LL-L "Etymology" 2004.12.17 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 17.DEC.2004 (03) * 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: heather rendall <HeatherRendall at compuserve.com>
Subject: LL-L "Names" 2004.12.16 (07) [E]

Message text written by INTERNET:lowlands-l at LOWLANDS-L.NET
>In my (Limb)dialect they 're called _wesselke_ and
_fiske_  (with the -ke diminuative). In winter those 'hermelijnen/fiskes'<

We have a brook running through our village called Fitcher Brook - Fitcher
apparently means a polecat in local dialect >>> fiskes ????

Seems as tho' we might have a 'saxon' term here rather than 'mercian' ? Can
anyone add anything.
It could be  quite important because so far studies have shown us that
although the West Saxons penetrated the Severn Valley, they were ousted
within 50 years by the Mercians.
I am trying to see whether we have a local base of 'saxon' words rather than
'mercian'.

Heather

'wesselke' = Eng weasel    slightly different though related.

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

Hi, Heather!

I know "fitcher" for 'polecat' (often incorrectly used to refer to 'weasel')
to have the more common name "fitchew," and the rarer diminutive form
"fitchock."  Apparently it comes from Old French _fissel_ (> _fissau_), and
it seems to be related to ("to fitchet" ~ ) "to fidget" and its relatives.
It is related to Middle Dutch _vitsche_ and _visse_.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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