';
mit idg. -p-:
aisl. slafask ,erschlaffen' und - von der Vorstellung herabhängenden Schleimes aus -
wohl auch isl. slafra ,geifern',
mengl. slaveren, engl. slaver ds.,
isl. slevja f. ,Geifer',
norw. slevjen ,schleimig, kotig';
norw. slabbe, schwed. slabba ,sudeln', mndl. slabben ,besudeln, schlurfen', nhd. schlappen (auch ,geifern'),
mengl. slabben ,sich im Kot wälzen',
nhd. (ndd.) schlappern, schlabbern,
schwed. dial. slabb ,Schlamm­wasser',
engl. dial. slab,schleimig, schlüpfrig', Subst. ,Schlammpfütze';
lit. slobstù, slõbti ,schwach werden',
lit. žem. slãbnas,
ostlit. slõbnas ,schwach',
lett. slābêt ,zusammenfallen' (von einer Geschwulst);
aksl. slabъ usw. ,schwach'.

Nasaliert lemb(h)-:
Ai. rámbate, lambate ,hängt herab, hängt sich an',
lambana- ,herab­hängend', n. ,herabhängender Schmuck, Phlegma';
lat. limbus ,Besatz am Kleid, Saum';
über gr. λέμφος s. unten;
ags. (ge)limpan ,vonstatten gehen, glücken',
ahd. limphan, limfan,
mhd. limpfen ,angemessen sein',
ags. gelimp n. ,Ereignis, Zufall',
mhd. g(e)limpf ,Angemessenheit, schonungsvolle Nachricht; Benehmen',
ablautend
andd. gelumplīk ,passend',
mhd. limpfen ,hinken',
engl. to limp ,hinken', limp ,schlaff herabhängend',
ndd. lumpen ,hinken',
auch nhd. (ndd.) Lumpen ,Fetzen';
vgl. von einer germ. Nebenwurzel lemb- (wäre idg. *lembh-):
mhd. lampen (und slampen),
ndd. lempen ,welk niederhängen',
Schweiz. lampe ,Wamme, herabhängender Lappen';
ags. lemp(i)healt ,hinkend';
mit anlaut. s-:
norw. dial. slampa ,nachlässig gehen',
engl. dial. slamp ,ds., hinken',
norw. dial. slamsa ,lose hängen, baumeln';
norw. (mnd.) slump ,Zufall',
engl. slump ,Morast, nasse Stelle', to slamp, slump ,plumpsen, klatschen',
mhd. slampen ,schlaff herabhängen',
nhd. dial. schlampen ,schlaff herabhängen, nachlässig sein',
Schlumpe, Schlampe ,unordentliches Frauenzimmer' (wohl mit ndd. p);
aisl. sleppa, slapp ,entfallen, entgleiten' (*slemp-), Kaus. sleppa (*slampian) ,fahren lassen',
engl. dial. slemp ,ausweichen, wegschleichen, sich herab­senken';
von einer Wurzelf. auf germ. b (vgl. gr. λέμφος ,Schleim, Rotz');
mnd. mhd. slam (-mm-), nhd. Schlamm (*slamba-),
spätmhd. slemmen ,schlemmen',
norw. slemba f. ,Schlampe', slemba ,klatschen', isl. ,baumeln';
ferner vielleicht die Gruppe von mhd. slimp (-mb-), slim (-mm-) ,schief, schräg' u. dgl.;
vielleicht zu lett. slīps aus *slimpas ,schräg, steil', lit. nu-slim~pa ,entschlüpft'.


1. leg- ,tröpfeln, sickern, zergehen'.
Arm. lič ,Sumpf (*le:gya);
air. legaim ,löse mich auf, zergehe, schmelze', fo-llega ,(die Tinte) läuft aus', dī-leg- (3. Sg. do-lega) ,zerstören, vernichten', dīlgend ,Vernichtung',
mcymr. dilein (*dī-leg-ni-) ds., dileith ds., cymr. llaith, bret. letz (*lekto-) ,feucht',
cymr. dad-leithio ,schmelzen',
air. lecht ,Tod', cymr. llaith ,letum, caedes, nex' als ,*Auflösung', lleas ,Tod' (*leg-astu-);
vielleicht auch als Kaus. air. do-luigim (*logeyō) ,lasse nach, verzeihe', dílgud ,Verzeihung';

