Page "Germanic peoples" Paragraph 9

The etymology of the word Germani is uncertain.

The likeliest theory so far proposed is that it comes from a Gaulish compound of * ger " near " + * mani " men ", comparable to Welsh ger " near " ( prep.

), Old Irish gair " neighbor ", Irish gar-( prefix ) " near ", garach " neighborly ".

Another Celtic possibility is that the name meant " noisy "; cf.

Breton / Cornish garm " shout ", Irish gairm " call ".

However, here the vowel does not match, nor does the vowel length ( contrast with inscriptional Garmangabi ( UK ) and Garma ( Alise, G-257 )).

Others have proposed a Germanic etymology * gēr-manni, " spear men ", cf.

Dutch geer, German Ger, Old Norse geirr.

However, the form gēr ( from PGmc * gaizaz ) seems far too advanced phonetically for the 1st century, has a long vowel where a short one is expected, and the Latin form has a simplex-n -, not a geminate.