Notes on the problem of explanations of the place name (component) Büttel/-büttel

This article examines the explanations for the place name (component) -büttel/Büttel presented to date and concludes that it is still not possible to derive the name (component) without contradiction or without the assumption of analogical processes. The older derivations are presented at the current level of historical (comparative) linguistics and the traditional possibilities of linkage are retraced, but even the knowledge gained in the last two decades or so does not help to solve the problem. At least some ambiguities surrounding -büttel/Büttel can be clarified.This article examines the explanations for the place name (component) -büttel/Büttel presented to date and concludes that it is still not possible to derive the name (component) without contradiction or without the assumption of analogical processes. The older derivations are presented at the current level of historical (comparative) linguistics and the traditional possibilities of linkage are retraced, but even the knowledge gained in the last two decades or so does not help to solve the problem. At least some ambiguities surrounding -büttel/Büttel can be clarified

Common surname areas: Austria and the Czech Republic

Over many centuries, family name areas developed across borders between the Archduchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Bohemia. While historical events destroyed any trace of some of these areas, other can, at least to some extent, still be detected. Some of these areas were destroyed by historical events, while others are still extant or can be traced in remnants. These are illustrated and interpreted using distribution maps from KdeJsme and Geogen Austria. Three types of areas are shown:(1) small-scale areas that extend across both sides of the national border (examples Putschögl/Pučegl, Jungbauer)(2) areas that extend from south to north across the state border (examples Binder/ Pinter, Draxler/Traxler)(3) areas that extend from north to south across the state border (example Doležal).Over many centuries, family name areas developed across borders between the Archduchy of Austria and the Kingdom of Bohemia. While historical events destroyed any trace of some of these areas, other can, at least to some extent, still be detected. Some of these areas were destroyed by historical events, while others are still extant or can be traced in remnants. These are illustrated and interpreted using distribution maps from KdeJsme and Geogen Austria. Three types of areas are shown:(1) small-scale areas that extend across both sides of the national border (examples Putschögl/Pučegl, Jungbauer)(2) areas that extend from south to north across the state border (examples Binder/ Pinter, Draxler/Traxler)(3) areas that extend from north to south across the state border (example Doležal)

Book review of Sam Mersch, Studies in Luxembourgish Micro-Toponymy and Linguistic History

Sam Mersch, Studies in Luxembourgish Micro-Toponymy and Linguistic History. Phonology, Morphology, Syntax and Lexical Studies. Regensburger Studien zur Namenforschung Bd. 13. Regensburg: edition vulpes 2023. 545 S. – ISBN 978–3–939112–36–5, Preis: EUR 52,00.Sam Mersch, Studies in Luxembourgish Micro-Toponymy and Linguistic History. Phonology, Morphology, Syntax and Lexical Studies. Regensburger Studien zur Namenforschung Bd. 13. Regensburg: edition vulpes 2023. 545 S. – ISBN 978–3–939112–36–5, Preis: EUR 52,00

Linguistic research – Historic paths research – Settlement research

Using an interdisciplinary approach, this article aims to clarify a number of settlement names that have thus far been fraught with contradictions in the scholarly literature. These are oikonyms of Slavic origin in SW Saxony. Today they are place names of settlements that were established during the period of German rule towards the end of the 12th century. However, the linguistic formsof these oikonyms, which always have the same structure [anthroponym + possessive suffix], point to Slavic formations from the 9th/10th century. A person was named as the individual owner of an estate, a settlement, i. e. probably a farmstead. A comparison with several other onyms of this type in the region shows that they are all located along the early medieval old paths in the former mountain forest. It is now considered for the first time that these could have been early rest and protection stations along the semitae Bohemicae from the Slavic old settlement areas to Bohemia. The distances of 20 to 25 km, which was a day’s journey at that time, are consistent with this view. In the 12th century, German villages were establishedvery close to each other. The Slavic oikonyms were transferred to these as already known onyms. Hence, for the first time, individual Slavic settlements can be identified in the Erzgebirge from the period before German rule began in 929 AD