aisl. lekr ,leck', leki m. ,Leck',
ags. hlec (mit falschem h) ,leck',
nhd. (eigentlich ndd.) Leck, Adj. lech und (ndd.) leck,
mnd. lak,
aisl. leka stark. V. ,das Wasser durchlassen',
mnd. leken ds., ahd. ze(r)lechen ,zerlechzt, leck',
mhd. lechen ,Flüssigkeit durchlassen, vor Trockenheit Risse bekommen, verschmachten' (lechezen ,austrocknen', eigentlich ,ausrinnen', nhd. lechzen);
Kaus. *lakjan in ags. leccan ,benetzen', mnd. lecken ,seihen', mhd. lecken ,benetzen';
mnd. lak m. n. ,Fehler, Mangel, Gebrechen',
mengl. lac, nengl. lack ds., afries. lec ,Schade';
dehnstufig aisl. lø:kr m. ,Bach', norw. auch ,Pfütze'.
...

1. lem- ,zerbrechen; zerbrochen, weich'.

Gr. νωλεμές, -έως ,unermüdlich', vielleicht aus ,nicht zusammenbrechend', auf Grund eines mit Präp. o- gebildeten *`ό-λεμος n. *`ολεμής;

ven. MN Lemetor;

air. ro-la(i)methar ,wagt', cymr. llafasu ,wagen', corn. lauasos ds., mbret. lafuaez ,licit',
auch cymr. cyflafan ,Untat', vielleicht zu mir. la(i)me ,Axt';
mit anderer Bedeutung:
mir. lem ,fade, töricht, impotent',
air. lemnat ,Eibisch',
mir. lemlacht, lemnacht ,süße Milch',
cymr. llefrith, bret. livriz ds., mcymr. llyveithin ,schwach' (*lemekt-);

vielleicht alb. lemë, geg. lamë ,Tenne, Ölmühle' = russ. lom;

ahd. as. lam (*lom-),
aisl. lami ,lahm, verkrüppelt',
ahd. lemmen, asächs. lemmian ,lähmen',
ags. lemian ,ds., zähmen (ein Pferd)',
aisl. lemia ,schlagen, entzweischlagen; hindern',
ō-stufig
ahd. luomi ,matt, nachgiebig, mild',
mhd. lüemen, luomen ,ermatten',
reduktionsstufig aisl. luma ,loslassen',
alem. lumme ,schlaff werden',
nhd. dial. lumin ,schlaff',
dazu nhd. Lümmel;
mhd. lunzen ,leicht schlummern',
ostfries. lōm ,gelähmt, hinkend, matt',
schwed. lōma ,steif oder schwerfällig gehen';
e:-stuf.: norw. laam ,lahm';

lett. ľimstu, ľimt, lit. lìmti ,unter einer Last zusammenbrechen',
apr. limtwei ,brechen'; lit. lémti ,es fügen, vorausbestimmen',
lett. lem~t ,bestim­men, urteilen'; lit. lamìnti, Kausat, lámdyti ,ausbilden, trainieren';
dazu wohl auch lit. lúomas ,Art, Gattung';

ahg. lomľjo,, lomiti ,brechen', -sę ,sich abmühen',
russ. lom ,Bruch', Pl. lόmy ,Gliederreißen' usw.;
abg. prělamati ,brechen' usw.;
e-Stufe in
osorb. lémić ,brechen', wohl auch ksl. lemešь ,Pflug' (von einem es-St., wie νωλεμές),
lett. lemesis ,Pflugschar';
mit e:-Stufe skr. l`ìemām, lijèmati ,schlagen'.
...


(s)le:g- : (s)ləg- und (s)leg- ,schlaff, matt sein' (aus ,loslassen'),
nas. (s)leng- (= leng- ,schaukeln, schwanken'?);
sləg-on- ,Herabhängendes';
aus ,schlaff' über ,weichlich' auch ,wollüstig'.

