--- In cybalist@..., tgpedersen@... wrote:
> But then it occurred to me: The question I should be asking is: How
> far back do you find <dat-> in Russian? Before the Dutch Golden
(17th)
> Century?
>
> Torsten
At least as early as 1630. But {DonI} 'Danemark' - since 11th c
(replaced later by bookish {Danija}), later also {donIskU} 'Danish'.
Max Vasmer in his Etymological Dictionary of the Russian language
prudently supposes the Russian word was influenced by Medieval Latin
'bookish' {Dacia},{Datia} and Medieval Greek {Dati'a} 'Danemark' <
'Dacia'. Of course he explains such usage from medieval literary
tradition to render a new 'barbarian' toponym/ethnonym via a well-
known ancient one (cf. also Medieval Latin {Norici} 'Norwegians').
Sergei