Ancient toponyms in south-west Norway
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Inge Særheim
Abstract
This chapter considers the origin and formation of old toponyms in Rogaland, south-west Norway, and relates to an ongoing discussion about the oldest toponyms in north-west Europe. A central question is whether names are formed with a productive suffix (primary naming), suggesting an early date, or from a derivative word (secondary naming). Many Norwegian island and fjord names contain suffixes used in the Germanic period or earlier, e.g. r in Sira and s in Jelsa. These suffixes are also found in some unique settlement names from Jæren (Mid-Rogaland), e.g. Goa, Soma, Lima and Orre, and they are common in old European hydronyms. Most names discussed seem to be examples of primary naming; however, while they seem to reflect ancient settlements, there is no convincing evidence for a pre-Indo-European element.
Abstract
This chapter considers the origin and formation of old toponyms in Rogaland, south-west Norway, and relates to an ongoing discussion about the oldest toponyms in north-west Europe. A central question is whether names are formed with a productive suffix (primary naming), suggesting an early date, or from a derivative word (secondary naming). Many Norwegian island and fjord names contain suffixes used in the Germanic period or earlier, e.g. r in Sira and s in Jelsa. These suffixes are also found in some unique settlement names from Jæren (Mid-Rogaland), e.g. Goa, Soma, Lima and Orre, and they are common in old European hydronyms. Most names discussed seem to be examples of primary naming; however, while they seem to reflect ancient settlements, there is no convincing evidence for a pre-Indo-European element.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface & Acknowledgments vii
- Editors’ introduction ix
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Part I. The evidence of place-names
- Celts in Scandinavian Scotland and Anglo-Saxon England 3
- The colonisation of England by Germanic tribes on the basis of place-names 23
- Ancient toponyms in south-west Norway 53
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Part II. Code selection in written texts
- On vernacular literacy in late medieval Norway 69
- Four languages, one text type 81
- On variation and change in London medieval mixed-language business documents 99
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Part III. Linguistic developments and contact situations
- Old English–Late British language contact and the English progressive 119
- The Old English origins of the Northern Subject Rule 141
- For Heaven’s sake 169
- North Sea timber trade terminology in the Early Modern period 193
- ‘Nornomania’ in the research on language in the Northern Isles 213
- Index of subjects, terms & languages 231
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents v
- Preface & Acknowledgments vii
- Editors’ introduction ix
-
Part I. The evidence of place-names
- Celts in Scandinavian Scotland and Anglo-Saxon England 3
- The colonisation of England by Germanic tribes on the basis of place-names 23
- Ancient toponyms in south-west Norway 53
-
Part II. Code selection in written texts
- On vernacular literacy in late medieval Norway 69
- Four languages, one text type 81
- On variation and change in London medieval mixed-language business documents 99
-
Part III. Linguistic developments and contact situations
- Old English–Late British language contact and the English progressive 119
- The Old English origins of the Northern Subject Rule 141
- For Heaven’s sake 169
- North Sea timber trade terminology in the Early Modern period 193
- ‘Nornomania’ in the research on language in the Northern Isles 213
- Index of subjects, terms & languages 231
