LL-L "Etymology" 2003.04.02 (04) [A/E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 02.APR.2003 (04) * 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) N=Northumbrian
 S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

[English below]

En nog een vragie van my vandag ...

Standaard-Nederlands het _niets_ (< *_nie iets_?) waar Afrikaans “niks” het.
Hoe kan ’n mens dit verklaar?  Is “niks” van ’n Middelnederlandse vorm
afgelei word, of het dit woord van ’n ander brontaal afgekom?  Seeus?
Nedersaksies (Nederduits, Platduits)?  Die meeste Noordnedersaksiese
dialekte het _niks_ (ook <nix> geskryf).  (“Hoog”-) Duits het _nichts_,
oorspronklik die genitiefvorm van _nicht_ ‘nie’ < Middel-Duits _niht_ <
Oud-Duits _niwiht_ < _ni wiht_ ‘nie iets/wat’.  (Sien ook Oost-Jiddisj × ×™×˜
_nit_ ‘nie’ versus גאָר)× ×™×©×˜) _(gor)niÅ¡t_ ‘(heeltemaal) niks’.)

Groete, en baie dankie by voorbaat!
Reinhard/Ron

***

And another little question from me today ...

Standard Dutch has _niets_ (< *_nie iets_ “not something/anything”?)
‘nothing’ where Afrikaans has _niks_.  How can that be explained?  Has
_niks_ been derived from a Middle Dutch form, or did it come from another
source language?  Zeelandic (Zeeuws)?  Lowlands Saxon (Low German)?  Most
Northern LS dialects have _niks_ (also spelled <nix>).  (“High”-) German has
_nichts_, originally the genitive form of _nicht_ ‘not’ < Middle German
_niht_ < Old German _niwiht_ < _ni wiht_ ‘not something/anything’.  (See
also Eastern Jiddisj × ×™×˜ _nit_ ‘not’ versus גאָר)× ×™×©×˜)
_(gor)ništ_ ‘nothing (at all)’.)

Regards, and many thanks in anticipation!
Reinhard/Ron

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