Analysis of Celtic origins in river names of Central Europe, suggesting new etymological roots.
Several river names in Germany (e.g., Inn , in antiquity Aenus ) and Austria (e.g., Enns , in antiquity and the Middle Ages Anisa , Anisus ), but also in Lithuania (e.g. Anatà , Anýkšté ) and in Ukraine ( Onut ) were traditionally analyzed as continuing the ‘hydronymic root PIE * en ‐/* on ‐’. This root, however, is a ghost-root, even if it is reconstructed according to current conventions as PIE * h 1 en ( H )‐. The Central European names are most probably of Celtic origin and go back to PIE * pen ‐ ‘swamp, slowly flowing water’. It became obvious that another root might play a role in this context as well, namely PIE * h 2 en ‐ ‘to haul (water)’: This root might theoretically be the basis of all semantically fitting appellatives whose preform has an onset PCelt. * an ‐ (< PIE * h 2 en ‐), PGerm./PBalt./PSlav. * an ‐ (< PIE * h 2 en ‐/* h 2 on ‐) or PCelt. * on ‐ (< PIE * h 2 on ‐). This reconstruction would also work for names mentioned above, Germ. Enns / Anisa , Lith. Anatà , Anýkšté , Ukrain. Onut. And it might also explain Gaul. Anam ‘swamp’ and MIr. an f. ‘water, urine’.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Harald Bichlmeier (2026) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: