893
Sorry, Deutsch people (discuss.tchncs.de)
submitted 3 months ago by Servais@discuss.tchncs.de to c/yurop@lemm.ee
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[-] paschko_mato@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 3 months ago

I thought German means spearman. Because some tribes fighted with the „Ger“, a spear or some special spear(?). Or is this only a theory?

[-] barsoap@lemm.ee 12 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Lots of things are possible, fewer are likely, even fewer attested, even fewer attested without doubt.

Though it'd have a special irony to it: Some Roman asking a bunch of probably Austro-Bavarian or Alemanic warriors "who are you" and getting the answer "Germannen" -- "spear men". Were Italy an Island they would've said "sailors".

Probably more likely than Romans observing those tribes, noting more or less bog-standard javelins, not exactly a rare or particularly notable technology, and saying "hey let's ask them what they call javelins and add a -man after that for no apparent reason". Even if they specialised their tactics etc. around those spears would you call Greeks "Phalanx people"?

[-] Successful_Try543@feddit.org 4 points 3 months ago

According to German Wikipedia, this theory, Germans are men with a Ger, is longer up to date.

[-] paschko_mato@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 3 months ago

Hah, man lernt nie aus!

this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2024
893 points (98.4% liked)

YUROP

1212 readers
1 users here now

A laid back community for good news, pictures and general discussions among people living in Europe.

Other European communities

Other casual communities:

Language communities

Cities

Countries

founded 9 months ago
MODERATORS