Talk:River Avon

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(Deleted old talk mostly concerned with the naming of the article - "River Avon" or "Avon River" --rbrwr)

I think this disambiguation page is an excellent step forward. However, I'm a bit perplexed by the names you've chosen for the individual articles, 195.149.37.147 Renata. As far as I can tell your "Gloucestershire" Avon is never entirely in Gloucs, though it does form the border of Gloucs for a while. It is mainly in Warks and Worcs. Your "Somerset" Avon is never in the current administrative county of Somerset, though it does run through ceremonial Somerset for a while in the Bath area, and forms the boundary of ceremonial Somerset north of Bristol. It is in Wilts more than in any other county. --rbrwr

I'm guilty of the disamb page and naming, not 195.... Which names would you suggest instead? Renata 08:36 Nov 26, 2002 (UTC)

Sorry, Renata. I didn't read the history properly. If knew what the right names were I'd have moved the pages, but I didn't so I just whinged about it on Talk instead. I'll have a think about it and get back to you... --rbrwr

(later) The 1911 Encyc. Brit. and Encylopedia.com suggest Lower or Bristol Avon; Upper, Warwickshire or Shakespeare Avon; and East Avon (for the one in Hants.). The Environment Agency uses Bristol Avon and Warwickshire Avon. Two atlases that I have to hand (both printed during the existence of the County of Avon) use formulas like Avon, R., Avon etc., UK and Avon, R., Warwicks, etc., UK in their indexes. I would suggest River Avon (Bristol) and River Avon (Warwickshire). If nobody objects I will move them. --rbrwr 19:02 Nov 26, 2002 (UTC)

Great, that seems to be a good solution. Will you change the links too?Renata 22:11 Nov 26, 2002 (UTC)

OK, I will do so shortly. --rbrwr

Gloucs -> Warks is now done --rbrwr

Som -> Bristol is also done, and I've pointed as many links as I could to the right Avon --rbrwr

[edit] Etymology

The etymological source of the Rivers Avon is the Proto-Celtic *abonā, not the goddess Abnona. Abnona's name could plausibly be derived from *abonā, however. Dewrad 16:50, Mar 19, 2005 (UTC)

Its wrong to describe the origin of "avon" as being Welsh, which only formed after about AD600. It should probably be Brittonic or British. Adresia 19:54, 17 July 2007 (UTC)

"Variants of Welsh were spoken all across England"? Even ignoring questionable use of the term 'Welsh', if this were true how would you explain the absence of Avons in Eastern England? One very good explanation would be the view of Oppenheimer and others that 'English' is a much older indigenous language than normally suggested, and not a post-Roman import. Pterre (talk) 22:29, 1 March 2008 (UTC)

I agree that the use of "Welsh" is unacceptable; and it must be added that Brythonic languages were also spoken in Scotland. Scribe (talk) 23:02, 13 April 2008 (UTC)