'''Campaniacum''' is the etymon inferred from numerous toponyms in France. The ''Toponymie générale de la France'' (''TGF'') derives it from a Roman personal name ''Campanius'' and the Gaulish suffix '''''-acum'''''.<ref>Ernest Nègre, ''Toponymie générale de la France'' (''TGF''), Librairie Droz, 1990.</ref> The ''-i-'' (which is important in the phonetic evolution of *''Campaniacum'') suggests that ''Campanius'' is a ''gens'' name.<ref>Ernest Nègre</ref>
The modern forms differ according to the diverse phonetic evolutions of the local dialects.
*Campagnac (TGF § 7029) *Campénéac (Morbihan) (TGF § 7535) *Campigny (TGF § 8819) *Champagnac (TGF § 7061 and § 7438) *Champagnat (TGF § 7612 and § 8480) *Champagné (TGF § 8133) *Champagneux (TGF § 8537) *Champagney (TGF § 7873) *Champagny (TGF § 8868) *Champigny (TGF § 8868)
The initial /ka/ of ''*Campaniacum'' became /ʃa/ (written ''Cha'') in most of Gaul, both in langue d'oïl dialects and the northern langue d'oc dialects; but north of the Joret line, and most Langue d'oc dialects (southern one) /ka/ (written ''Ca-'') was preserved.
In the form ''Champigny'', Gaston Zink offered an explanation for the sequence ''ign'' in place of the expected ''agn'': before the palatal consonant /ɲ/, the /a/ shifted to /e/, which in turn closed to /i/; Zink points out the parallel form ''(fungum) campaniolum'' ('mushroom') which became ''champ'''e'''gneul'' in Old French and ''champ'''i'''gnon'' (with substitution of suffix) in modern French.<ref>Gaston Zink, ''Phonétique historique du français'' (''French Phonetic History''), 1986, page 184.</ref> This shift is restricted to central langue d'oïl.
==See also== * Champignac * Pourceaugnac
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:Toponymy