Ai. la.nga- ,lahm';

gr. λήyω ,lasse ab, höre auf (*ermatte); trans. ,mache weichen' (*sle:gō),
`άλληκτος (*σλ-) ,unaufhörlich',
λaγάσσaι· `αφει~ναι Hes.,
λαγαρός ,schlaff, schmächtig, dünn',
hom. λαγωός, ion. λαγός, att. λaγώς, -ώ ,Hase'
(* (s)ləg-ōusos ,mit schlaffen Ohren'),
[Da. sluk-øret "disappointed, ashamed"]
λαγών, -ονος gewöhnlich Pl. ,die Weichen, Dünnen' (formell = aisl. laki ,Faltmagen'),
λάγανον ,dünner breiter Kuchen' (formell = as. lakan usw. ,Tuch'),
λωγάνιον ,Wamme' (vgl. schwed. slōka ,schlaff herabhängen'),
nasaliert vermutlich hierher λαγγάζω ,zaudere', λαγγών ,Zaudern', λαγγεύαι· φενύγαι Hes. (*,matt sein, schlaff und unschlüssig sein');
mit der Bedeutung ,wollüstig': λάγνος ,geil', λαγνeύειν ,wollüstig sein', λαγνεία ,Geilheit, Wollust', λωγάς· πόρνη Hes.
(daneben mit ĕ-Vok. λέγαι δ`ε γυναι~κες = `ακόλaστοι Archil., `ελεγαίνειν „`ασελγαινειν" EM.;

lat. laxus ,schlaff, weit, geräumig',
nas. langueō, -e:re, ,matt, schlaff, ab­gespannt sein';

air. lacc (mit expressivem gg) ,schlaff, schwach';
mcymr. llacc, ncymr. llac ,schlaff' stammt wegen seines cc statt ch aus engl. slack;

mnd. lak ,schlaff, lose', ndl. lak, nhd. mdartl. lack ds., mndl. lak auch ,wollüstig', aisl. lakr und (vollstufig) lākr ,schlecht, gering';
mit Abtönung ō schwed. dial. lōka ,schlaff herabhängen', aisl. lōkr ,Dummkopf, Faulpelz';
germ. *lakana- ,baumelnder Lappen, Zipfel' in as. lakan ,Tuch', ahd. lahhan'


UEW
'lama2 'Schwäche; schwach' FP
?[ Finn. lama 'Schwäche des Viehes vom Hunger; schwach in den Füßen, niedersinkend',
lamaa- 'durch Hunger schwächen, entkräften, niederwerfen',
(SKES) lamakka 'hiukan viettävä, kalteva; geneigt, abschüssig';
lüd. (Kuj.) лamak 'sich langsam senkend, allmählich- od. sanft abfallend'
(> Komi VU lameg : lamege leććini 'опyститься, облениться');
est. lame (Gen. lameda) 'flach; schwach, nicht intensiv',
lamm (Gen. lammu, lamma) 'Plattheit, Plattes',
lama- 'niederliegen, auf dem Bauche liegen, sich platt niederlegen, sich hinstrecken' |

lapp. N labme -ām- 'weakness of birds in the moulting season',
labmo- -ām- 'become incapable of flying (of a bird in the moulting season; lose one's vigour, become tired out (by work)',
L lapme: 'Mauser', lapmō- 'infolge der Mauser flugunfähig werden, nicht mehr fliegen können (von Vögeln)'] |

? Komi S ľam : ľam mun- 'entkräftet niedersinken, wenn man einen heftigen Hieb od. Schlag bekommt',
S ľamal-, P ľama:v- 'angedrückt, niederdrückt werden (S), von einem Hiebe entkräftet werden, so daß man nicht gehen kann (P)',
PO ľam- 'quetschen'.

Die Bedeutung im Finn. wurde wohl auch vom Germ. beeinflußt (vgl. schwed. lam 'lahm' usw.).

Erdélyi (NyK 72:152) hat ung. lankad- (*lam-kad-) 'ermatten, erschlaffen; welken' zu den oben genannten Wörtern gestellt. Das ist jedoch nicht akzeptabel, da der Lautwandel *m > n nicht bewiesen werden kann und für eine Entsprechung des auf Grund des Komi rekonstruierbaren FU *ľ > ung. l kein sicheres Beispiel existiert. Das ung. Wort ist höchstwahrscheinlich ein innensprachlich entstandenes lautmalendes Wort.

