Pograniczne wpływy wschodniosłowiańskie w nazwach ‘mrówki’ i ‘mrowiska’
East-Slavic Borderland Influences as Exemplified in the Names for Ant and Ants’ Nest

Summary/Abstract: A large body of dialectal material from the Polish–East Slavic borderland makes it possible to trace the East-Slavic influences observable in the names for ant and ants’ nest. The influences include variations in the lexical stem based on pleophony *morv-j- under the influence of murava ‘grass’: the names muracha, muraszka ‘ant,’ murasznik ‘ants’ nest,’ as well as derivatives based on an enlarged stem murav- (e.g. murawel, murawla, murawia, murawka ‘ant,’ murawelnik, murawnik ‘ants’ nest’). However, the loanwords have apparently not entered the neighbouring literary languages, which points to the fact that they represent an extremely old state. Moreover, the borderland material attests numerous innovations that are hardly attributable to any specific language, as well as forms whose unequivocal interpretation is difficult. The detailed analysis of names forant and ants’ nests presented in the paper depicts the difficulties we experience when we aim at providing a conclusive answer to the question of origin of given forms in the areas where several languages and regional varieties intertwine. The origin of a loanword can only be indicated by means of meticulous scrutiny, and through references to various studies and source materials.

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