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From: "Slawomir Janyszek" <>
Subject: Re: Surnames/towns with ow endings
Date: 19 Nov 1997 10:40:46 GMT


> > : There are many towns and villages in central and eastern Europe with
sufix of
> > : "ov", e.g. in Slovakia - Presov, Trebisov, Bardejov, Trebejov,
Zborov,
> > : Sabinov, etc. "ov" has no meaning and cannot be translated into
English

There is similar (and equal) sufix in polish "ov" what sounds as [oov] (it
is spelled "ow" in fact, with a small ' above "o").
As i know - it means that such site has become known because of somebody.
F. eg. Krakow (former capital of Poland) is the town of Krak (legendary
duke of group of people living in this place before it was taken by the
poles).

Moreover - in "archaic" polish the same sufix may mean "belonging to
somebody" especially when you are talking about the conections inside the
family. F.egz. "Markow syn" we can transalte EXACTLY as Marek's son.

Slawomir Janyszek (pole from Poznan).

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