Re: Celtic two-components place-names

Anyone interested in Gallo-Brittonic etymologies should purchase
immediately the excellent and inexpensive "Dictionnaire de la langue
gauloise" (CNRS, 2001) by Xavier Delamarre.

> Acitodunum (Aqu.)

Acito- "plain field", so "Fort of the Plain".

> Ganodurum (Bel.)

Not too sure about this one. Gano- may be related here to the
(possible) verb ganor found on the Calendar of Coligny. It is of
uncertain etymology. Duron means "market/forum".

> Samarobriva (Bel.)

Samaro- seems to be related to samo- "summer", and it may have the
meaning of "summery" or even "fallow" - Briua = "bridge", so "Summer
Bridge"?

> Arialdunum (Bet.)

Not certain about this one - arialo- may be some kind of suffixed
form of ario- "lord/nobleman" (so "Noble Fort"?).

> Mirobriga (Bet., Lus., Tar.)

Miro- may be related to Gaulish mero-, apparently "wild/agitated" +
briga "hill". Perhaps "Wild hill".

> Meliodunum (Ger.)

May be related to Gaulish meli- "sweet/agreeable" - so "Sweet/Fair
Fort"

> Excingomagus (Ita.)

Excingos is "Warrior" ("[he that] marches out") +
magus "field/plain" - so "Warrior's Plain"

> Darioritum (Lug.)

Dario = "agitation/tumult/rage" + riton "ford" -
so "Agitated/Furious Ford"

> Va(r)goritum (Lug.)

I think Uagoriton is the accepted form - it may be related to the
Gaulish root uac-, of uncertain meaning, but perhaps related to
Latin uaccilare - may mean something like "curved" - so
maybe "Crooked Ford".

> Arabriga (Lus.)

Perhaps related to aramo- "sweet/calm" - so maybe "Gentle Hill".

> Arcobriga (Lus., Tar.)

Arco- may be a variant of argo- "white" - so "White Hill"

> Tasgodunum (Nar.)

Perhaps tascos "badger" - so "Badger Fort".

> Gesodunum (Nor.)

Likely gaiso-/gaeso- "spear" - so "Fort of the Spear".

- Chris Gwinn