Qvigstad: ASSF 12:280; Karsten: FUF 2:196; Setälä: FUFA 12:14, JSFOu. 30/5:62; Wichmann: FUF 15:15; Uotila: SyrjChr. 113; Steinitz: FgrVok. 38, 126; SKES.


lawča (lawša) 'weich, lose, locker' FW
? [Finn. lauha 'mild; sanft; zart, weich; zahm, fromm' (> lapp. N lāfo 'rather mild', L laho);
est. lahva 'los, locker'] |

? lapp. (SKES) R lause 'höllä, löyhä, veltto; lose, locker, weich, schlaff, schlapp. schwach' |

? mord. (Wied.) E lavšo 'schlaff, matt, schwach, weichlich, ohnmächtig', (Ahlqv.) M lafča 'schlapp. schwach'.

Das lapp. Wort ist möglicherweise ein germ. Lehnwort.

Die Zugehörigkeit des mord. Wortes ist unsicher, da das präkonsonantische *w im Mord. hatte geschwunden sein müssen.


läñćз ~ läćз 'schwach, schlaff' FU

? Tscher.
KB ľänzərä, U lańćəra 'abgenutzt, zerfetzt (von Kleidern); schwach, kraftlos (U)',
B lazəra 'lose, weich (Fleisch eines neugeborenen Kalbes od. Lammes)' |

? Komi V ľić : śelem ľ. munis 'es wurde (mir usw.) leichter ums Herz', S ľićid, P ľićit 'schlaff, lose, nicht fest anschließend', PO li-ćөt 'schwach' |

? ostj. (490) V l.äsək 'schwach, kraftlos; lose', Trj. l.åsək 'lose, nicht straff (Seil, Gürtel)'.


Tscher, rä, ra und ostj. ək sind Ableitungssuffixe.

Tscher. KB ľ in ľänzərä ist ein sekundärer Laut, der mit dem Einfluß des folgenden ä zusammenhängt. Auch in Komi ľić, ľićįd ist unter dem Einfluß des folgenden i und ć Palatalisierung eingetreten: l > ľ'.

Die Vokalvertretung in der ersten Silbe im Tscher. (W ä ~ O a) ist in FU Wörtern ganz selten.

Komi i kann unter dem Einfluß der palatalen Nachbarkonsonanten aus ursprünglichem *ä entstanden sein.

Auf Grund des Tscher. kann mit *nć, auf Grund des Ostj. mit *ć gerechnet werden. Auf Grund des Komi ist einer der beiden Varianten möglich.

Onomat.



leńз 'weich, schlaff' FU
?[Finn. leìna 'weich, schwach; soгgsen, bedrövad; traurig, betrübt',
leino 'sorgsen, bedrövad, olycklig; traurig, betrübt, unglücklich';
est. lein (Gen. leina) 'Trauer'] |

? Komi S leń, P veń 'ruhig, still (Wetter); windstill'
(> wog. KU lå:ń, P leń 'gut'),
Ud. ľońid 'schlaff, schwach',
S ľuń- 'herabsinken, erschlaffen (männl. Glied)' |

? [ ostj. (OL 223) Kr. liń, Kaz. l.ăń, O leń 'schlaff, Kaz. l.ĭńəm l.ońəm 'Faulenzer' |

wog. (Kann. Mskr.) LO liń 'cлабкo (веревка)', (MSz.) N lińm- 'erschlaffen'].


In Komi ľońid und ľuń- kann unter dem Einfluß des inlautenden ń l > ľ geworden sein.

Onomat., so daß die Wörter auch innersprachliche Bildungen sein können.



leppз 'weich' FU

? [Finn. leppeä 'mild(e), sanft, freundlich',
leppy- 'sich aussöhnen, sich versöhnen' (> lapp. R leppote-, läppote- 'lepyttää; besänftigen');
est. lebe (Gen. lebeda), (dial.) lepe 'still, ruhig, mild',
leppi- 'sich vertragen, sich versöhnen, Frieden machen'] |

? lapp. L lähpökis 'brav, artig, gehorsam (von einem Kind), freundlich, gutmütig, harmlos (von einem Erwachsenen)' |

? mord. M ľäpä 'weich' |

?? tscher.
KB liwə, U lewe 'lau, laulich, lauwarm und weich (z. B. das Wasser)',
B lewe 'warm',
(Ramst.) KB ləpkä 'mild, gelinde',
(Wichm., mitg. Ras.: MSFOu. 48: 251) U lüpka 'lau' |

? ostj. (1083) V lewət, DN tepət, O lepət 'schwach, schlaff (Bogen) (V DN O), weich (DN O)'.

