LL-L "Etymology" 2004.09.11 (08) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * 12.SEP.2004 (08) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
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)
=======================================================================

From: Jo Thys <Jo.Thijs1 at pandora.be>
Subject: LL-L "Introduction" 2004.09.11 (01) [E]

> > From: Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk>
> > Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2004.09.09 (04) [E]
> >
>>What is the purpose of the _-je_ suffix commonly found after verbs
> > and nouns, e.g., _een boekje_ ("a book")? Is it just a diminutive? If
so,
> > it  seems to be used with the similar frequency to the forms _-o_ and
_-ie_ in
> > Australian English, e.g., _reggo_ ("registration"), _bikie_ ("biker").
> >
> > Go raibh maith agaibh
> >
> > Criostóir.
>
> I'm probably forgetting a lot of other uses here, but many such -je forms
> will not always be plain old diminutives, but can have a varied meaning...
>
> Regards
>
> Henno Brandsma

Hei Criostóir, hei Henno, hei allemwol

I also came across the term "hypocoristica", meaning something like "calling
flattering names". To me it seems that -je is very often used that way.
They're often used to make things seem nicer, more fun, less aversive,
rather then smaller e.g.

"een jaartje overdoen" (to sit over 'it wil be over soon')
"een klein jaar " (not the whole year)

In the same way they 're used in the vocative: papaatje, mamaatje, often
followed by a request. (dad-daddie?) (mate: /meit/,/meiti:/)
(Heart it in scotland last 'summer' dad! dad! daddie!!, like dutch kids
would call for pap!, pap!, pappie!!)

Women seem to use this construction (or the diminutive one) a lot more, and
especially teenagers. 'Hebt gij een sigaretje voor mij?". On Flemisch tv
there was a (satirical) program, het Leugenpaleis, where every time again
words as 'hamertje, beitelje, zaagske"  (hammer, chisel, saw) were used to
portray gay  shop assistants.

Maybe your 'bikie' is rather a 'softie' (also in dutch)  than a small one.

...
Die lachjes,
 Die klaghjes,
 By draghjes,
 Die daghjes,
 Die nachjes,
 Dat allerzoetste zoetje,
 Mengen moetje
 Met een roetje,
 Of ik stik aan lekkerny.
...
 Hooft's Mengelwerken,

Met vriendelijke groeten,

Jo Thys

----------

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

> From: john feather <johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk>
> Subject: Etymology
>
> Gabriele
>
> I hope you haven't misunderstood about "varsity". The sporting connotation
> is US, not UK English. Chambers says first found in US English 1891. It
also
> gives "sergeant" and "varmint" as examples of the sound change.

"Varsity" is reasonably common usage in Scots, perhaps a bit affected or
"old" these days. I have a 1912 book of verses from Scottish University
magazines, in Scots and English: it's called "Varsity Verses". The word has
nothing to do with sports in Scotland.

The Scottish National Dictionary doesn't seem to list "varsity", but I did
notice the form "varse" for "verse" listed, which is new to me.

Sandy
http://scotstext.org/

================================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
======================================================================