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Re: Eiffel
in reply to a message by Getb
The etymology of "Eifel" is uncertain. The most probable meaning is: "plateau of oaks". Eifella would then be an assimilated form of *Aik-fil. EIH is Old High German for "oak" (Germanic AIK), and FILLE (from Indoeuropean "pela", wide and flat) was the name of the fairly flat mountain ridge west of Cologne.

The original form of Beonickhausen seems to be Boennighausen. This probably used to be a place-name in Germany. All I could find is Boenhusen and Boehnighausen. They probably go back to the word "Bohne" (bean). "-hausen" indeed means "house".

(Most of this is taken from: Geographische Namen in Deutschland, Duden, 1999)

Andy ;—)
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Indeed thanks... I'm sad I can't help you as much as you help me yet I'm glad to find someone so deeply given to these pleasures of etymology (y)
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