Re[2]: [tied] Gmc. Place-names & the Pas-de-Calais [was: Transhuman

At 5:28:34 AM on Thursday, January 8, 2004, tgpedersen
wrote:

>>> In some cases, there are parallel formations south and
>>> north of the straits of Dover, cf Berningahem (844/64),
>>> Birmingham (Derolez 1974:11)

> Sorry, typo. 'Berningahem', should be 'Bermingahem'; now
> it should make more sense.

What is the modern name? <Bermingahem> implies a personal
name <Bermo>, for which I can find no evidence in Morlet
(including the place-name volume). On the other hand, there
*is* a place in the right area recorded as <Berningahem> at
the right time.

>>> Question: was English Birmingham a center of expansion
>>> and conquest then?].

>> Unlikely; it was a pretty insignificant manor at the time
>> of Domesday Book.

> Much later, so inconclusive.

Not so inconclusive. We're talking about a hamlet with a
handful of inhabitants.

> I still think it unlikely that in the general turmoil of
> the landnám there were two separate groups that identified
> themselves as 'Beormingas', that would have been
> unpractical, to say the least.

I don't yet believe in the Continental group of that name.

Brian