LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.06.06 (10) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 06.JUN.2003 (10) * 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: Ruud Harmsen <rh at rudhar.com>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.06.06 (02) [E]

Kristoff Bonne <kristoff.bonne at compaqnet.be>:
>- Exactly where did these Normans come from? What language did they
>speak? I guess some north-germanic language.

Old-Norse, from Denmark? But they'd probably lost that language when
they invaded England.

>Is there something left of that languege in that in the languages now
>spoken in Normandy or England.

In English there certainly are loan-words form Old-Norse. But not
via Normandy, rather directly, from Scandinavia, I think.

>- And, what I've always wondered about this. Can somebody explain
me why
>somebody who has invaded a foreign country successfully would then
>completely give up your own language and take up the language of your
>neighbours.
>Or did they try to 'forget' the Norseman background for some reason?

It probably makes a lot of difference how roles are divided between
men and women. If the invaders are primarily men, and they settle,
take wives from the local population, and the women play an
important role in raising young children, the next generation will
usually have a very good knowledge of the "weaker" language, even if
they also learn the "stronger" language.

--
Ruud Harmsen  http://rudhar.com/index/whatsnew.htm  3 June 2003

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