Re: [tied] Celtic *seibr-

At 12:25:39 PM on Wednesday, January 11, 2006, Joao S. Lopes
wrote:

> siabhrach a fairy, sìobhrag (Arran), siobhrag (Shaw),
> sìbhreach (M`A.), Irish siabhra, Early Irish siabrae,
> siabur, fairy, ghost, Welsh hwyfar in Gwenhwyfar,
> Guinevere (?): *seibro-: Could Celtic *seibro- be related
> to ON Síf ?

I believe that the name is <Sif>, with a short vowel. I had
thought this name to represent the singular of ON <sifjar>
'affinity, connection by marriage', formally a fem. pl.;
that would make it cognate with OE <sibb> 'relationship' and
the like. Watkins derives these from Gmc. *sibja- 'one's
own', from *s(w)e-bh(o)-, a suffixed form of the pronoun.

Brian