Re: [tied] The Vidivarii

-varii (*-warija-) strongly suggests Germanic origin (cf. Baiovarii < *baja-warija- 'Bavarians', Bede's Cantuarii, Victuarii = OE Cantware 'the inhabitants of Kent', Wihtware 'the inhabitants of the Isle of Wight'; OE burhware 'townsfolk', ceastergeware 'citizens', etc.). The first part is perhaps *widu- 'wood, forest' (cf. ON names with <við->, in which case the Vidivarii's name ('wood-folk') would be analogous to that of the Pomezanians (OPr. median- 'forest').

Piotr

----- Original Message -----
From: george knysh

To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com

Cc: gknysh@...

Sent: Monday, August 26, 2002 6:14 PM

Subject: [tied] The Vidivarii

This is a group which Jordanes mentions as residing in northern Poland in his time. I am curious as to the etymology of the name. Does it have clearcut Germanic affinities (the Vidi- part seems identical to the name of the Gothic leader Vidigoia whom Jordanes mentions in two contexts) or is it as "mixed" as the people was supposed to be?