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The translation rabbit-catchers nowadays is considered to be wrong, while Leek-masters is considered more likely. Strangly enough, the first part of the word is of Celtish origin, while the second part is German. This is explained by the idea that the original inhabitants, the leek people, experienced an influx of German immigrants who took over as their leaders. Leek is often considered as a symbol of manhood or heroism.
Translated from Toorians:
The Proto-Celtic must have had a word *kannīnā, meaning “leek”. This word produced like Old-Irish cainnean “leek”, Modern Welsh cennin “leek; daffodils” and Modern Breton kignen “garlic”. Apart from Celtic this “leekword” only seems to have connected words in Slavic languages, so there may be a common (but unknown) non-Indo-european source
The second part of the name is most likely German. Compare Gothic words with faþs: bruþ-faþs “bridegroom”, hunda-faþs “hunderdman, centurio”, þusundi-faþs “thousandman” en swnagoga-fada “(belonging to) he leader of the synagoge”. This faþs is an excellent parallel for Latin fates. It harks back to Proto-Indo-european *potis “master”, similar to Greek pósis ”husband”, and Sanskrit páti “master, husband”. We only have to assume that the original tribename was Cannenefaþ-. Latin didn't know the German th-sound, and wrote it with a t.
While the etymology provided by Toorians (*kannīnā + *potis) may well be correct — personally, I like it much better than "rabbit-catchers" —, I would like to point out that Mr. Toorians does not appear to be an Indo-European linguist himself. His language is not a linguist's language (for example, Gothic -faþs does not hark back to Proto-Indo-European *potis, it derives from it; it is not similar to Greek pósis and Sanskrit páti, it is a cognate of those words; etc.). So, I am inclined to suspect he did not himself originate the leek-masters etymology. (Or did he?) If my suspicion is correct and he did not, then the original author should be quoted. If I am wrong, and he did actually originate this etymology, then, my apologies. Pasquale17:43, 17 April 2007 (UTC)[reply]
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