i̯ant-

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Type:	lexical
Meaning:	'ambition, zeal' (?)
Language:	Celtic
Phonemic analysis:	/i̯ant/-
Attestation:	iatuini

Commentary

In Gaulish onomastics as first element of dithematic names and in monothematic names, usually as an u-stem, e.g. iantumarus/-a, iantumalius, iantullus, iantuna, iantarus, iantinus, also with variant i̯entu-, e.g. ientumarus, ientius (see Delamarre 2007: 223 and passim, GPN: 214 f.). The element is usually connected with iat-/iet- in names with preverb ad-, e.g. adiatumara, adietu/omarus, RIIG BDR-13-02 (RIG G-107) αδιατουσσια, adiaturix, adiatullus due to some crossover attestations like adiantunnus or iatinius. Schmidt KGP: 222–224 connected the forms with PIE *i̯et- 'strive' (IEW: 506) and explained the variation between forms with or without /n/ with a nasal infix which was lost in the composite forms which had the stress on the preverb (cf. DLG: 32 f. s.v. adiant(u)-). The assumed 'ambition, desire'-semantics are inferred, beside the PIE etymology, from the connection with OIr. ét 'jealousy' and specifically iantumaros with OIr. étmar 'jealous', W addiant, addiad 'longing'. All the above associations, however, have been challenged (see AcS I: 41 and II: 8, GPN: 211–214 with research history, Hamp 1976: 1–3, Schrijver 1995: 103 f., LIV²: 313 *i̯et- 'sich (fest) hinstellen', Irslinger 2002: 279 f., Meid 2005: 73–75, NIL: 395–397 with n. 6, Matasović 2009: 434 s.v. *yantu-), so that the etymology and meaning of Continental Celtic i̯antu- must be considered uncertain.

Corinna Salomon

Bibliography

AcS	Alfred Holder, Alt-celtischer Sprachschatz, Leipzig: Teubner 1896–1907.
Delamarre 2007	Xavier Delamarre, Noms de personnes celtiques dans l'épigraphie classique. Nomina Celtica Antiqua Selecta Inscriptionum, Paris: Errance 2007.
DLG	Xavier Delamarre, Dictionnaire de la langue gauloise. Une approche linguistique du vieux-celtique continental, 2nd, revised edition, Paris: Errance 2003.