The German name Ösel (= Saaremaa) is indeed a contraction of
Ösyssla "island district", called so by contrast to Adalsyssla (= mainland
Estonia). Little wonder, since Denmark bought the island (together with Western
Estonia) in 1559 and kept it until 1645, when it passed to Sweden (it is
now part of Estonia). The name doesn't go back to prehistoric times. The
rest is wrong. Sýsla was an Old Norse word meaning "business, concern,
work" (cf. Middle English sisel 'busy' -- a Scandinavian loan). The meaning
"unit of territorial division" is not uniquely Danish -- in
fact, it is still used in Iceland. In case you don't know,
Iceland is divided into 23 counties known as syslar (sg. sysla), E.g.
Arnessysla, Skaftafellssysla, Kjosarsysla, etc.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2001 1:07 PM
Subject: [tied] Re: Language - Area - Routes
<snip> After
centuries of fighting with the Slavic Ruthenians, they withdraw to the land
south of the Gulf of Finland, (Øsel < Ø-syssel,
the "syssel" division is
otherwise only found in Jutland, eg. "Himbersysæl", "Thythæsysæl",
"Harthesysæl")
</snip>