Personenbezeichnungen in altpolabischen Ortsnamen

Abstract

Approximately from the 6th to the 14th century the north-eastern territory pf present Germany was populated by Slavs (Polabs), whose language in German has been conserved in toponyms. These toponyms could be derived from proper names, but also from appellatives denoting persons with several properties, for example: Luplow - 1292 and 1350 Lupegloue < *Glupoglovy „Fools, Blockheads'. The given appellatives exist in semantic classes; some of them are described and characterized in the article.