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Amal was the name of a legendary founder of the Amalings - a ruling family of the Goths long before Amalric. Forstermann connects it to ON Aml, "labor" but he is incorrect - this sense (which actually refers to "futile, pointless work") is derivative in ON from the verb AMA, to vex, annoy, molest; and seems to have developed solely in ON, long after Gothic speakers migrated to eastern Europe. Since the Gothic tribes were inhabiting the Pontic steppes at the time it is possible if not probable that it is not a Germanic name element at all, but Alan (steppe Iranian), in which case the sense may be "power".

This message was edited 5/6/2021, 3:48 PM