LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.10.28 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 28.OCT.2002 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
 L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic
               V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Marco Evenhuis <evenhuis at zeelandnet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2002.10.27 (07) [E]

James Mader wrote:

> > My father-in-law, who is orginally from Zeeland, Netherlands, told me
> > once
> > that some Zeelanders, instead of ja, say Eh in the affirmative.  This
> > would
> > make sense on the end of a sentence.  Being that Afrikaans has such a
> > strong
> > link to Dutch (my wife calls it Boer dutch) maybe this is a link?
> >
> > James L. Mader, Seoul Korea

Luc Vanbrabant responded:
> I told you already about the westhoek-Flemish and how they alwaeys use
> "enni" ("ehne" - meaning "eh neen" or "nietwaar")at the end of almost
> every sentense.The "eh" you speak of is also used in Flemish (The most
> near tongue  of Zeelandic)It sounds just like "mm or "ehe"(meaning
> yes). And their is a big variety of other words to end a sentense. I
> think that has already been mentioned quiet a  while ago (just have a
> look in the archives).

In Zeelandic, _ee_ (pronounced as the _ay_ in 'stay')
is used only to ask for confirmation. Never as an
affirmitive in its own right. The same goes for West-
Flemish (and probably most East-Flemish dialects).
The frequency of the use of _ee_ varies; if someone
is a bit uncertain about what he or she is telling, the
_ee_'s are all over the place!
And James, it is not just some Zeelanders that use
_ee_, we all use it and some use it even when spea-
king (or trying to speak) Dutch.

A few examples:

1. Asking for confirmation:
-Die kèrel eit toch een grôte zuupe, ee?
-Jae, dat eit n zeker
In English:
- That man is very thirsty, isn't he?
- Yes he is.
Sometimes _ee_ is used well after the statement
that you would like to have confirmed:
Da gae me daerom 's anders doee!
(pause)
Ee?

2. Telling a story, using _ee_ to keep your audience's
attention (could perhaps be translated with 'right'):
"Dus ik loôpe dae deu de stad, ee, en aol ineêns, ee,
staet da vintje van Puype vo me, ee. Ikke d'r op af,
ee, ik zegge: 'A je noe nog 's wat over mien te zeien
eit, ee, doet dat dan 's nie achter m'n rik, ee'.
Ee?"
English: "So I was walking around town, right, and
all of a sudden, right, I see that guy Puype in front of
me, right. So I step towards him, right, and I say: 'If
you've got something to tell about me, right, don't
do that behind my back, right?'
Right?

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