History of German/latin Language

The oldest known name of Worms is Borbetomagus or Bormitomagus, which is thaught to have celtic origins.

The Romans called it "Civitas Vangionum" (chief town of the Vangiones).

Since the Celtic 'B' changed to the Germanic 'W', the town's name later was translated (correctly) Warmazfeld, became Warmazia (Varmacia), Wormazia and finally Worms.

During the medieval ages people thought, their town's name was related to lintworms (dragons), but this isn't plausible.


The yiddish name for Worms is Vermayze (װערמײַזע), however. (First known de to the 1090's 'Worms privilege'. [The Jewish community of Worms claims to be the oldest in Germany and to have existed since the earliest Christian era, although the first authenticated mention of it was in 588.])

Might be, you question is connected with this?

Worms
Many thanks. My main interest is the w > g shift. I chose worms as an example that I had seen somewhere, although I am aware of a few others. I was not sure of the spelling, although Ger/Garmazia is possible. Could it be a late latin or even French form of the name? As a matter of interest, what is the connection between Vagionem and Warmaz? Thanks again

"The most famous of the ancient Jewish sites in Germany are the synagogue in worms (1034), the adjoining mikva (1186) and the Rashi Chapel (1624). All have been reconstructed since the war. The ancient Worms cemetery was saved from destruction"
(from : www.amyisrael.co.il/europe/germany )

we visited the synagogue and adjoining sites during our vacation in europe in the fall of 2003 . it's quite a beautiful site in the old section of worms . well worth a visit . hbg

Re: Worms


'W' and 'V' are pronounced very similar in German.
Well, and the name(s) just derived from the name of the tribe in that region.

Re: Worms


I doubt that it's late Latin. (At least, I couldn't find it in any medieval Latin sources.)


No idea about a French connection

It seems there's no French connection...

About the shift from w to g, it seems to me that the Grimm's law shows how it can be possible.

As it's a bit hard to explain, you can go here to make your own opinion :

Grimm's law

It seems there's no French connection..

That's interesting because I've come across a Norman French record of the town of Winchester in England, written as Ginchester. I'm trying to figure out how they would have pronounced the G - it appeas to alternate between W and Y

Just found another snippet - The French version of Mainz is Mayence, and the original name was Moguntiacum. I'd reckon that the G in the original name is reflected in the Y in the French name as well as the AI dipthing in the German. Still doesn't help me with the W>G though!

And it's in Italian Magonza, in Spanish Maguncia, in Polish Moguncja - if this gives you some more ideas?

definitely - the G has been preserved in some languages and mutated to a Y in others. But still not really a connection to the B > W > G that I'm looking for. I understand the at Middle German had a clear W - not the V-sound that is used today. How that derived from B is also interesting. But if we go down the Italian route, the Italian G often sounds like GH (a little like a French R) Maybe there is some dialectal variant as it developed from Latin that would give us a softer form?