Expansion route of Germani

G. Lerchner, Studien zum norwestgermanischen Wortschatz:
divides up the coast-Germanic languages/dialects in several subgroups
based on shared coast-Germanic vocabulary, typically 10-30 words. But
it turns out that two Middle German groups enter into some of the
groups, namely Hessian and Thuringian.


"
(3) Über den strengen Rahmen des Nordwestens hinaus zeigte sich in
einigen Fällen Mitteldeutsches eingeschlossen, Hessisches (a) und
Thüringisches (b):

(a) Hessisches:
boes, banse 'deel van de schuur', [booth in cowshed]
brink 'met gras begroeid stuk gronds', [grassy piece of land]
bul, bol 'stier', [bull]
gelde 'vaar', [barren, sterile]
gilde 'genootschap', [guild]
ham 'afgeperkt stuk land', [fenced-off piece of land]
haren '(de zeis) scherpen', [whet (the scythe)]
holke 'hol', [cave]
kermen 'weeklagen', [wail]
kim 'gezichteinder', [horizon]
klam 'vochtig', [humid]
klei 'leem', [clay]
kruipen 'kruipen', [creep]
luns 'asspie voor een wagenwiel', [ax ?? of waggon wheel]
mandel, mand 'hok; korf, [basket]
rake(le)n 'bijeenschrappen', [rake]
veile, veilig 'vrij van gevaar', [safe]
want 'handschoen', [mitten]
woert 'laagliggend land'. [low-lying land]

(b) Thüringisches:
boes, banse 'deel van de schuur',
brink 'met gras begroeid stuk gronds',
gelde 'vaar',
kim 'gezichteinder',
kwits(en), kwets 'sorbus aucuparia',
stevig 'stijf, hecht'. [stiff]
"

Now according to Peschel there was an expansion out of Thuringia
towards Hesse following the Main valley; the Thuringian shared
vocabulary would seem to indicate that is some special linguistic
connection between Thuringian and the coast-Germanic languages.
Strange that an inland people should need a word for "horizon".


Torsten