metelui

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Attestation:	NO·18 (metelui:maeśilalui:uenia:metelikna:aśmina/krasanikna) (1)
Status:	uncertain
Language:	Lepontic
Word Type:	proper noun
Semantic Field:	personal name
Grammatical Categories:	dat. sg. masc.
Stem Class:	o
Morphemic Analysis:	metel-ūi̯
Phonemic Analysis:	/metelūi̯/
Meaning:	'to/for Metelos'

Commentary

Dative of an o-stem personal name metelos. metelo- corresponds formally to OIr. meithel (ā, f), W medel (m) 'reaping party', OCorn. midil 'reaper' < PC *metelo/ā-, from the PIE root *h₂met- 'to mow, cut'. The root may also be attested in metalui. The similarity with the Roman cognomen metellus is probably just chance.

See also Lejeune 1971: 50, 64, n. 211, Eska & Evans 2009: 35, Tibiletti Bruno 1978: 149 (Lat. cognomen Metellus), Delamarre 2007: 133, GPN: 459 (Μετελαιος). Cf. metelikna.

David Stifter

Bibliography

Delamarre 2007	Xavier Delamarre, Noms de personnes celtiques dans l'épigraphie classique. Nomina Celtica Antiqua Selecta Inscriptionum, Paris: Errance 2007.
Eska & Evans 2009	Joseph F. Eska, David Ellis Evans, "Continental Celtic", in: Martin J. Ball, Nicole Müller (eds), The Celtic Languages, 2nd edition, London – New York: Routledge 2009, 28–53.