--- In
cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@...> wrote:
>
> At 11:53:32 AM on Thursday, October 16, 2008, tgpedersen
> wrote:
>
> [...]
>
> > The name of the Norican king, Vocio/Voccio/VOKK(on coins)
> > shows that the language of Noricum had geminates. And =?
> > *Wonk-, related to Vang-ijo-, note one of Odin's names is
> > Vak-r ?
>
> <Vakr> 'wakeful, watchful, alert' hardly needs further
> explanation as a byname of Óðinn. Note also the Reistad
> runestone with its <ek wakraR> 'I Vakr'; more generally,
> *wakra- is a well-attested Gmc. onomastic element, found in
> all branches.
It occurs in Grimnismál:
'Now am I Othin, | Ygg was I once,
Ere that did they call me Thund;
Vak and Skilfing, | Vofuth and Hroptatyr,
Gaut and Jalk midst the gods;
Ofnir and Svafnir, | and all, methinks,
Are names for none but me.'
and in Gylfaginning
'Svidurr, Svidrir, | Jálkr, Kjalarr, Vidurr,
Thrór, Yggr, Thundr;
Vakr, Skilfingr, | Váfudr, Hroptatýr,
Gautr, Veratýr."
Then said Gangleri: "Exceeding many names have ye given him; and, by
my faith, it must indeed be a goodly wit that knows all the lore and
the examples of what chances have brought about each of these names."
Then Hárr made answer: "It is truly a vast sum of knowledge to gather
together and set forth fittingly. But it is briefest to tell thee that
most of his names have been given him by reason of this chance: there
being so many branches of tongues in the world, all peoples believed
that it was needful for them to turn his name into their own tongue,
by which they might the better invoke him and entreat him on their own
behalf. But some occasions for these names arose in his wanderings;
and that matter is recorded in tales. Nor canst thou ever be called a
wise man if thou shalt not be able to tell of those great events."'
which means it is something other peoples call him. Why do you then
insist on finding an etymology for the name in ON? If all the names
had been somehow translated into ON, their etymology from ON would
have been transparent, but for most of them, it is opaque.
Torsten