Gurian Surnames with the Root „Ber“

Abstract

The study of surnames by region of Georgia has a special scientific and practical importance. The words and expressions woven into it. It contains important information for linguistics, as well as for the history, ethnography and archeology of Georgia. Clarifying the specific period of origin, migration and localization of surnames is problematic and requires careful study.
The purpose of the research of the presented scientific article is to identify the surnames with the root „ber“ common in Guria, to study their structural composition, semantics and etymology. The study of surnames with the root „ber“ is closely related to the past and present of Guria. Therefore, the work analyzes the meaning of the word „ber“ in Georgian dictionaries, dialectal and ethnographic materials and historical documents chronologically in relation to the present.

„Beri“ is a polysemantic word and denotes: 1. an elderly person; 2. a nun; 3. a son; 4. an infant; 5. a child consecrated to an icon.
Several models of surnames with a ber-component have been identified in Guruli: 1. Simple-rooted (ber + dze) surnames: Beridze, Berishvili. The surnames suggest a personal name: beri
2. Surnames formed from names with a simple stem -el declension-producing affix: Berseladze, Bersenadze. Surnames suggest human names: Ber-s-el-a → Ber-sen-a. El → en alternation. S- is a sign of dative inflection.
3. Compound-stemmed surnames. The Ber - component is in second place: Gigiberidze (← Gogi + Beri + Dze), Gogaberashvili (← Goga + Bera + Chhilbi), Tavberidze (← Tav + Beri + Dze), Sulaberidze (Sula + Beri + Dze), Jamberidze (← Jan + Beri + Dze), Machaberidze (Macha + Beri + Dze)...

Surnames are related to human names: Gigi (Gagishvili, Gigashvili), Goga (Gogashvili, Gogiashvili), Tavi (Tavadze), Sula (Sulashvili), Jano (Janiashvili), Macha (Machaidze) or Matsa (Matsaberidze)....
4. In the composite surname, the letter „ber“ is represented by certain phonetic changes:
a) with the alternation „i←e“: Gvibiridze (←Gviberidze)... We can have the alternation „i ←e“ in the surnames: Kobiridze (←Ko+ Beridze). The surname of similar origin is Koberidze. It is possible that the surname of analogous origin is Koidze.
b) with the alternation „a←e“: Gumbaridze (←Gumbaridze)...

The surnames of the inhabitants of Guria are suggested by place names: Saberdzao (←sa-beridze-o. sowing); Beridzeouli (←beridze-eul-i. settlement); Saberdzao (←sa-beridze-o. sowing place); Berulava (hill); Gogiberiskari (hill); Sakoberidzeo (forest).
The masculine gender of one’s own name, son, or child, expresses the semantics of the root ber attested in surnames. Such a tendency is a common Georgian linguistic phenomenon and is still observed in Georgian dialects today. The conclusions obtained as a result of the study of the issue are important for the diachronic analysis of Georgian lexicology, onomastics, and, in general, key issues related to surnames.