LL-L "Etymology" 2004.11.13 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 13.NOV.2004 (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: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Folks,

Can any of you enlighten me about the origin of the Low German (Dutch,
Afrikaans, Lowlands Saxon, etc.) word _toonbank_ '(shop) counter'?  And is
the _toom-_ in Mennonite Lowlands Saxon (Plautdietsch) _Toomdesch_ related
to it (_Desch_ being 'table')?

I don't find _Tonbank_ in German dictionaries, but I grew up using it in
both Missingsch and "better" Northern German.  I suppose the Standard German
word is _Ladentisch_, which I, a _Hamborger Buttje_, later learned to use in
communicating with _Quiddjes_ ('non-Hamburgers' or 'non-Northerners').

So, apparently it's a "_toon_-bench."  What does the first part denote?  To
today's speakers there are two possibilities: 'sound'/'tone' or 'clay' (also
'toes' in a few dialects).  Was it originally a bench made from clay?  I
remember seeing such things in Ancient Roman shops (oftentimes with holes on
top accommodating vats of food).

My lack of access to a Dutch etymological dictionary is starting to become a
real handicap.

By the way, I find it interesting that Scots _stuil_ can denote not only a
stool but also a bench or a counter (plus a tree-stump).

In Lowlands Saxon _stoul_ (pl. _stoyl_) denotes 'chair', while a stool is a
_huyker_ ("squatter") or a _schemel_ (< Latin _scamillus_, _scamellum_,
diminutive of _scamnum_ 'bench'), but the latter tends to specify a
footstool in most cases.

Thanks in anticipation!
Reinhard/Ron

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