Re: A Slavonian name


Wiktor S. wrote:
Today the name is Boleslaw (as far as I know).

That is the usual Polish spelling. It's a common Slavic name.
Other Western Slavs would spell it Boleslav with identical
pronounciation.

Polish spelling is Boles³aw, pronounced [bOlEswaf], while in other languages
Boleslav is pronounced with [l] not [w] after s.

[bOlEslav] or [bOlEslaf] with devoiced "f" when spoken fast.

Not sure about other slavic languages, but in Polish it does not depend on
how fast you speak :-) It's always [f] if the word is isolated or the next
word begins with unvoiced consonant, always [v] if the next word begins with
voiced consonant. Pronunciation ([v] or [f]) when followed by labial or
vowel varies in dialects.

It is absolutely not sure that the medieval Danish writer of the text
was aware of the "correct" Slavonian form!

You will find that the official documents, minted coins,
etc of the 13th (and earlier) century used various Latin spellings
of ruler names like Boleslau Dux, Oldricus Dux, Wratislau, Bratislau,
Wenzeslau, etc. (Cz: Boleslav, Oldr^ich, Vratislav, Bratislav,
Václav.)

Yes, it was a mess :-)

But why did Václav become Wenzeslau? The "slau" ending suggests that Václav
should end with the same "slav" as some other names, and what about "enze"
for "á"?
Azarien

Good previous comments.
I additionally suggest that everyone look to the meaning of the name
itself; it is an honorific.

Kriha could probably give a more confident meaning for <bOlEs> while
<slavs> has a Baltic meaning of 'famous'. eg:' Famous
of/over/among/for <bOlEs>'..
(I am guessing a related Slavic meaning of 'large' or 'great')

Applying the same interpretation to the <vác> of Vác(s)lav we have a
meaning of 'famous of/over/among/for Vác'

Applying a Baltic interpretation for < vác'> we have a meaning of
'collector/raider' or by extension 'German' (see my previous
serendipitous <vaciesi> note), giving two possibilities:

1) 'famous raider'
2) 'famous of/over/among/for the Germans'
...

I also note the the original 'Bolizlaus' is declined with a nominative
singular 's'.
Though it may be only in agreement with its contextual Latin nominative
singular, it also conforms to Baltic masculine nominative singular
's'. (but not Slavic in any case)

.

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