From: Piotr Gasiorowski
Message: 55651
Date: 2008-03-22
> ... It also appearsSee
> that its current form (unchanged since the XVI c.) is the
> result of two processes: the germanization in the 13th. c.
> of the original Slavic name Tarnów (also: Tarnovia) into
> Thorn, later - Thoron and then - Thorun, and the subsequent
> repolonization into Torun' of the latter form (cf. Rospond).
> For completeness we can add that the form Tarnów has its
> origin in the Old Polish noun <tarnina>, which in turn comes
> from PSlav. *tr.nina (meaning 'blackthorn, black bush'),
> formed by adding the suffix -ina to the root *tr.nU (OPol.
> <tarn>), 'thorn'. So in the end Torun' owes its name to the
> plant known as Prunus spinosa.]
>
> It is funny that the English translation of the root to
> which the town owes its name is written the same as the name
> of the town in German (Thorn). [tr.nU and thorn are
> obviously related, PIE *tr.no-].