Re: Brian, was Saxnot etymology

=bump=

--- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "A." <xthanex@...> wrote:
>
> Brian,
>
> I am working on a paper that involves the etymology of Saxnot. Do
you
> mind if I cite you (and the list) when it comes to determining that
> Saxnot derives from PGmc *nautaz- and PIE *neud- ??
>
> Sincerely,
> Aydan
>
>
> --- In cybalist@yahoogroups.com, "Brian M. Scott" <BMScott@> wrote:
> >
> > At 12:22:39 AM on Thursday, July 31, 2008, A. wrote:
> >
> > [...]
> >
> > > So what I am wondering is whether there is any way to
> > > reconstruct an earlier Gmc/Proto-Gmc form of the name,
> > > based upon the derivations produced (Old Saxon Saxnote as
> > > well as the English Seaxneat, Seaxnete, Seaxnet)
> >
> > What you actually have are OSax <Saxno:te> in a context
> > that apparently makes it a dative singular, so the
> > nominative is <Saxno:t>, and OE <Seaxne:at>. Those are
> > consistent with a PGmc a-stem *sahsa-nautaz.
> >
> > [...]
> >
> > > In "Anglo-Saxon England", edited by Michael Lapidge:
> > > "The names Seaxnetingas (and also the name 'Saxones')
> > > contains an element referring to a knife or blade. 'Neat'
> > > is a substantive derived from the adverb 'neotan' -to be
> > > of use - and is related to the word for need.
> >
> > Not so far as I know. The 'be of use' words are from PIE
> > *neud- 'to make use of, enjoy', while <need> is apparently
> > from an extension (by *-ti-) of PIE *neh2u- 'related to
> > death'.
> >
> > > It may also mean dependent, sometimes in the sense of
> > > vassal. Seaxnet, the ancestral god of the dynasty, may be
> > > translated as 'blade need'."
> >
> > If it's *-nautaz, it'll be kin to ON <nautr> 'a mate, a
> > fellow; the giver of a gift; the gift itself' and OE
> > <(ge)ne:at> 'companion, follower, tenant', not English
> > <need>; the sense would presumably be something like
> > 'sword-mate, sword-companion'.
> >
> > Brian
> >
>