Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The origin of the hydronymic element (West-Germ. *)-apa, also used in toponymic elements/place names, has been unclear for decades. This article revisits this debate and proposes a solution that takes known sound laws into account. The element *-apa is the result of a Pre-Proto-Germanic derivation from the root PIE *h2ep- ʻ(running) waterʼ with an exact parallel in Pre-Proto-Celtic: PIE*h2ep-h3on- > Pre-Proto-Germ. *Haban- > Proto-Germ. *apan- (nom. *apōn, gen. *apeniz). Starting from Early Proto-Germ. *apōn > Proto-Germ. *apō, a full Proto-Germanic ō-stem paradigm can be reconstructed. Of note is the fact that this Germanic element is only attested in onyms, whereas Proto-Germ. *aχu̯ō- (from the root PIE *h2eku̯- ʻ waterʼ) is generally continued as an appellative in the Germaniclanguages. In most other Indo-European languages, only one of the two aforementioned roots is continued.
Source: Namenkundliche Informationen
DOI: 10.58938/ni796
Author: Harald Bichlmeier
Language: English
Subfield: Language and Linguistics
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7223908381