LL-L: "Etymology" LOWLANDS-L, 15.SEP.2000 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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  L O W L A N D S - L * 15.SEP.2000 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Andy Eagle [Andy.Eagle at t-online.de]
Subject: LL-L: "Etymology" LOWLANDS-L, 15.SEP.2000 (01) [E]

> From: R. F. Hahn wrote
> Subject: Etymology
> Modern Low Saxon (Low German) also:
>
> ick weer ~ was {I was}
> du weerst {you were [thou werest]}
> he weer ~ was {he was}
> se weer ~ was {she was}
> dat~et~it weer ~ was {it was}
> wie weren (~ weern) {we were}
> jie weren (~ weern) {you were}
> se weren (~ weern) {they were}
>
> (In some dialects, such as those of the Low Elbe region, _weer_ [vEIA]
and
> _weren_ ~ _weern_ [vEIAn] are _wier_ [vi:A] and _wiern_ [vi:An]
respectively.
> The rule in these dialects: EI -> i: / __r$)
>
> Please note the pattern:
> Low Saxon has free alternation between /veir/ _weer_ [vEIA]~[vi:A] and
/vas/
> _was_ [vas] wherever English has 'was', and it has /veir/ _weer_ only
wherever
> English has 'were'.  Some sort of Saxon pattern perhaps?

Some English dialects use 'were' instead of 'was'. Especially 'up north'
(That's 'down south' to me;-))

Andy

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