LL-L: "Etymology" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 06.AUG.1999 (01)

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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at fleimin.demon.co.uk]
Subject: LL-L: "Etymology" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 05.AUG.1999 (06)

> Muhammed asked about "gormless". I think that is the spelling most people
> would use, though Chambers Dictionary also has "gaumless" and gives the
> derivation from ON "gaumr".

Is it possible that the two forms "gaumless" and "gormless" (Chambers 21st
Century Dictionary describs them as "variants", and that "gaumless" is
obsolete) both come from "gaumr" via different paths? "Gaumless" by erosion
of rhe "r" and "gormless" by metathesis? Both valid ways of avoiding the
un-English "mr" ending. This seems to me a simpler explanation than
r-insertion.

Note that this is an English word, not Scots - I use it in English but never
in Scots.

Sandy Fleming
http:\\www.fleimin.demon.co.uk

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From: Urban Lindqvist [urban.lindqvist at telia.com]
Subject: LL-L: "Etymology" [E/Norwegian] LOWLANDS-L, 05.AUG.1999 (03)

> From: Muhammed Suleiman [suleiman at lineone.net]
> Subject: Seeking Cognates
>
> Now I do seem to recall that there is a
> Gothic verb _gauma_, meaning 'to understand', and it seems to me to be
cognate,
> but proof from other Germanic languages would help.

Just a few marginal notes:
The Gothic verb is _gaumjan_ (weak, class I), and it means 'to see, observe' (it

usually translates verbs like _blepein_, _idein_, etc.); though, occasionally it

takes on the meaning 'to pay attention to' (e.g. 1 Ti 4.13). The same verb is
found in most Germanic branches: for instance, Old Icel. geyma, Old Eng. gíeman
'to heed, mind; 'watch', Old Saxon gômian 'to guard'. More interesting, though,
is that the adjective _gíemeléas_ 'heedless' apparently existed already in Old
English: "norsification" (of the first part) rather than borrowing?

Urban

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From: Sandy Fleming [sandy at fleimin.demon.co.uk]
Subject: LL-L: "Etymology" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 05.AUG.1999 (07)

> From: Muhammed Suleiman [suleiman at lineone.net]
> Subject: LL-L: "Etymology" [E] LOWLANDS-L, 05.AUG.1999 (06)
>
> The word _reek_ meaning 'smoke' is a very repectable Lowland word [Dutch
> rook ; Old Frisian reek ; Old Saxon rook (i.e. with long o)], and if I am
> not mistaken I have even heard the word _reek_ in modern Frisian.
> What about
> the word _lum_ (chimney) though?
>
> Suggestions are made that this comes from French _lumie're_, or that it is
> something to do with Latin _lumen_. I have serious doubts about both these
> etymologies, and so I thought I would pass the matter over to the
> Lowlanders' excellent team of etymologists.

It's interesting to note that there's an archaic Welsh word "llumon" =
"chimney". Perhaps "lum" is Celtic in origin.

Sandy Fleming
http:\\www.fleimin.demon.co.uk

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