LL-L "Etymology" 2009.07.18 (06) [EN-NL]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 18 July 2009 - Volume 06
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Roger, you wrote under "Resources" about the name Ulensp(i)eghel:

5. A comment in the Segers & Visscher edition about the name Ulenspiegel,
quote:
*In de streek van Mölln heet "kussen of likken" "uhlen", en het achterste
van viervoetig wild heet "Spiegel". Het is dus niet moeilijk om in 'uil en
spiegel' de uitdrukking 'uhl min Spiegel' te herkennen, wat zoveel wil
zeggen als "kus m'n gat", of nog platter "lik m'n reet".*

In other (English) words, in the Low Saxon dialect of the area of Mölln,
where Ulenspeghel last lived and was buried, the verb *uhlen* means 'to
kiss' or 'to lick'. In the hunters' jargon in a large area, *Spegel* (*
speygel*) and *Spiegel*, literally "mirror") denotes the (usually
light-colored) behind of game. The *Herkunftsduden* pretty much confirms
this what you cited there. But it translates it literally as *feg (mir) den
Spiegel* ("sweep my mirror"). What is meant here is what many Americans are
familiar with in the Yiddish phrase *Kush mir dem tokhes* (קוש מיר דעם תּחת,
better known written "phonetically" as *Kish mirn tukhes*), lately used
translated as "Kiss my ass!"

Why *fegen* 'sweep'? In most Modern Low Saxon dialects, *ulen* means 'to
sweep', not with a broom (*Bessem*) in which case the verb is *fägen*, but
usually with a soft brush, German *Handfeger*, which in Low Saxon is called
*Handuul* or simply *Uul* (Missingsch *Handeule, Eule*), synonymous with the
word for "owl". Apparently it started off with a feather duster (German *
Flederwisch*). The Duden claims it came to be named after an owl because of
its look. Huh? Might it have started with an owl feather or bunch of owl
feathers? The origin of a feather duster is supposed to be a goose feather.
Perhaps it was preceded by owls' wing feathers which are very strong and can
be found lying around in the woods.

A Middle Saxon expression for a disheveled head of hair is *ruge
ule*("rough owl"). This seems to refer to a feather duster or brush.

All manner of things have been attributed to owls in Lowlands traditions.
Someone already mentioned Dutch *uil* denoting or once having denoted "fool"
(contrary to the tradition of wise owls). In a Low Saxon idiomatic
expression (which I think Hanne mentioned once) there seems to be a
reference to owls as spoilers: *Daar hett 'n Uul säten* ("An owl sat
there"), meaning "It's going to be a bust", "There's no chance of success".
This expression existed already in Middle Saxon: *dar het ene ule seten*. I
wonder if this is related to the Dutch use of *uil* as 'fool', namely
something like "A fool was involved (which is why the project will fail)".

In the said traditions, owls have a bad image. Aside from what I already
mentioned, bad people, especially bad children, can be referred to as *
Ulensaat* ("owl seed) in Low Saxon. It may all be connected with the
supposedly ancient notion that owls are harbingers of death. Repeated owls'
calls used to be taken as announcements of impending death among those that
heard it, especially if there was an ill person in the house.

Back to Ulenspeghel ... These days he tends to be depicted wearing a
jester's costume. If there ever was such a person, I am sure he was not
dressed that way. Also, he is depicted with an owl and a mirror. I assume
that in Middle Saxon times most people understood that this and the nickname
Ulenspeghel constituted wordplay and what it really represented.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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