Möhritz, Pferdinand, Tango and Mr. Wuff – Onomastic study on the names of cuddly toys

The names of cuddly toys, considered unofficial names, have not been sufficiently researched onomastically so far. The results of the present study reduce this research gap. Formal, semantic and functional aspects are presented using a corpus of 262 cuddly toy names given by 3- to 10-year-old children. Formally, it is shown that single words are primarily chosen from possible morphological-­ syntactic forms. In terms of word formation, these are less complex; explicit derivatives with the suffix -i dominate. More than half of the single words have an onymic base, with fictionyms and anthroponyms being particularly prominent. On the one hand, children seem to be taken with the characteristics of fictional characters from books, films, etc. On the other hand, anthroponymic bases indicate that children regard their cuddly toys as living beings. From a semantic point of view, the names that children have created themselves, i.e. not adopted, are examined. It becomes clear that selected naming motifs are important to children. From a functional point of view, it can be concluded that, in addition to their identificationfunction, cuddly toy names have a pronounced individualization function. Ultimately, cuddly toy names represent components in the linguistic development of children, which requires a broader sociolinguistic consideration

Agricultural Production in Luxembourg in the light of its Micro-Toponymy: Part Two

This analysis offers insights into Luxembourg toponymy and its relevance for the study of rural agricultural history, with a focus on the themes of alcoholic by-products. There are three elements relating to the production of alcoholic beverages, which are represented by the evidence found in place names in Luxembourg. The most prominent is viticulture, which is still an important part of the agricultural economy of the Grand Duchy to this day. However, there is also evidence of beer production, albeit to a much lesser extent. Even evidence of distillation products is even rarer, with only a few specific (and rather modern) examples that provide primary evidence for a distillation industry, while other data is only usable through secondary interpretation. The fact that of these three parts of the agricultural production of alcoholic beverages, only the toponymic evidence for viticulture is so strongly represented seems to be related to the nature of wine production, which requires considerably more land specifically dedicated to the cultivation of the raw materials. In the case of beer and distillates, the raw materials could also be used for other agricultural activities.This analysis offers insights into Luxembourg toponymy and its relevance for the study of rural agricultural history, with a focus on the themes of alcoholic by-products. There are three elements relating to the production of alcoholic beverages, which are represented by the evidence found in place names in Luxembourg. The most prominent is viticulture, which is still an important part of the agricultural economy of the Grand Duchy to this day. However, there is also evidence of beer production, albeit to a much lesser extent. Even evidence of distillation products is even rarer, with only a few specific (and rather modern) examples that provide primary evidence for a distillation industry, while other data is only usable through secondary interpretation. The fact that of these three parts of the agricultural production of alcoholic beverages, only the toponymic evidence for viticulture is so strongly represented seems to be related to the nature of wine production, which requires considerably more land specifically dedicated to the cultivation of the raw materials. In the case of beer and distillates, the raw materials could also be used for other agricultural activities

Rezension zu Marken im Kontext von Kultur und Sprache

László Kovács, Katharina Zipser, Viktória Szőke, Erika Kegyes (Hg.), Marken im Kontext von Kultur und Sprache. Die kulturelle Vermittlungsfunktion österreichischer und ungarischer Marken. Hamburg: Verlag Dr. Kovač 2024. 496 S. – ISBN: 978-3-339-13782-1, Preis: EUR 149,80.

Rezension zu Petra Ewald, Inge Bily (Hg.), Inoffizielle Eigennamen – Onomastische Studien

Petra Ewald, Inge Pohl (Hg.), Inoffizielle Eigennamen – Onomastische Studien. Berlin-Boston: Peter Lang 2024 (= Reihe Sprache – System und Tätigkeit, Band 76), 444 S. – ISBN: 9783631901588, Preis: 89,95 EUR (DE)

Palatalisation of CA north of the Brenner Pass?

