The
Gaulish ethnonym Aulerci is generally interpreted as meaning 'those who are far away from their traces' (tracks, paths), composed of the
ablative prefix
au- ('out of, away from') attached to the root
lerg- ('trace', cf.
MIr. lorg,
OBret. lerg).
Pierre-Yves Lambert has also proposed a comparison with the
Old Irish lerg ('slope, brink'), or with the
Welsh/
Breton alarch ('swan'). == History ==