LL-L "Etymology" 2003.05.26 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 26.May.2003 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * sassisch at yahoo.com
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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

> From: Gary Taylor <gary_taylor_98 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Etymology
>
> Hy aw
>
> U me’ sumwun dhës eevnin cawd ‘Gundolf’ – go’ me
> wundrin ëbou’ i’s etimolëjy – eny iedee(r)s? Awso,
> widh aw dhë tawk ëbou’ ki’es ën dragënz – wo’s dhy
> etimolëjy ëv ki’e? – I’ ëpparën’ly cumz frëm dhë
> be(r)d – bë’ my etimëlojicaw
> dicshënery sez dhë’ i’s
> imitëtiv – U dëno wo’ ë ki’e sounz like, bë’ U cahn’
> imajin i’sez enythin like “ki’e”!
>
> I met someone this evening called ‘Gundolf’ – it got
> me wondering about its etymology – any ideas? Also,
> with all the talk about kites and dragons – what’s the
> etymology of kite? – It apparently comes from the bird
> – but my etymological dictionary says that it’s
> imitative – I don’t know what a kite sounds like, but
> I can’t imagine it says anything like ‘kite’!

Hay, Gary, ow mey'!

Gundolf is Old German or Germanic:

Gundobald         battle + courageous/valiant
Gundobert, Guntbert, Guntbrecht, Gumpert, Gumprecht       battle + bright
Gundolf, Gundolph         battle + wolf *
Gundomar, Guntmar         battle + story/renown
Guntfried         battle + peace/victory
Gunthard          battle + hard/strong/competent
Gunthelm          battle + protection (> helmet)
Gunther, Günther, Gunter, Günter, Gunnar, Gunner          battle + lord, ruler
Guntrad   battle + counsel
Guntram   battle + raven
Guntwin   battle + friend (win?)

* cf. Randolf, Randolf    shield + wolf

The etymology of "kite" (the bird, _Milvus_) is uncertain, but any
dictionary that says anything about it points to onomatopoeia, namely
the cry of the bird.  "Kite" is the Modern English development of Old
English _cy^ta_ (with a long "y"), thus pronounced ['ky:ta]  (as though
spelled _Kühta_ in German and _kuta_ in Dutch), so I guess they have in
mind a cry like [ky:t], [ky:], [ku:t] or [ku:].  German has _Milan_ and
_Gabelweihe_ for 'kite', Dutch _wouw_, and Lowlands Saxon _Gavelrick_.
According to Partridge, "kite" may be related to German (_kûz(e)_ >)
_Kauz_ 'screech-owl' (_Strix aluco_, Dutch _kerkuil_ ("church owl"),
_torenuil_ ("tower owl"), Lowlands Saxon _Kattuul_ ("cat owl"),
_Nachtuul_ ("night owl"), _Dodenvagel_ ("bird of death")).  Of course,
kites and owls are quite different, but they are both birds of prey and
maybe make similar sounds.

On a cultural note, the LS name _doudenvagel_ ~ _Dodenvagel_ ("bird of
death")) appears to be connected with the traditional belief that a
screech owl, or another type of owl, especially a great horned owl
(_Bubo bubo_, German _Uhu, LS _Schufut_) or a barnowl (_Tyto alba_,
German _Schleiereule_, LS _Kattuul_, _Kackeduul_), calls (usually three
times) when someone in a home or village is bound to die (thus a role
much like that of the Irish banshee).  So this usually nocturnal call is
heard with a lot of apprehension, by some people even now -- and with a
lot of fear by me as a child staying with my relatives who lived in the
deep woods.

As you can see, there is much overlap in the naming of birds (e.g.,
_Kattuul_ "cat owl" for both 'screech-owl' and 'barnowl').

Cheerio!
Reinhard/Ron

P.S.: Gud të sí yú á stil chipin ëwey a' dhí owd óthogrëfí.  Kíp üp dhë gud wëëk
!  Jis givin yú ë fyú åwtëënëtiv aydíëz híë (ó kënfyúzin yú) widh ë les Inglish
solyúshën. Wå' dú yú think?  Bay dhë wey, "Hy aw", "etimolëjy" and "ki'e" n
íd të bí rekënsaywd (híë "Hay, åw", "etimolëjí" and "kay'").  Bü' le's tók ëbaw'
dha' topik ündë "Orthography" if yú fíw layk i'.

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