LL-L "Etymology" 2006.01.30 (04) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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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 (Zeeuws)
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   L O W L A N D S - L * 30 January 2006 * Volume 04
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Dear Lowlanders,

As I have mentioned earlier, I have posted an Old (High) German version (now 
with sound file) of the story as a part of our anniversary presentation
(http://www.lowlands-l.net/anniversary/):

http://www.lowlands-l.net/anniversary/index.php?page=diutisc

(This is the page in period script.  Click on [Modern Script] or [Phonetic] 
if you are Sandy or someone else who doesn't want to bother with "the 
look.")

Now that I've got the shameless self-promotion bit out of the way, please 
allow me to ask you an etymological question.

The Old German word for "bogeyman," "scary monster," etc., is _talamaska_ 
(in some earlier writings also spelled _dalamasca_ and _talamasca_), a 
feminine noun.  Since Common Germanic *t- became /ts-/ in German and *d- had 
become _t-_ already by that time, we need to assume this to have been 
derived from *_dalamaska_.

(1) What might be the origin of this?
(2) Are there any Lowlands cognates of this?

Please bear in mind that another meaning of _talamaska_ is 'larva'.  In 
which direction did the semantic shift go?  Does the monster look like a 
larva, or is it the other way around?

Had this word survived (and perhaps it has in some dialects) it would be 
something like *_Talmasche_ in German, *_daalmasch_ in Northern Low Saxon 
and *_daalmas_ in Dutch.

At first I thought we might be dealing with a Gallo-Romance loan.  But now I 
have reconsidered this, because I found that in some Old German dialects 
_masca_ means 'witch'.  Does this have anything to do with OG and Old Saxon 
_masca_ ~ _maska_ 'bow', 'mesh', 'stitch', 'knit', 'purl', also 'sling'.  In 
Modern German it can also mean 'fad', 'trick' or 'scam'.  Or is _maska_ for 
'witch' of foreign origin?  Well, and then there is Germanic *_mask-_ 'to 
mash', which in Gaelic became _masg-_ denoting 'to mix', 'to infuse' (such 
as potions).

So, I assume now that the literal meaning of _talamaska_ is "valley witch." 
Since valleys and mountains do not exactly abound in the Lowlands, this may 
in fact be an Upper German word only.  Or?

Any ideas?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

P.S.: More help with the anniversary site please! 

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