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Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2000 1:49 AM
Subject: [sig] Digest Number 288

> From: "Olan Mikkelsen" <landolf@...>
> Subject: Re: Lyakhy, Polyakhy, Lechistan/Poland
>
"Bob Markovitch" wrote:
there is a cognate in Slavic languages for "pole" (POH- leh) as
> > "field" in Slavic languages, but I think this is mere syllabic
> coincidence in regard to the Polish nation, kinda like trying to say
America
> was named after a guy named Rick
>
> I was taught that America was named after Amerigo Vespucci, an early
> explorer. The continent has also been called 'Columbia' after
> Columbus. If this is true it kinda invalidates your argument,
> doesn't it?

No, it illustrates my argument. My argument is that we have to be
careful about mere syllable matches as an indication of etymology or word
origin. Some matches are due to a common origin, others are just
coincidence.

> I have to admit that I haven't researched the origin of Polska (which
> is the Polish name for Poland), but that is a feminine adjectival
> form of the word for field, "pole".
> Moje dwie grosze,
> Landolf
--Interesting, I didn't know that. But isn't "polska" also the adjectival
form for Poland, as in "Polish?"


> From: Jenne Heise <jenne@...>
> Subject: Re: Re: Lyakhy, Polyakhy, Lechistan/Poland
> > I have to admit that I haven't researched the origin of Polska (which
> > is the Polish name for Poland), but that is a feminine adjectival
> > form of the word for field, "pole". Most of the books I have, suggest
that Polska
and Polak come from the tribal name of the Polanie, one of the slavic tribes
that
inhabited the area that was to become Poland.
> Jadwiga Zajaczkowa, mka Jennifer Heise jenne@...

I don''t dispute that most books claim that Poland comes from"pole",
field, but i was offering a counter theory not in vogue. I have heard of
the Polanie, something I will have to look up further. My developing
theory, though makess me want to ask, "So where's "Lanie," anyway?" My
hypothesis could be wrong, but if I can learn somethign in the process, I'd
be happy.


From: Patricia Hefner mka Jennifer Heise jenne@...
> Yes, and didn't "polanie" mean "people of the field"? That's what I've
read.

Perhaps. . .but are there other examples in Polish of adding the "anie"
ending to signify relation? is Polanie related to the English word,
"Poland?" And where does "Polonia" come from?

Look forward to further debate on this.


> On Tue, 25 Apr 2000, Olan Mikkelsen wrote:
> > I was taught that America was named after Amerigo Vespucci, an early
> > explorer.
>
> It was called that because, at the time, people creditted Vespucci with
> discovering America -- this was even taught in Spanish universities! It
> wasn't until much later that the story was straightened out by diligent
> historians.
>
> --Walraven
>
Yes, there Wallraven, historical theories even though inaccurate can often
be all the rage!

Svyatoslav Izbornyk