LL-L "Names" 2004.05.17 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 17.MAY.2004 (02) * 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: Ruth & Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Names" 2004.05.15 (01) [E]

Dear Lee & Ron,

>>  Incidentally, the Yiddish term for 'turner' that I'm familiar with is
> >TEKER
> > (from TOK, 'lathe').  DREYER is actually something uncomplimentary,
> > like "wheeler-dealer"!

> Interesting!  I hadn't come across that before.  In Northern Saxon,
another
> meaning of _drayer_ (<Dreiher>) is "pretentious ass," based on _drey_
> (<Dreih>) 'turn' > 'trick' > 'pretentiousness'.  But this doesn't apply to
> *our* Dreyer, of course.

Thanks for sharing that with us, however I doubt if I'll pass it on to
Jossie Dryer!
As for the term in North Saxon: Ahem! I shall pass it by in silence.

By the way, it isn't unknown for people to put a good countenance to a bad
name, is it?

Yrs Sincerely,
Mark

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

Dag, Mark!

> As for the term in North Saxon: Ahem! I shall pass it by in silence.

And well you should, for (1) it doesn't apply to you, as I said (and we
would love you all the same if it did), and (2) it's not the first meaning
that comes to mind.  ('Turner' would be first, 'water bailiff' second.)
This derived meaning applies more to the verb _drayen_ (<dreihen>, with or
without reflexive), normally 'to turn', based on the noun _dray_ (<Dreih>)
'turn' ('trick' > 'pretentiousness').  _Drey_ can also mean 'artful twist',
usually implying something illusionistic or very skilled; e.g., _Syn
vertellen hebt tou meyrst so 'n dray_ (<Sien Vertellen hebbt tomehrst so'n
Dreih.>) "There are unexpected twist in his most of his stories."

> By the way, it isn't unknown for people to put a good countenance to a bad
> name, is it?

Not as far as I am concerned.  There are too many stories to relate.  I
remember the beginning of an autohypnosis class in Germany in which the very
scary-looking instructor almost proudly introduced himself as "Dr. Schreck"
(German for 'scare', 'fright', 'horror').

Take my surname, especially in English-speaking environments identified by
those with German proficiency as 'rooster' (keeping the synonym mercifully
to themselves).  I'm getting tired of explaining that the original meaning
of this Lowlands name (Haan, de Haan, etc., in Dutch, from _haag_ 'grove',
cf. English "haw" as in "hawthorn") is the same as German Hagen, "the
settler of the grove."  One of my brothers has given up on that, has
embraced the "rooster" folk etymology and has begun collecting ceramic and
carved roosters ...

Besides, your name, a very commonly encountered one especially in Northern
Germany, is not perceived as bad by the overwhelming majority of people.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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