Māvors vis-à-vis Mārs: Linguistic History and Cultural Background

Abstract The origin of Māvors has long been disputed; in view of the questionable evidence for its status as a linguistic precursor for Mārs, it is argued that Māvors is more likely to be a folk-etymological creation in a later period. The motivation for the process is found in the context where Māvors was used, viz. oaths, prayers, or the like. In such cases solemnity was so highly sought as to trigger hermeneutically favorable archaizing.