>Etymologically, the expression "weaver's beam" may be Common >Germanic:
>
>Old English webbeám
>
>Old High German weppiboum
cf. Warenbaum as well as Kettbaum in a Webstuhl ("loom")
(no. 6 and no. 16 respectively in the diagram):
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Webstuhl
As well as the pronunciation /ba:m/ in the Bavarian dialect
(i.e., South-East Germany + Austria) --- Bam (or Baam):
http://bar.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bam
Pennsylvania "Deitsch" (USA)
http://pdc.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baam
In combination with Stamm, plural: Bamstämm /'baamStem/
(cf. Hochdeutsch: Baumstämme /'baumSteme/).
(Otherwise, in German, various beams are called Balken. Cf. e.g.
Schwebebalken = balance beam {in fem. gymnastics})
George