ИСТИНА

Ptolemy’s Geographia, written about 150 AD and known to European cartographers since 1300 AD is the earliest source containing information about archaic Irish tribe- and placenames. Though many objects, mainly hydronyms, have been identified, a major bulk of ethnonymics is still a subject of discussion. The talk deals with the analyzing pro et contra both for commonly accepted identifications (Auteini – Uaithni, Uoluntii – Ulaid, Iverni – Érainn, etc.) and questionable ones, such as Coraind for Coriondi, Uí Cuaich for Cauci, Fir Manach for Menapii and others. For Eblana, traditionally (through the form Deblana) associated with Dublin, it is suggested to reconstruct the original meaning as ‘(a place) on (or above) the plain’, with Eblani, Blanii as ‘(people) from the plain’ respectively. A speculative attempt can be undertaken there to associate Eblana with Cnoc Ailinne in co. Kildare. For Nagnatae / Magnatae, which T. O’Rahilly associated with Fir Ól nÉcmacht, it is more reasonable to derive it from PCelt. *magino-, possibly ‘a stony plain’, from *magos ‘field, place’. Velabri, with the verbal root *lab(a)ro- ‘talk’, can be compared with OIr folabra(e) ‘grumbling, whispering’, but more likely that the first element here comes from IE *wel- meaning ‘other, alien’ (PGerm. *walha).