LL-L "Etymology" 2002.04.25 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 25.APR.2002 (07) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: Jim Gretch <jgretch at ugf.edu>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2002.04.24 (08) [E]

Ron wrote about the word "geck":

> I immediately recognized it as a Low Saxon (Low German)
> loanword, and I believe it is a loan that does not exist
> in Standard English (but may well be used in the standard
> range of Scottish English).

I believe it is also the source of the "Standard" English
word "geek."

This originally referred to a carnival performer but is
now primarily applied (at least in the US) to overt technophiles,
intellectuals, etc.  Among computer programmers and other
"geeky" types, the term is often regarded as a "badge of honor."

Jim Gretch
University of Great Falls
Great Falls, Montana USA

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Ah!  Good one, Jim!  I didn't make that connection, and the _American
Heritage Dictionary_ confirms what you said.

I wonder what caused the vowel to get lengthened.  Perhaps a Scots loan,
considering that Scots tends to lengthen short vowels (though apparently
more before sonorants), hence *[ge:k] or *[gI:k] > [gi:k]?  How *do* you
pronounce Scots _geck_, folks?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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