Re: CHAT: Visigoths (was: YADPT (D=Dutch))

On Tuesday, November 11, 2003, at 09:39 AM, Andreas Johansson wrote:

[snip]

> The way I learnt it, "Western Goth" and "Eastern Goth" are
> reinterpretations,
> probably by Cassiodorus,
Yep - Cassiodorus seems to be the originator of the traditional
etymologies -
and ancient etymologies are not renowed for their accuracy.  In fact they
tend
to be quite "folksy"

> while the original means are supposedly
> probably "Noble Goth" and "Shining Goth".
I've always suspected the traditional etymology of Visigoth, as I've said;
  and
I'm not the only one to have doubted it.  But I was unaware that Ostrogoth=
'Eastergoth' was also disputed; there must be good reason.

> My father's library being out of reach, I can't say much more than that.
What a pity - if you can find out more, I'd be very interested.

> The
> articles on the Goths in the Nationalencyclopedin, written by the
> medievalist
> Dick Harrison (a Swede, despite the name), agrees with my version.
We must get more info. on these etymologies  :)

> In the 3th C, when the terms first appear, the Visigoths did indeed live
> west
> of the Ostrogoths.
...which may have been partly responsible for Cassiodorus' etymologies.

Ray
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