From: tgpedersen
Message: 34333
Date: 2004-09-28
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Daniel J. Milton"<dmilt1896@...>
> wrote:Porifera-
> > --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen" <tgpedersen@...>
> > wrote:
> > >
> > > from Møller:
> > >
> > > Gothic 'Twahan', OHGG 'dwahan', OE 'Twe:an', ON 'Twa:'
> > > (Dan. 'to:' "abluere, wash clean, wash away",
> > > Gothic 'Twahl', OHG 'dwahal' "bath"
> > > OHG 'dwahilla', 'dwehila', German 'zwehle', 'quehle' "washing
> > cloth,
> > > towel",
> > > OPruss 'twaxtan' "bathing sponge"
> > >
> > > Hebr d-w-H- "abspülen (den Altar, die Blutschuld)"
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > If it's a loan it would be interesting to know whether it was
> > > borrowed with the religious/legal significance. 'Twahan' is
> > strictly
> > > about cleaning the body, not clothes (which is where 'wash'
> comes
> > > in). Elsewhere in IE, cleaning both in the literal and
> figurative
> > > sense is *lu- (AFAIK), but in Germanic that root is still used
> in
> > > the figurative sense.
> > >
> > > Torsten
> > *********
> > I'm surprised to learn that the Old Prussians bathed with
> > sponges and that this is reflected in the limited Old Prussian
> texts (mostly religious I believe) that survive. Even in the
> Bible, from the shores of the Mediterranean (certainly more
> friendly than the Baltic), the only sponge is I believe that onThe Møller quote was originally in German; I think the word was
> which Jesus on the Cross was offered vinegar. Or am I
> taking "sponge" too literally?
> > Dan Milton
> ****
> Indeed I am.
> I find at:
> http://poshka.bizland.com/prussian/t.htm
> "TWAKSTAN n Twaxtan E 553: Badequast / brushwood (broom) for
> bathing", which certainly sounds more Nordic!
> Should have checked before I posted. Sorry.