LL-L "Etymology" 2008.02.02 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  02 February 2008 - Volume 01
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From: Glenn Simpson <westwylam at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology"

Lowlanders

On the issue of turnips or swedes - in Northumberland
and I think other parts of northern England
swedes/turnips are sometimes referred to as 'bagies',
a link with rutabaga? Don't know.

Cheors
Glenn

Ron/ Reinard wrote

A "swede" is a rutabaga in other English-speaking
countries (Brassica napobrassica, or Brassica napus
var. napobrassica).

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

Wot cheor, Glenn!

> swedes/turnips are sometimes referred to as 'bagies',

Interesting, but perhaps not so surprising considering early Scandinavian
influences in Northern England.

Modern Standard Scandinavian varieties don't use the related word (but use *
kålrot* etc., with the word for 'root' preserved), but non-standard
varieties may still do.

I suspect these older Scandinavian words for swedes/rutabagas (e.g., *
rotabagge* in Gotlandic (*Gotländska mål*)) contain the words for 'root'
(Old Norse *rót*) and for 'bacon' (Old North *baka* 'cheek', 'buttock',
'bacon', cf. Low Saxon *Back*, German *Backe* 'buttock', 'cheek', related to
English "back," all from Indo-European **bheg-* 'to bulge', 'to be
rounded'). So, because of their consistency that reminds you of fat,
swedes/rutabagas may have been the bacon of lean times.

We have to remind ourselves that the intake of fat was very important in
earlier Northern Europe. People craved anything of animal fat consistency.

And, yes, "bacon" is derived from Indo-European **bheg-* too, apparently
being a Germanic loan (**bakon-*) borrowed back from Old French.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
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