LL-L "Etymology" 2004.05.19 (07) [A/E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 19.MAY.2004 (07) * 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 "Etymology" 2004.05.18 (10) [E]

Haai, Luc en Ron,
`
> Strikes me that Afrikaans also seems to use the word _bra_ (just like
> Brabantish)...

> What's the etymology of this _bra_?  _Braav_?

   Kolskoot, Ron! Aldus Boshoff en Nienaber, AFRIKAANSE ETIMOLOGIE,

bra:- (vroeër ook) 'braaf' - , nou doeb. v. 'braaf' in bet. "in hoë mate;
taamlik, baie, eintlik, haas" as bw. v. graad; Nederlands 'braaf' (by van
Riebeek nog in betekinis "goeie, dapper", maar reeds by Wik in huidige funk.
soos in verskillende Nederlandse dialekte, en in dialektiese vorm 'bra') uit
die Franse 'brave' (reeds voor middel 16de eeu)...

    Die Uwe,
Mark

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From: Sandy Fleming <sandy at scotstext.org>
Subject: "Etymology" [E/S]

> From: John Duckworth <jcduckworth2003 at yahoo.co.uk>
> Subject: "Etymolgy."
>
> Ron asked:
>
> "What's the etymology of this _bra_?  _Braav_?"
>
> Is it not possible that this _bra_ is from the same source as the Scots
word
> _braw_ (fine, handsome)? Of course Sandy would be able to elaborate on the
> finer points of its use, but it does seem to be used as an emphatic as
well
> as a regular adjective. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary claims that the
Scots

"Braw" is quite a strong word in Scots, which is no reason not to use it if
you know what you're doing. To me it means something like "impressively
beautiful". It would be a very good word to describe a magnificent sunset,
for example ("Is that no braw?"), expressing not only the beauty but the
magnificence.

It can also be used to describe good-looking men or women - eg "a braw
lassie" or "a braw laddie". This second usage sometimes causes
lexicographers to give "handsome" as a translation for "braw" but it's not
the same thing. Similarly, "a braw wumman", "a braw bairn" &c.

So you can complement a young woman by telling her she's a "braw lassie",
for example. A fairly standard response is "Ay, I ken."  :)

Sandy

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

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