A reader forwarded a link to a German tv program entitled Slavs in Germany (see here). The program is interesting but also contains a number of contradictions. Sorbs are said in the program to have to come into an area previously emptied of the Germanic tribes (or almost emptied). On the other hand, Werner Meskank from the Wend Museum in Cottbus says the following:
“[… at one point in time [previously] a Germanic tribe of the Semnones had settled here. We do not know in which language the Semnones communicated with one another. Nevertheless, every Slav, every Sorb will recognize a Sorb [or Slav] root word in the tribal designation of the Semnones. Semia means the Earth. Thus, the Semnonen were the “landowners.”
Incidentally, this Slavic etymology would also perfectly explain the rather unpleasant ritual described by Tacitus in Germania as done by the Semnones:
„Vetustissimos se nobilissimosque Suevorum Semnones memorant; fides antiquitatis religione firmatur. Stato tempore in silvam auguriis patrum et prisca formidine sacram omnes eiusdem sanguinis populi legationibus coeunt caesoque publice homine celebrant barbari ritus horrenda primordia. Est et alia luco reverentia: nemo nisi vinculo ligatus ingreditur, ut minor et potestatem numinis prae se ferens. Si forte prolapsus est, attolli et insurgere haud licitum: per humum evolvuntur. Eoque omnis superstitio respicit, tamquam inde initia gentis, ibi regnator omnium deus, cetera subiecta atque parentia. Adicit auctoritatem fortuna Semnonum: centum pagi iis habitantur magnoque corpore efficitur ut se Suevorum caput credant.“
[ Fällt jemand hin, so darf er sich nicht aufheben lassen oder selbst aufstehen; auf dem Erdboden wälzt er sich hinaus.]
Add to this that the suffix -on seems either Greek (Simon, drákōn) or Slavic or something else but not German (Håkon – Norwegian). Compare with Slavic Chatzon or Czychon from the previous post. In fact, even the German Otto was Slavicized as Otton.
Yet, if Slavs were migrants then how could the Semnones speak Slavic?
Notice too that our Sorb narrator says “Suovaeni” not “Sloveni”. Strange that it is precisely the Poles and Sorbs and West Slavs that should have moved from “Sl” to “Su” (that is, it is not strange because that whole theory is crap with bogus).
Yet he also uses the word swaiba which is pronounced svaiba which very much now points towards a “sv” (and hence sv>su) development (as in the Polish “Swoi” or svoi meaning “one’s own [people]” or “swojski” that is svoiski meaning “familiar”). This is similar too to swadźba meaning wedding.
But what really struck me was the face and, even more importantly, facial mannerisms of Professor Jürgen Udolph, a linguist featured in the program. I could have sworn I’d seen the same somewhere before and I did not place it at first but eventually it came that the guy looks and talks like Zbig Brzezinski… This is not a perfect representation – you have to see the interview (see above) but, other than the fact that Udolph’s nose was more hooked than Brzezinski’s, they could have been siblings.
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I can repeat again: combination of consonants “mn” there isn’t by Germanic languages, and specially in German! And in the Slavic languages it is very productive, simply “mnogo” of this!!!
as I said, I agree with you – or “ciemno” “daremno” and so forth and so on.
I don’t know if I said it already but – Semnones are indeed connected to land but also to family and Plony (latin Semen = nasienie, plon, ród, potomek). Because all nations are related to zodiac, (and no zodiac is not a babylonian construct, it is just seen in the sky, previous cultures knew astrology too maybe in different form, maybe the same), Ploni are related to sign of Virgo (lady who holds a Plon in her hands). Also note interesting coincidence that Virgo is Mergele in lithuuanian and we know of Semargl. Names like Semele and Siemowit should be taken as the name of this part of zodiac too. It is “mother earth” Demeter/Ceres whose husband is sagittarius Zeus/Perun.
In Ptolemy if you take Ptolemy’s Vistula as Odra (which Vranowie explains), Semnoni are between Albis and Suevus – which I understand as Elbe and Sprewa, and neighbouring Burguntae are Wiltzi (Borkowie) between Sprewa and Odra. Below Semnones are Silingae – Milczanie (Silentium = Milczenie), and below Burguntae – Lugi Omani who are Hobolani (you need to understand deeply astrology to know why Omani are Hobolani).
So Semnones can be Ploni indeed. “Płoni” with Ł is wrong “translation” of Ploni.
Semnoni can be another native name of Ploni.
I meant Suevus is Sprewa and part of Havela and then Łaba.
Think it’s far more likely that it it Solawa (Sale). Sprewa does not sound at all like Suevus – that etymology comes from the Czech Chronicle but there is nothing to substantiate it.
Let’s think about it again if Suevus can be Sprewa. I think this name can be connected to Sporoi and Spore is a synonym to such words like Semen and Plon – so at least name Sprewa has connection to name of Semnones. Group of Seuvi from Tacitus worshipped goddess of Earth whom I connect with Vigro. Rivers are connected with gods too, so Verta’s river would be Sprewa (I use name Verta instead of Nerta/Nerthus because I think it is impossible to goodes of earth to have name Nerta, but Verta is possible, vide Vertumnus, sanskrit Vrtti changes, Zemiennik (zmiana/ziemia)), and also sister of Njord cannot be a goddes of earth such as Ceres or Demeter (she is rather the same as Skadi).
Concept: I think that names of rivers in Ptolemy are not related to the rivers with that name, Viadua is name of Odra, but is Trava, Seuvus is name of Łaba/Solawa but is Sprewa, Vistula is name of Wisła but is Odra.
Well, i certainly agree that last one is a possibility
Btw from Tacitus “Semnoni regard theselves as the most ancent and noble of Suevi” is probably related to greek σεμνότης (or this greek word is taken from name of the tribe)
There are numerous locations within Brandenburg that are called “Zermützel-” (Zermützelsee, Scharmützelsee, Schermützelsee). Since this name has a wendic origin, I wonder if that is related to a slavic name for the native Semnones or any inhabitants related to them (I’m not an expert in linguistics).