nem-

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Type:	lexical
Meaning:	uncertain
Language:	Celtic
Phonemic analysis:	/ne/ēm/-
Attestation:	nimonikna

Commentary

The majority of Gaulish personal names containing nem- are derived from nemeton 'sanctuary' (OIr. neimed 'sanctuary' < PIE *nem-eto- 'precinct' < √*nem- 'allocate'; AcS II: 708–713, KGP: 248, DLG: 233 f., Meid 2005: 112 f.). Names which do not feature a reflex of the t-suffix may contain a shortened version of the element (e.g. RIU 942 nemoratta according to Meid 2005: 150 f.), or be hypocoristics (e.g. CIL XIII 1371 nemie (gen.), XII 3450 nemonia), though it is possible that some are formed from a separate base nē̆m-. Names like CIL XII 1973 nemesiae (dat.), V 8125.20 nemasi (gen.) may be connected with *nemes- 'sky' (OIr., OW, OBret. nem 'sky' < PIE *ném-es- < √*nem 'bend, incline' [cf. nant-] or *néb^h-es- 'cloud, sky'; Stüber 2005: 59, DLG: 234 f., Matasović 2009: 288 f., NIL: 499–501 with n. 9, LEIA: N-8); Delamarre 2007: 228 alternatively suggests a connection with OIr. ném, niam 'radiance' < *nei̯mā, of unclear etymology (LEIA: N-8, N-16).

Corinna Salomon

Bibliography

AcS	Alfred Holder, Alt-celtischer Sprachschatz, Leipzig: Teubner 1896–1907.
CIL	Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities, Corpus Inscriptionum Latinarum. (17 volumes, various supplements)
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.