The Name Leipzig and the Germanic Sound Shift

Abstract

The article deals with the etymology of the place name Leipzig. Initially, it was widely believed that the Slavic word lipa ‘linden tree’ formed its basis. However, a closer examination of historical spellings, especially those cited by Thietmar von Merseburg, who was fluent in Slavic, such as Libzi and others, prompted a reassessment. Nevertheless, no attention has been paid so far to whether Germanic tribes adopted this name before or after the onset of the Germanic sound Shift. This aspect is crucial in determining which Indo-European word group can be viewed as the basis for the place name.