Talk:Peñalara

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Etymology[edit]

The theory proposed for the origin of the name Peñalara is unreferenced and rather far-fetched, with an unlikely marriage of Celtic, Arabian and Egyptian origins. Given that Peña means rock in Spanish, and that Lara is a well-known surname of medieval Castilian nobility, Occam's razor would favour the far simpler meaning of "Lara's Rock". This is one of the two theories proposed in the Spanish version of the article, which reads (Google translation):

A theory about the etymology of the name 'Peñalara' says that it comes from the union of the Latin words 'Penna' and 'Lara', which mean 'head' and 'plain' respectively. Therefore, "Penna Lara" means "flat heads", a name that honours the rounded silhouette of the summit cornice of the Peñalara massif when viewed from the east or west. The 'nn' of Latin evolved into the Spanish ' ñ ', giving rise to the name that this mountain currently has: 'Peñalara'. Another theory relates the term to the other "Peña Lara" that exist in Castilla y León, and to the region of Lara itself, which gave rise to one of the most important lineages of Castile during the Middle Ages, the House of Lara. In this region there is another Peña Lara."

García Pérez elaborates and substantiates the second of these theories as follows (edited Google translation):

In principle it is a transparent place name: Peña de Lara. Furthermore, Peña Lara lies next to Peña Citores and the Pie de Lerma. Lara, Lerma and Acitores are, as we know, well-known towns in the province of Burgos. And given the historic process known as the Reconquista... However, Joaquín Caridad Arias says, in Cults... and toponymy (1999, s.v. Viso), that Lara is the name of a well-known naiad. So, if we take into account the legends that have circulated until today around the Tarn of Peñalara, it is not crazy to think -though this version is less likely than the previous one- that Peñalara could also allude here to the nymph Lara.
— Guillermo García Pérez, Toponimia de la Sierra de Guadarrama, Actas del Curso de Verano de El Escorial (2003)

In view of the above, I would suggest the Ben Allah Ra hypothesis be removed and replaced by the far more likely Peña de Lara hypothesis.

Pitix (talk) 08:26, 1 September 2018 (UTC)[reply]