LL-L "Etymology" 2003.04.03 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 03.APR.2003 (06) * 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: Holger Weigelt <platt at holger-weigelt.de>
Subject: Etymology

> 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   ט
> _nit_ ‘nie’ versus גאָר)  שט) _(gor)ništ_ ‘(heeltemaal) niks’.)
>
> Groete, en baie dankie by voorbaat!
> Reinhard/Ron
>
Hello Ron !
In Eastern Friesland Low Saxon we again know two words which possibly mark
an (geographical) intermediate state of our language.
"Not" can be either _ni_ [nI] or _näit_ [næIt] and "nothing" can be _niks_
or _näits_.
_niks_ is the most widespread form nowadays and to many people _näits_
sounds much old-fashioned. Nevertheless I don't know whether it is really an
older or just a parallel form which all the time existed besides _niks_ but
I tend to believe it is.
Kind regards
Holger

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

Thanks, Holger!

Considering your information (above) and that contributed by our friends
from the official Low Countries (of which we North Germans are really a
part, albeit here under the larger label "Lowlands"), it *is* beginning to
look as though two parallel sets.

Cheers!
Reinhard/Ron

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