Tscher, kä und ostj. t sind wohl Ableitungssuffixe.

Die Verbindung mit dem Tscher. ist auch wegen der unregelmäßigen Entsprechung von finn. pp usw. ( < *pp) ~ tscher. w (aber vgl. KB ləpkä, U lüpka) unsicher.

Aus der angenommenen ursprünglichen Bedeutung ist finn. 'mild, sanft', tscher. 'lau, lauwarm' und ostj. 'schwach' leicht zu verstehen.

Onomat.


lońća 'weich' FU

lapp. N loa3^'3^â -3^3^- 'loosely; in a slack, loose condition' loa3^'3^e -3^3^- 'abated wind (not an absolute calm)',
L loutsas 'durch Wasser aufgeweicht (von Lederwaren); mit Wasser ganz vollgesogen (meistens von einem Boot, das lange im Wasser gelegen hat)',
K (1391) Kld. liońe (oa) 'schwach, schlaff', Not. luačče- 'still werden (vom Wetter)' |

ostj (487) DN luńťə 'wann, lauwarm, verschlagen (wie Flußwasser im heißen Sommer)' O lońśi 'lauwarm (Wasser, Suppe)' |

wog. (WV 69) TJ lanćə·ŋ, KU P lańśəŋ, So. lońśəŋ 'warm', (MSz.) N lańsiŋ 'weich' |

ung.
lágy 'weich; mild, gelind, sanft; nachgiebig, energielos; (altung.) träge, langsam; Blättlein, Fontanelle',
langy, langyos 'lau, lauwarm, gelind'.


Ostj. i und wog. ŋ sind Ableitungssuffixe.

Das -n- in ung. langy, langyos ist wohl ein inetymologischer Laut.

Die Bedeutungswandlung 'weich' -> 'lau' trat in der Ug. Grundsprache oder nach dn Trennung der Ug. Sprachen ein.

Tscher. KB lə^nzə^ra 'weich und flaumig (von der Schafwolle)' (Gombocz: NyK 39: 226, Wichmann: FUF 14: 11; Toivonen: FUF 19: 179; NyH7; FUV) gehört wegen des Vokals der ersten Silbe nicht hierher.'



And I shouldn't forget German gelinde "softly; meticulously"


Note that UEW is again fighting with the problem of explaing away cognates between Germanic and all of Finno-Permic; they resort to claiming that the Finnish sense of FP *lama was influenced by Swedish lam "lame" and not that of the other FP cognates, which have similar senses.

There is a suspicious sl-/sw- alternation involving exactly this gloss: Slavic slobodI vs. svobodI "free", PIE *sle:b- vs. *swe:p- "sleep", Engl. slack, German schlaff vs. German schwach "weak". I think the reason is that the original /λ/ or /ł/ in some cases went -> (/sł/ ->) /sw/). A rule /ł/ -> /sł/ -> /stl/ (-> /skl/) would explain (beside Latin (st)locus and *stlato-) the Skl- of Sklavenoi etc.

Slavic slobodI and svobodI are by Holzer and Kordlandt assigned (separately) to a substrate language, Temematic, since they have no good Slavic etymology.
http://tech.dir.groups.yahoo.com/group/cybalist/message/32179

Now if the sl-/sw- alternation is a reality, then the ethnonyms Slaw- and Swew- are cognates. That means that Sueui got their name from the name of the lower layer in the Przeworsk culture. The name of the Alamanni
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alamanni
which were said to be the Sueui under another name, would then indicate that the old caste/ethnic distinction between slave and master in the invading army of Ariovistus had been eroded away in their years of warfare together.

Note in support of the proposed sl-/sw- alternation also the l-/v- alternation in Komi S leń, P veń 'ruhig, still (Wetter); windstill'



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