LL-L "Language contacts" 2002.08.15 (04) [E/LS]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
 L O W L A N D S - L * 15.AUG.2002 (04) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
 Web Site: <http://www.lowlands-l.net>, Email: <admin at lowlands-l>
 Rules & Guidelines: <http://www.lowlands-l.net/rules.htm>
 Posting Address: <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>
 Server Manual: <http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html>
 Archive: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html>
=======================================================================
 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
=======================================================================

From: "Daniel Prohaska" <daniel at ryan-prohaska.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language contacts" 2002.08.14 (02) [E/German]

My hypothesis:
  Language contact between Old English and Old Norse was extensive both
by
numbers and time, especially in the north of mainland Britain. Some
linguists have gone so far as to propose an English/Scandinavian creole
as
the parent language of the modern (northern) English dialects. Although
I
personally don`t believe this, Scandinavian influence is detectable on
all
linguistic levels. The number of lexical doublets is impressive, even
today,
a thousand years later! And if core structural words like "hie" and
"heom"
can be replaced by their (!) Scandinavian cognates "they" and "them",
virtually anything is possible. Meaning that at one point both forms
were so
common in certain areas that it was mere coincidence which form gained
the
upper hand and survived in the end. One area would have retained "get"
and
"give" the other "get" and *"yive" and yet another *"yat" and *"yeve".

   So a /j/-form was brought to the Northern Isles which was certainly
felt
to be Scots. And it was Scots that replaced Norn in the Isles, so in the
long run Scots had more prestige and Scots forms were prefered and
emulated
rather than retaining or consciously "scandinavianising" Scots lexical
items. "Foryat" was felt to be more Scots, so it was prefered to Norn
*"glöma" and "forget" (if the latter form ever occured there).

Dan

----------

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

[English below]

Ünner "Etymology" harr ik anfraagt vunwegen (germaansch) _Bäa_ un
(slaawsch) _Kruschkje_ ~ _Kruschtje_ för "Beer" in't mennonietsche
Neddersassisch ("Plautdietsch") -- neem annere Dialekten man bloots
_Beer_ ~ _Bäär_ ~ _Bäa_ hebbt -- un Reuben Epp anter:

> In Plautdietsch, the word Bäa refers to pear or berry, whereas Kruschtje
> refers to the wild (smaller) pear.

Dat is denn je wull 'n Fall vun "lexikaalsch Verriekern" dankens
Spraakkontakt.  As de mennonietschen Vöröllern in Polen, Russland or de
Ukrain ankemen un düsse Aard Aavt fünnen, deen se sachs weten, dat se 't
mit 'n Aard Beer to doon hebbt.  Man anstaats ehr so wat as "wille Beer"
to nömen, hebbt se d'n slaawschen Naam för "Beer" spetscheell för düsse
Aard Beer uutlehnt.  Ik heff al lang markt, dat in Inwannerspraken düsse
Aard Uutlehnen natüürlicher/automaatscher is as dat Üm- or Beschrieven
vun tovör unbekannte Saken in neje Spraakmiljöös.

===

Under "Etymology" I asked about (Germanic) _Bäa_ and (Slavic)
_Kruschkje_ ~ _Kruschtje_ for "pear" in Mennonite Lowlands Saxon
(Plautdietsch) -- where other dialects use only _Beer_ ~ _Bäär_ ~ _Bäa_
-- and Reuben Epp replied:

> In Plautdietsch, the word Bäa refers to pear or berry, whereas Kruschtje
> refers to the wild (smaller) pear.

This seems to be a case of "lexical enrichment" due to language
contacts. When the Mennonite forebears arrived in Poland, Russia or the
Ukraine and encountered this sort of fruit they must have known that
they were dealing with a type of pear.  However, instead of calling it
something like "wild pear" they borrowed the Slavic word for "pear" to
denote this specific type of pear.  I have long noticed that this type
of loaning rather than native-based description is the preferred,
automatic and "natural" way of naming previously unknown items in new
linguistic enviroments.

Grötens/Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

==================================END===================================
 You have received this because your account has been subscribed upon
 request. To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l"
 as message text from the same account to
 <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or sign off at
 <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
=======================================================================
 * Please submit postings to <lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org>.
 * Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
 * Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
 * Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
   to be sent to <listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org> or at
   <http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html>.
 * Please use only Plain Text format, not Rich Text (HTML) or any other
   type of format, in your submissions
=======================================================================