Mitmetisus Eesti läänesaarte kohanimede seletamisel
Pluralism in the place name etymologies of West-Estonian islands

Summary/Abstract: The issue addressed here is confi ned to the problem of the Germanic element in Estonian place names, especially those occuring on the West-Estonian islands. In Saaremaa there are several place names with Rumm-. In Northern Tartumaa we fi nd Rummallikas < rumm,-u ’hub, nave’ (V. Pall). The Rumma- and Rummu- initial place names of Saaremaa, however, seem to be open to at least two interpretations: Rumma- ’drain, covered french, culvert’, or the appellative phrase rumma augud ’puddles, plashes’, comparable to an Estonian-Swedish roms ’swampy patches between forest and meadow’. The village name Lilbi has 3 etymologies: Swedish lilla byn ’small village’ (Russwurm), Estonian lill, -e ’fl ower’ + pea ’head’ (Ariste) and the personal name (Lilla, Lyllo, Lelle). It seems quite reasonable to assume that the origin lies in a personal name, which should be the primary consideration for village and old farm names. Emmaste, Siplase, Kauste are named after borrowed male names and modi- fi ed by the folk etymology. The farm and village name Siplase, for example, most probably derives from the Germanic personal name Sypple, Sipple. The Estonian adaptation Siplase, in turn, can have inspired such newer place names as Nardlase, Nagelase and Narbla (dial. Siplane, nardlane, nagelane, narblane ’ant’).

• Details
• Contents