[ANSTHRLD] masculine German by-name: from Eifel

Maridonna maridonna at maridonna.com
Sun Jun 25 15:47:26 PDT 2006


Hello,

I need some help figuring out if <Eifel> needs <von> or <von dem>.

Bahlow's placename book says:
Eifel, die gewässerreiche Berg- und Waldlandschaft zwischen 
Mittelrhein, Mosel und den Ardennen, führt wie ihre Flüsse und Bäche 
einen Namen aus vorgerm. Zeit, um 800 in pago Aflense, E(i)flens.

Babelfish came back with:
The Eifel, which leads waters-rich mountain and forest landscape 
between central Rhine, Mosel and the Ardennen, like its rivers and 
brooks a name out vorgerm. Time, around 800 in pago Aflense, E(i)flense.

Part of Encyclopædia Britannica Article says this:
Eifel plateau region of western Germany, lying between the Rhine, 
the Mosel (French: Moselle), and the Luxembourg and Belgian 
frontiers. Continuous with the Ardennes and the Hohes Venn (French: 
Haute Fagnes) of Belgium, the German plateau falls into three 
sections: Schneifel or Schnee-Eifel, Hocheifel, and Voreifel. In the 
Schneifel (German: “Snow Eifel”), near the Belgian frontier, scrub 
and forest are common, with cultivation only on the richer soils. 
The Hocheifel (“High Eifel”), which includes the highest point in 
the plateau, Hohe Acht (2,451 feet [747 m]), is a dissected highland 
drained to the east by the Ahr River, which flows through a 
vine-growing region. The Voreifel (“Fore-Eifel”) slopes south to the 
Mosel, the tributaries of which dissect its smooth surface. Evidence 
of volcanic action can be seen in the explosion craters and small 
cones. Igneous rocks such as basalt, tuffs, and pumice are quarried 
in the area.

*But*

Brechenmacher has s.nn. <Eifelmann> (1135), <Eif(f)ler> (1456), both 
page 389.

So my question is is Eifel a placename/proper noun or a toponymic 
(plateau)?   I'm leaning towards the proper noun with use of <von>.
Is my reasoning correct?

-- 
Andrea / Maridonna
Why buy while they die? Adopt a rescue or shelter pet today.





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