LL-L "Lexicon" (was "Morphology") 2002.02.06 (02) [E]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 06.FEB.2002 (02) * 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: Muriel Norde <muriel.norde at hum.uva.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Morphology" (was "Currency") 2002.02.05 (06) [E]

"Aviad Stier" <aviad2001 at hotmail.com> wrote:

  It is indeed very interesting that so many animals in English are Germanic
  while grazing in the field, but become French once on the plate:

This reminded me of a famous passage in Sir Walter Scott's "Ivanhoe", where it
is remarked that the live animal has a
Saxon name, whereas the meat has a Norman name, implying that the meat is
eaten by the Norman lords whereas the cattle
is herded by Saxon slaves. I do not have the book at hand so I quote it from
the web, and this may not be entirely
accurate:

[a pig-keeper is told that his herd will be converted into Normans before
morning]:

"The swine turned Normans to my comfort!" quoth Gurth; "expound that to me,
Wamba, for my brain is too dull, and my
mind too vexed, to read riddles."
"Why, how call you those grunting brutes running about on their four legs?"
demanded Wamba.
"Swine, fool, swine," said the herd, "every fool knows that." "And swine is
good Saxon," said the Jester; "but how call
you the sow when she is flayed, and drawn, and quartered, and hung up by the
heels, like a traitor?"
"Pork," answered the swine-herd. "I am very glad every fool knows that too,"
said Wamba, "and pork, I think, is good
Norman-French; and so when the brute lives, and is in the charge of a Saxon
slave, she goes by her Saxon name; but
becomes a Norman, and is called pork, when she is carried to the Castle-hall
to feast among the nobles; what dost thou
think of this, friend Gurth, ha?"
"It is but too true doctrine, friend Wamba, however it got into thy fool's
pate."
"Nay, I can tell you more," said Wamba, in the same tone; there is old
Alderman Ox continues to hold his Saxon epithet,
while he is under the charge of serfs and bondsmen such as thou, but becomes
Beef, a fiery French gallant, when he
arrives before the worshipful jaws that are destined to consume him. Mynheer
Calf, too, becomes Monsieur de Veau in the
like manner; he is Saxon when he requires tendance, and takes a Norman name
when he becomes matter of enjoyment."
"By St Dunstan," answered Gurth, "thou speakest but sad truths."

Muriel Norde

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Muriel Norde
Skandinavistiek, Universiteit van Amsterdam
Spuistraat 134
1012 VB Amsterdam
The Netherlands
tel.: +31 20 5252450
fax.: +31 20 5254625
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