Re: V-, B-

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "dgkilday57" <dgkilday57@...> wrote:

>
> > > 'Vapincum, -cesium, Vappincum, Bapinco, Vapingo,
> > > Vappincenslum od. Guapincensium civitas,
> > > Gap, Stadt, Frankr. (Hautes-Alpes)
> >
> > Dauzat & Rostaing: a pre-Latin word, probably Ligurian, of
> > obscure meaning; the initial <v-> has been treated like a
> > Gmc. <w->.
>
> *vap(p)- is apparently unattested in Liguria proper, unless

<Varpros>

> (Tab. Vel.) is an error for *Vapros. Petracco Sicardi suggests a
> possible connection between the latter and L. <vepres> 'thorn-

bush'.

> Connection of either with pre-Gmc. *we:pna- 'weapon' is far-fetched
> and explains nothing. Hubschmid cites a Gaulish *wabero- 'brook'

as

> the source of Prov. <vabre> 'id.', but it is very difficult to get
> *vap(p)- out of that; if the PIE root was *gweH2bh- 'to dip, sink'
> (Gr. <bápto:>), might one have Gaul. *wapto- 'inundated'?

Sheesh, where did I leave my brain? Gaulish would have *b- from *gw-
in that root. PIE *wegw-, perhaps? On second thought, I give up.

DGK