LL-L "Etymology" 2002.05.02 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 02.MAY.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: "David Elsworth" <david_elsworth at hotmail.com>
Subject: German verb fassen

My father pointed out that he thinks the verb fassen from High German
means
the same as the English verb to fasten. I have checked my dictionaries
and
have found that fassen means to grip or to hold.

I have also checked my Dutch dictionary and the word fassen does not
seem to
exist in the Dutch vocabulary. I wondered therefore if the word fassen
was
of high German origin and therefore does not feature in any of the
Lowlands
languages. In fact, although there is a striking similarity between "to
fasten" and "fassen", I was in some doubt as to whether the two words do
in
fact have a common origin.

Regards.
David Elsworth.

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

David,

In German, "fast" as in "fixed," "secured," "firm," "stable," "sound,"
is _fest_.  English "to fasten" comes from "fast": "to make
secure/stable."  In German this would be something like _befestigen_,
_festmachen_, etc., in Dutch _bevestigen_, also _vestigen_ (< German?),
but 'fast', 'secured', 'stable' is _vast_ in Dutch, which gives words
such as _vastbijten_, _vasteland_, etc.

Thus, in German there is _fest_ and there is _fassen_ 'to seize'.  I
don't have a German etymological dictionary here at the moment, but I
assume they do not come from the same source.  I assume that _fassen_
had the Middle High German form *_fazzen_ and goes back to the Old High
German root *_fat-_.  (Remember: German _-ss_ < _-tt-_)

In Low Saxon (Low German), 'fast' (as in 'secured') is /fast-/ _fast_
[fast] (probably spelled _vast_ in the Netherlands), also denoting
'strong', 'unmoving', 'immobile', etc.  (E.g., _Sitt fast!_ ("Sit
fast!") 'Keep sitting!', 'Don't get up!')  You get derivations such as
_fastbacken_ ("to stick fast") 'to be/get stuck', _fastbinden_ ~
_fastbinnen_ ("to bind fast") 'to fasten by tying', _fastmaken_ ("to
make fast") 'to fasten', 'to fix', 'to secure', 'to make (a
date/agreement)', _fastnehmen_ ("to take fast") 'to arrest',
_faststellen_ ("to stand/put fast") 'to make immobile', 'to determine',
_fastholden_ ~ _fastholen_ 'to hold fast', 'to keep hold (of)', also
_Fastland_ ("firm land") 'mainland'.

German (/fas-/) _fassen_ 'to seize' has the Low Saxon equivalent
(/faat-/) _faten_ ['fQ:tn=] (probably spelled *_vaten_ ~ *_voaten_ ~
*_vaotn_, etc., in the Netherlands).  (It can be a weak verb [ik faat,
du faatst, he faatt, wi faatt ~ faten] or a strong verb [with [ø(:)] or
[9(:)], ik fööt, du föttst, he fött, wi föött ~ föten].)  In certain
dialects, especially in the extreme northwest, you also get the noun
_Faat_ [fQ:t] (probably spelled *_vaat_ ~ *_voat_ ~ _vaot_ in the
Netherlands) 'grip', 'hold'.  A derivation is _faatkriegen_ ~ _Faat
kriegen_ 'to get hold (of)', 'to seize', 'to catch'.

English _fast_ comes from Middle English _fast_ and Old English _fœst_,
and _fasten_ comes from Middle English _fastnen_ < Old English
_fœstnian_. Cf. English _'to fast' (= 'to abstain from food and drink')
and the noun _fast_ (= 'temporary abstinence') < Middle English _fasten_
< Old English _fœstan_.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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