LL-L "Morphology" 2009.06.07 (02) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 07 June 2009 - Volume 02
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Morphology" 2009.06.06 (03) [DE-EN]

Ron wrote:

"Folks,

Here just an explanatory note from me to say that the suffix *-ing* our *
Hinzing* or *Hanning* writes about above has nothing to do with the common
West Germanic suffix *-ing ~ -ung* but is a diminutive suffix unique to the
Low Saxon dialects of Mecklenburg and Western Pomerania, an area that used
to be predominantly Slavic speaking.

Many of you will probably remember that I mention it once in a while as a
most probably Slavic-derived diminutive suffix: *-inka* > *-ink ~ -ing*."
*****************************************************************

In what way does this differ from the *ing* suffix seen in Anglo-Saxon place
names meaning "people or children of ..." such as Hastings (*Hastingas* -
Hasta's people)  Nottingham (*Snotingasham* - home of Snota's people)?

Or in modern English diminuitives like "fledgling" (a little bird),
"fingerling" (a little fish) etc?

Are these ultimately of Slavic origin?

Paul
Derby
England

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

Hi, Paul!

The suffixes you are talking about seem to be Germanic ones.

In the sense of "person/people of ..." "-ing" can be found in "Fleming" ~ *
vlaming* and such. I don't think it has a diminutive quality, certainly no
endearing one.

As for "-ling", it has an "l" in it of course. It may be a compound suffix,
but I don't think anyone can be sure. Originally it tended to denote
something small (such as in "starling" and the more recently created
"fledgling" and "fingerling"), rarely in an endearing way (as in "dear" >
"darling"), perhaps even in a pejorative way, such as in "underling" and
"hireling".

The suffix *-ling* may be old but occurs only sporadically, such as in the
German word *Schmetterling* for 'butterfly', originally from today's state
of Saxony, thus of Eastern Central German origin. Given its eastern origin,
it may be of Slavic background and thus coincide with English "-ling". I
don't know.

I am not suggesting that we should automatically assume Slavic origin when
words and suffixes are unique to Germanic varieties used in formerly
Slavic-speaking regions. But the *-ink ~ -ing* of Mecklenburg has an
overridingly endearing quality like Slavic *-inka*, and it is used just like
it. Furthermore, its western boundary pretty much coincides with that of the
former western boundary of Slavic varieties.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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