LL-L "Literature" 2005.02.14 (05) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 14.FEB.2005 (05) * 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
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From: Global Moose Translations <globalmoose at t-online.de>
Subject: LL-L "Anniversary" 2005.02.11 (08) [E]

Ron wrote:
> Thanks to it, a couple of slumberers got roused at least to the point of
> uttering peeps and squeaks and crawling out of the woodwork (like global
> meese), so we know they're still among the living, at least some of them.
> ;-)

Glad to hear you missed me, Ron...

Actually, besides the fact that there weren't any topics lately where I felt
the urge to contribute (I have no "native flavour" of Platt to add to the
Wren compilation, just my very own idiosyncratic "pidgin Platt" which
consists of variants from the Harz and Weser mountains, Mecklenburg,
Hannover, and other places, and even tends to use Dutch words as fillers), I
have been very busy working and preparing for my move back to Southern Lower
Saxony in late April, ending what I regard as my personal odyssey of roughly
30 years.

Which brings me to something I would like to share: in the old (1820)
half-timbered farmhouse we are buying, I found a booklet that the previous
owners had left behind. It is the third edition of a Lutheran hymn book in
Lower Saxon ("Plattdüütsch Gesangbook"), published on October 31, 1967,
exactly 450 years following the "official" onset of the Reformation. The
previous editions were published in 1931 and 1953; the book was primarily
intended for use in churches in Schleswig-Holstein.

Besides the complete Lutheran catechism, the book basically contains two
different kinds of hymns: those that are close translations of existing
hymns (many of them existing in other languages as well, such as English od
Dutch), and hymns that were newly written to existing tunes.

I am including an example of the latter category here; it was obviously
specially written to comfort sailors during a storm, and their kinfolk at
home who worried about them - but of course, it can also be seen in the
metaphorical sense.

Since, lately, on this board the Lower Saxon language has been mainly taken
in vain by a couple of fighting cocks (note that the German word for a cock,
or rooster, is... oh, never mind) offering each other some (friendly and
wholesome, no doubt) smacks upside the head (no wonder Lower Saxon has such
a reputation as a crude peasants' and sailors' jargon!), I thought it might
be a good idea to bring forward a somewhat more serene and exalted aspect of
the language! ;-)

Wild un gruulich brüllt de See.
Wat för'n Huuln un Suusen
un op't Schipp veel Angst un Weh,
üm uns nix as Bruusen!
Een is dor ok in de Nacht,
een is dor, de höllt de Wacht.
Christ Kyrie, du büst ok op de See.

Nacht un Düster üm uns steiht,
Maand und Steerns wüllt swinnen.
Wenn de Storm dat Roor tweisleiht,
is denn Help to finnen?
Keen Help gifft't as bi den Herrn;
he is unse Morgensteern.
Christ Kyrie, wies di uns op de See!

Wenn de Storm nu nich mehr raast,
föhrt wi seker wieder.
Frie vun Angst un Weh un Last
singt wi Gott uns' Leeder,
löövt wi di to jede Stunn.
Christ Kyrie, ja, du regeerst de See.

Herr, ok in mien letzte Nood
laat mi nich verdarben.
Bringt de Bülgen bittern Dood,
laat mi selig starben.
Nimm mien Hand vull Leevd in dien.
Herr, Herr, laat mi bi di sien.
Christ Kyrie, kumm to uns op de See!

(Singwies: Wie mit grimm'gem Unverstand)


Gabriele Kahn

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

Gabriele:

> Glad to hear you missed me, Ron...

Sure!  What's not to miss?

An a blythe Valentine's tae ye an aa, lief moose!

> I thought it might
> be a good idea to bring forward a somewhat more serene and exalted aspect
> of
> the language! ;-)

I am touched by the noble gesture.  Thanks for sharing the hymn!

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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