The Names of the Dnieper Rapids in Chapter 9 of Constantine Porphyrogenitus’ De administrando imperio
New interpretations are given for [ν]Έσσουπῆ ‘watching’, ‘the guard’; Ἀειφὸρ ‘the ever-shallow rapids’; βαρουφόροϛ – βουλνηπράχ ‘the bare rapids; Λεάντι, βερούτζ ‘the violently rushing rapids’. Στρούκουν has a Greek ending and is not a dative plural. Ναστρεζή is a collective formation with a diminutive sense. Both names mean ‘the small rapids’. The reduced vowels are not manifested in these name