Hidronimia

The hydronym Luxia, one of which uses Pliny to refer to rivers near to Huelva, has been considered traditionally derived from an Indo-European root close to the meaning of "clear" o "bright". The dark waters of the Odiel and Tinto advise to find another etymological solution for the hydronym.

The hydronym Laaber is the name of several rivers in the Lower Bavaria and Upper Palatinate regions of Germany. Its origin, however, has so far not been satisfactorily explained. In this article, suggestions to date concerning the etymology of the name are critically reviewed , and a new etymology is advanced. The name is derived from the PIE root *leh2p- 'to shine, be bright' and explained as an original adjectival formation in *-ro-. This is satisfactory not just from a formal point of view but would also permit to compare this hydronym to the numerous river names derived from the Late PIE roots *arg- and *alb- 'to shine' from a semantic point of view.