Re: [cybalist] Re: Rivernames [was: Easter]

----- Original Message -----

From: Sergejus Tarasovas

To: cybalist@egroups.com

Sent: Thursday, April 27, 2000 4:06 PM

Subject: RE: [cybalist] Re: Easter

Piotr wrote: 

 etc.; some are even more straightforward: "the River", "the Stream", or "the Water". 

 An interesting example is Lithuanian Jūra, a river in Žemaitija, cf. jū^ra 'sea', also Thracian (according to Georgiev's work) iura 'river'.

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This stem may be related to *jeux- 'stir, mix' (cf. *juxs- 'soup, broth' and its derivatives: Lith. jūšė, Slavic juxa, Lat. iūs-, Skt. yūš-, etc.). Jūra would then of adjectival origin: *jux-ro- 'stirred > turbulent, boiling'.

A for Danube and similar names, a connection with Iranian *dānu- 'river' seems irresistible, however the IE protoform and its meaning should be reconstructed. The regularly formed adjectival derivative *dāneu-jo- would account for the Danube and probably the Welsh Donwy as well. They probably belong to "the River" type. The Rhone is *dānu with the Celtic intensive prefix *ro- (< *pro-).

Maybe Tuatha Dé Danann was originally supposed to mean 'Danubians' ;) ?

Piotr