LL-L "Language contacts" 2003.09.20 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 20.SEP.2003 (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) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Terrence Connor <tconnor at broadpark.no>
Subject: LL-L "Language contacts"

Dag se^ laaglanders

Does anyone know the origins of the afrikaans word "mos" (indeed, at least)

As in:     Ja, jy wil mos
Or:         Die lewe is mos swar

Admittedly it's not the most attractive word in the afrikaans language but
where does it come from?

Terrence
Sandefjord, Norway

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From: Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language contacts" 2003.09.19 (05) [E]

Thanks, Luc.

You mention the majority of Anglo-Normans being
Flemish. By this I presume you mean the majority of
the Norman army that invaded England. How long did
they retain their Flemish tongue, and what influence
did it have on English? Did Flemish-speaking Fleming
settlers in England obtain a status aparte from the
English they invaded or did they intermingle freely
with them and 'die out' after a few generations?

And what about the (presumably Latin- or Norman
French-speaking) Bretons who accompanied William? What
influence did they have on English or did they also
disappear into the mists of history without much
input?

Criostóir.

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From: Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Phonology" 2003.09.19 (03) [E]

Ron wrote:
"In my opinion, it could very well be that French got
nasalization from Celtic varieties of France.
Portuguese, too, is spoken in a formerly
Celtic-speaking area, as are Bayuvarian German
dialects of Bavaria [...] However, we can't be sure of
this, for we know hardly anything about Continental
Celtic varieties, and it would be simplistic if other
possible causes were not considered. Besides, there
were Celtic settlements in what is now Belgium too."

I very much doubt nasalisation derives from Celtic.
For one, no extant Celtic variety uses it (with the
exception of heavily French-influenced border
varieties of Breton) even though the rolling
isolations of each language hints that if Celtic did
use nasalisation at least one dialect in one of the
languages might have retained it; and secondly, as you
say, there is too little evidence of Continental
Celtic to come to any conclusion on its
phonology(~ies).

Celtic languages are more renowned for diverse and
strong consonantal systems (e.g., the Gaelic system of
broad and slender consonants) than for weakened
developments such as nasalisation, which in French at
least derives from a collapse of terminal [n].

Tá brón ormsa a Ron!

Criostóir.

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