--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "tgpedersen" <tgpedersen@...> wrote:
>
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, george knysh <gknysh@> wrote:
> >
> >
> > --- tgpedersen <tgpedersen@> wrote:
> >
> > >
> > > This one you won't like:
> > >
> > > An attempt on an etymology foe Ariovist:
> > >
> > > PGmc. *xarja-gastiz ->
> > > Suebian *xérj&Gest- ->
> > > through an Gaulish-Latin interpreter (Ariovist spoke
> > > Gaulish, Caesar spoke no Gaulish)
In 'Warist, Werstine und Werstein' Kuhn tries to show that many
Germanic names in ending in -stein/-steen/-sta:n/-sten are
reinterpretations of pre- and non-Germanic names in ending in -st-,
and that this is shown in the sets of matching -st/-stein etc of
personal names, etnonyms and toponyms:
"
I now name these pairs or groups of names.
[sources left out of text]
OE. Ade-sta:n : OS. Addasta,
further the toponyms Addestan-stidi/Addestondorp and Adestessen;
ODu. Ale-stein/Al-ste:n ...;
OE. Al-/Æl-/El-sta:n : Fries. Allust, Alste, Elst,
further the toponym Alsten-rode and many of the type Alaste/Alisti.. ;
ODu. Adel-stein, OE Æþel-sta:n : altndd. Adalusta;
OHG Alb-stein, OE Ælf-sta:n : OFrank. Albust, Fries. Alvest;
OHG OS Brun-stein : OLG Brunist,
futher the toponym Brunistes-husun and Brunest-heim;
OE Ecg-sta:n : OHG Eggusta, Gr. Agastas,
further the toponym type Agasta/Agista ... ;
OS Heri-ste:n : Lat. Caristus and Caristanus,
further th toponym Heristi ...;
OHG Hruod-stein, OS Hröd-ste:n : OS Rothest/Rodest ... ;
OE Hu:n-sta:n : WFrank. Hunesta;
OE Leof-sta:n : OHG Liebesta, OE Leofusta;
OHG Mein-stein : OS Meinhist ...
plus Fries. Meinste, Menst ...;
Burg. Raene-stanus/Rai-stagnus ... : Fries. Reinist/Reinst,
further the toponym Regenstenc-husen;
OHG Remi-/Rimi-stein, Burg. Remi-stagnus ... :
Remistus und Remisto ... and Fries. Remste,
further the toponyms Rimisten-rein and Rimstingen;
OHG Sigi-stein, OE Sige-sta:n : OGmc. Segestes and MDu. Sigest ... ,
further the toponym Segeste and relatives ... ;
ODa. War-stein ... , OE. War-/Wer-sta:n : Varistus ... and
MDu. Werest/Verest ...,
further many toponyms ... .
...
...
To corrobsorate this I have to digress shortly into the history of
personal names with st-suffix. On the continent they enjoyed more
importance than the ones on -stein. In the North, however, where these
latter were rather frequent, the former are not documented, and also
in England there are only a few tangible ones. Without support in the
genuine vocabulary seem only Ribrost and Unust, but those two might
have been Celts. The well-known Hengest is a native appellative and
only semi-legendary. To my knowledge there remains only Leofusta,
which might or should be understood as superlative to leof "dear", and
Fregist/Frigist which seems to contain OE gist "guest", although this
is very rare in the old English personal names. Among the few -gist
names I noticed there are Friþe-/Fryþe-gist which could be reshaped
from Frigist, and Ere-gist, with a completely isolated first element.
This might also be an old -st formation, with close relatives in a
Phryg. Argistes and the German toponym Argeste/Ergeste (now Ergste ...)...
"
Oh. Ere-gist ? Completely isolated. If this is the one, then
Ariovistus < Eregistaz/Arjagistaz might have had a pre-Germanic, but
IE name (gist- < *ghest- ?). Or it might have been reformed from Argest-?
> > ****GK: Ariovist could not have had a German-Latin
> > interpreter? Just wondering.****
>
>
> This is the first Germanic-Roman encounter recorded. Where would a
> Latin-Germanic interpreter then have acquired his second language?
> Caesar is the first to mention the Germani at all, and Ariovistus is
> the first one of them he sees.
>
DBG I, 47
'It seemed [therefore] most proper to send to him Gaius Valerius
Procillus, the son of Gaius Valerius Caburus, a young man of the
highest courage and accomplishments (whose father had been presented
with the freedom of the city by Gaius Valerius Flaccus), both on
account of his fidelity and on account of his knowledge of the Gallic
language which Ariovistus, by long practice, now spoke fluently; and
because in his case the Germans would have no motive for committing
violence; and [as his colleague] Marcus Mettius, who had shared the
hospitality of Ariovistus.'
This not the only time Caesar communicates with Ariovistusa, but it
seems to implicate that the way to do it was in the Gallic language.
Torsten