Der erzgebirgische Ortsname Pobershau - ein schwieriger Fall

Résumé

The article deals with an apparantly clear and uncomplicated place name: Pobershau in the central Erzgebirge region. By examining the early history of the settlement and the documentary records of its name, the author questions the different ways of interpretation put on it previously. He has his doubts about the name's pattern of word formation. To his mind Pobershau does not contain the root -hau which in comparable toponyms of the region generally denotes clearings of woodland for farming. Instead, the name is closely connected with the key role of mining. To all appearances, a similar but obscure dialect word, denoting a dilapidated house or shed, was adapted to other names of the type ending in -hau. - With his argumentation the author brings not only a new etymology of Pobershau up to discussion but at the same time turns our attention to the importance of dialect words for a closer linguistic approach to later place names.