Eine (alte) Idee zur Erklärung von (westgerm. *)-apa

The origin of the hydronymic element (West-Germ. *)-apa, also used in toponymic elements/place names, has been unclear for decades. This article revisits this debate and proposes a solution that takes known sound laws into account. The element *-apa is the result of a Pre-Proto-Germanic derivation from the root PIE *h2ep- ʻ(running) waterʼ with an exact parallel in Pre-Proto-Celtic: PIE*h2ep-h3on- > Pre-Proto-Germ. *Haban- > Proto-Germ. *apan- (nom. *apōn, gen. *apeniz). Starting from Early Proto-Germ. *apōn > Proto-Germ. *apō, a full Proto-Germanic ō-stem paradigm can be reconstructed. Of note is the fact that this Germanic element is only attested in onyms, whereas Proto-Germ. *aχu̯ō- (from the root PIE *h2eku̯- ʻ waterʼ) is generally continued as an appellative in the Germaniclanguages. In most other Indo-European languages, only one of the two aforementioned roots is continued.