Quote Originally Posted by Arjos View Post
Couldn't it be a description for an encompassing attribute for groups? Similar to Alemanni? Maybe something like Her- Manaz? Or has anyone proposed a convincing case for the 'e' sound turning into 'a'?
To get things into context. It seems that the term hermano, irmano etc are from the Latin germanus (from root germen).

In terms of why the original inhabitants of 'germania' were called Germani; the original (which Caesar is possibly quoting) may have been from a local term (hence no Greek cognate) that Caesar chose to relate as germani. The problems arise when, if it means 'neighbour' or 'arm of' and relates the term man in a Germanic sense then...it follows that the description of them as neighbours came from...their neighbours (a peoples are unlikely to define themselves as their neighbour's neighbour); it follows also that (being Germanic rooted words) their neighbours spoke a similar language.... Their neighbours are supposed to be 'Celts', yet here they are describing their neighbours in a decidedly Germanic way.

I don't have an issue with that, but it doesn't really fit the 'Celtic' model.