The Slavic names of the municipality of Nikolsdorf (East Tyrol) - Slavia Tirolensis VII

Abstract

In this article, the author presents the Slavic onomastic heritage of the municipality of Nikolsdorf (Tyrol). The results presented here originate from the work on the author’s project named Slavia Tirolensis in which the Slavic loans within Eastern Tyrol are analysed and etymologised based on the latest scientific findings. To ensure high quality etymologies, the phonetic features of the local dialect are presented in the first chapter. This allows for an adequate interpretation of the dialectal pronunciation of the names in question. For instance, unlike in most other dialects of the Tyrolean Slavia submersa, MHG ei as in zwei ‘two’ is reflected as [aː] ([ˈtsvaː]). The main section of the paper lists the treated names in alphabetical order. For each name, documentary evidence is provided if available, followed by an etymological interpretation and a discussion of the noteworthy sound changes the loan has undergone. It turns out that, although the Nikolsdorf municipality is (and has always been) the major transit axis between today’s Tyrol and Carinthia, it harbours many very recent loans, as can be seen from the missing accent retraction onto the first syllable, typical for integrations before 1050. Therefore, the Slavic language must have been still alive in the investigated area after this very date.