Βάραγγος → Varangian

[bungus]

Without jovial little yellow round-heads, I cannot adequately convey my gratitude enough.

One more question:

Barragos

As a Greek, what does the word mean to you?

[banned8]

Barragos

As a Greek, what does the word mean to you?

Nothing at all. It's not Greek.

[vmelas]

Maybe you mean Maragos? If yes then it is carpenter (and it would fit in the spirit of your original question).

Cheers
Valentini

[bungus]

I botched the spelling. It's actually  baraggos
Apparently it's medieval Greek for "traveller, foriegner", from a couple obscure sources and encarta.
It's got the "bar" thing going for it, you know, like how we foriegners talk. Bar barbar bar bar Barbar...

[banned8]

It's βάραγγος, then. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Varangian . Scandinavians or Anglo-Saxons in the Byzantine army, serving as palace guards or the emperor's bodyguards.

[bungus]

Is that common knowledge over there, or just something you happened to know or look up?
It's archaic Greek; in America, most people would not recognize half the words in Middle English, especially if they were obsolete historical terms.

[banned8]

No, not at all common knowledge; hardly the stuff we need to be taught at school. I looked it up. I had even found it with the wrong spelling, but didn't think you were looking for an obscure word of the Byzantine era.
Its roots are not in archaic Greek. Though its origins are disputed, all the etymologies I have point to a Scandinavian or Germanic origin of the word.

[wings]

Εμμανουήλ Κριαρά, Επίτομο λεξικό της μεσαιωνικής ελληνικής δημώδους γραμματείας

βάραγγος ο. Σκανδιναβός ή Αγγλοσάξονας στο βυζαντινό στρατό, κυρίως ως φρουρός των ανακτόρων και σωματοφύλακας του αυτοκράτορα: τους βαράγγους δε και τας παραμονάς Παράφρ. Χων. 756·(ως δεσμοφύλακας): Γλυκά, Στ. 170·(παιγνιωδώς): Προστάξαντος ουν του βασιλέως … παρίστανται και οι … βάραγγοι· ο Καρύδιος … Πωρικ. Ι 93. [<μεσν. λατ. Waringus ‑ Varingusγερμ. προέλ. (Du Cange, Lat., λ. Vargiκαι Niermeyer, λ. Wa-). Η λ. στο Meursius (Βάραγγοι)· βλ. και LBG (Βά-)]
http://www.komvos.edu.gr/dictionaries/dictonline/DictOnLineKri.htm

[bungus]

Thanks for all your responses. That about covers it. I won't take anymore of you time. nickle looks bored,
judging from his picture. Or he's ruminating fiercely. It's hard to tell.

Very responsive forum, here, BTW. Appreciate it.