Illyrian=Albanian (2)

APOLLONIA > Alb. Pojan, same place name with aphearesis, as Avlona >
Vlona/Vlora and Astibos > Shtip.

In the case of river name VJOSA, attested in antiquity as Aou, Aia,
Aea, Aos, Ana, Aoos, Aous (Scyl. 26, Polyb. V 110,1; XXVII 16,3. Liv.
XXXII 5,10; 10,2; XXXIII 4,1. Strab. VII 316 Max.. I 5,2. Mela II
3,57. Plin. NH III 23, 26. Flor. II 7. Ptolem. III 12,2. Cass. Dio
XLI 45. Steph. Lakmon and Parauaioi. Zonar. NH IV I.) I think that
we may suppose a contracted diphthong /ao/ to long /a:/, which
derives Alb. Vo- (cf. PIE *a:ter- > Alb. Votër/vatër or Greek/Latin
loans: orphanos/orphanus > Alb. I vorfën/I varfër `poor, orphan',
oleum > Alb. (g.)voj, (t.) vaj `oil'), where palatal glide /j/ is
euphonic sound and ending –osa. So oldest form should be Vojosa >
Vëjosa > Vjosa. If I have not forgot, Slavic form Vojuša, probably
via Dalmatian, testifies about this preform.

ARBON(A) (Polyb. II 11,15. Steph. s.v.), besides Arbana (place name
in Albania) could be explained through PIE *h3orbh- `to change
allegiance or status' > Alb. Arb-, root of Albanian national name in
Middle Age Arban/Arbër < *h3orb-en, that undergoes metathesis of
liquids in Slavic form Raban, Rabanaški. Form as katundi(village)
Arbanash is attested more than 40 times in different Slavic documents.

ERENIK, river name in Kosova. According to my view, it is of Celtic
origin < *aire `strong river', through regular evolution of PIE
diphthong /*ai/ > /e/ (cf. *baita `goat skin' > Alb. petk (Buzuku,
petëk `clothes', *aig^- > edh `goat kid', etc.). I am not sure about
other river names, extended in /s/ or /z/: Ersekë and Erzen in
Albania.

Regards,
Konushevci