The names of the Dnieper Rapids in chapter 9 of constantine porphyrogenitus’ de administrando imperio

Abstract

New interpretations are given for [ν]Έσσουπῆ ‘watching’, ‘the guard’; Ἀeιφὸρ ‘the ever-shallow rapids’; βαρουφόροϛ – βουλνηπράχ ‘the bare rapids; Λeάντι, βeρούτζ ‘the violently rushing rapids’. Στρούκουν has a Greek ending and is not a dative plural. Ναστρeζή is a collective formation with a diminutive sense. Both names mean ‘the small rapids’. The reduced vowels are not manifested in these names. The incorrect ου for ь in Ὸστρβουνιπράχ is due to Greek development and scribal tradition, as is e for ь in βeρούτζη. I propose an Ossetic influence in the word order in the Greek explanations of the second, third and sixth rapids. Pontic Greek features have been specified in Ch. 9 of DAI.