Pages: 375-381 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.55086/sp235375381 

Having argued a new version of etymology of the ethnonym Rus’ from the East Germanic *rauþs ‘red’ last year, the author suggests to consider the names of Varangians and Rus’, represented by “The Tale of Begone Years” and puts a question if these names reflected the supposed East-Germanic influence as well. As a result of the analysis he comes to conclusion that the anthroponyms of the so called “Russian-Varangian dialect” (by S. L. Nikolaev), as well as another group of Varangian names from “The Tale of Begone Years” (the “Rus’ of Stemid and Lidulf”, as the author proposed to name this group) demonstrates some phonetic features, that find no analogies in any Scandinavian dialect at the studied time, but such analogies could be found in the East Germanic languages (East and Visigothic, Vandal, Herulian, and Burgundian). In particular, these features are represented by the transition of the Old Germanic diphthong *ai > ē (including *ai > ē >i), the transition of *ō > u, as well as falling away of *h in anlaut (especially before the vowels).
According to the author, the phonetic parallels that are being discovered encourage us, at least, to discuss the question of the supposed East-Germanic contribution to the origin of the ethnonym Rus’ as well as to the origin of primordial Rus’ people.

Keywords: Varangians, Rus’, ethnonym, anthroponym, East-Germanic, ancient dialects, comparative historical phonetics

Information about author:

Aleksey Romanchuk (Kishinev, Moldova). PhD in Theory and history of culture. Institute of Cultural Heritage of Academy of Sciences of Moldova. Stefan cel Mare Bd., 1, Kishinev, MD-2001, Moldova
E-mail: [email protected], [email protected]
ORCID: 0000-0002-2021-7958