I rule out direct borrowing
because it is the form of the name that is definitely Slavic. The known Iranian and Baltic cognates are
slightly but significantly different. For example, the expected phonological
adaptation of Iranian *dašina- would have been *došIn- (*Doshna), certainly not
*desna. The most parsimonious hypothesis at present is that the
current name of the Desna is Slavic and so perhaps relatively recent -- unless
demonstrated otherwise. The question of the "original" (or rather
pre-Slavic) name is of course a different kettle of fish.
Piotr
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, December 05, 2001 1:36 AM
Subject: [tied] Desna
Piotr wrote(4 Dec.
23:14:09):
"Actually, if you want my opinion, the name Desna is
quite
certainly Slavic.
****GK: Or Balto-Slavic? Why would you rule out Baltic,
given that there are so many Baltic hydronyms in the area? Still, the Iranic
origin option remains appealing for reasons earlier outlined. Plus see below.
... *****