Ludwig Staub (1854) introduced the assumption that the Western Romance palatalization of CA is also attested in some Germanized toponyms north of the Brenner Pass. Karl Finsterwalder initially took up this idea, and his successors have since then retained it. The assumption is based on double etymologies, especially the explanation of some toponyms coming from Latin caverna. Similarly, the name of the mountain meadow Schifernei, together with Tschifernelle in the Silvretta, is explained like this, but there is also a mountain farm, Tschübernäll, in the canton of Schwyz, and a Romance expression tschifernällä in the German dialect of the canton of Uri for a board used in a game. This expression is a more probable explanation for Tschübernäll and Tschifernella, and possibly also for Schifernei, albeit with another suffix. It is likely ultimately derived from me­dieval Latin civeria for a means of transporting goods, especially a basket carried on one’s shoulders. Schiferoi, down in the lower Inn val­ley, may also be derived from this expression. Falschwern (Gschnitztal) for a steep ravine is almost certainly a *val cibāria like Val Tschafera in Grisons. Five toponyms in the neighbouring Stubai valley are no more reliable as evidence for a palatalized CA. The farm name Tschafalles is better explained through Latin iugālis instead of caballus (Steub 1854), Tschafatten per­haps by Ladin ciavāt, Gschnals certainly by Latin vicinālis. Kuh- and Stiergschwätz is probably an entirely German nickname. The farm name Tschafernack and the valley Tschaforn in South Tyrol also have nothing to do with caverna: The first has counterparts in Germany, especially a vineyard estate, ze Shavernakken, already being attested around 1200. The second, 1343 Schufaren, is better explained by Latin iugārius.Ludwig Staub (1854) introduced the assumption that the Western Romance palatalization of CA is also attested in some Germanized toponyms north of the Brenner Pass. Karl Finsterwalder initially took up this idea, and his successors have since then retained it. The assumption is based on double etymologies, especially the explanation of some toponyms coming from Latin caverna. Similarly, the name of the mountain meadow Schifernei, together with Tschifernelle in the Silvretta, is explained like this, but there is also a mountain farm, Tschübernäll, in the canton of Schwyz, and a Romance expression tschifernällä in the German dialect of the canton of Uri for a board used in a game. This expression is a more probable explanation for Tschübernäll and Tschifernella, and possibly also for Schifernei, albeit with another suffix. It is likely ultimately derived from me­dieval Latin civeria for a means of transporting goods, especially a basket carried on one’s shoulders. Schiferoi, down in the lower Inn val­ley, may also be derived from this expression. Falschwern (Gschnitztal) for a steep ravine is almost certainly a *val cibāria like Val Tschafera in Grisons. Five toponyms in the neighbouring Stubai valley are no more reliable as evidence for a palatalized CA. The farm name Tschafalles is better explained through Latin iugālis instead of caballus (Steub 1854), Tschafatten per­haps by Ladin ciavāt, Gschnals certainly by Latin vicinālis. Kuh- and Stiergschwätz is probably an entirely German nickname. The farm name Tschafernack and the valley Tschaforn in South Tyrol also have nothing to do with caverna: The first has counterparts in Germany, especially a vineyard estate, ze Shavernakken, already being attested around 1200. The second, 1343 Schufaren, is better explained by Latin iugārius

Phantom roots and erroneous segmentation. Claims of “ancient” names in non-scholarly discourse: (Main Topic)

Non-scholarly interpretations of names can be recognized as such by applying certain formal and content-related criteria. These structural criteria are presented here as examples in order to better categorize texts. Texts deemed to be “dubious” by scholarly standards can thus be analysed on a formal level without having to engage with what are often lengthy and convoluted arguments. The main characteristics of feigned scientific rigour are the arbitrary segmentation of names according to incomprehensible criteria and the interpretation of these segments by assigning them word roots of obscure or fanciful origin. In most cases, the author will  undertake an overall interpretation of such a root cluster and establish relations between the roots. They will then seek to back up the correctness of the interpretation by embedding it in a natural or cultural context. Some recurring roots (phantom roots) in this literature are discussed in more detail. Name interpretations that are linked to a specific context and preclude alternative explanations are often found when nationalistic or religious concepts or fantastical interpretations of the world are to be substantiated. Such approaches have been in use for around 130 years in the successor states of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy, in Germany and in Switzerland