LL-L "Etymology" 2009.11.23 (03) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 23 November 2009 - Volume 03
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From: Wolfram Antepohl <wolfram at antepohl.se>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2009.11.23 (01) [EN]

Ron, there is actually an almmost identical folk etymology concerning a town
called “Altena” (where the world’s first youth hostel was established in the
local castle)  in the “Sauerland” (LS: Suerland). It is said that the local
count asked the burgers in spe to mark the place for a town in the vicinity
of the castle. The place they chose turned out to be “Al te na” for his
taste. Another story tells us that it was the count of Arnsberg who found
the castle of Altena to be all to close to his own fortress (And there seem
to be etymologists who consider this to be the “right” explanation). Another
“official” explanation is also interesting from a LL-perspective: The
ancestors of the Counts of Altena had probably come first to the Rhineland
and then to Westphalia from Brabant where another “Altena” can be found.
 Concerning my own home town of “Lüdenscheid” we may or may not believe that
another count from the same family was annoyed by his subjects’ inability to
decide where they wanted to build the city. Finally he told them “Lüd
entscheid’” (Make your decision, folks).

Greetings

Wolfram

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

This reminds me of what I assume is folk etymology of the name of the city
(now a part of Hamburg) of Altona in Germany.

Founded as a fishing village in 1535, Altona was given city rights by
Denmark's King Frederik III in 1664. It played an important role as a Danish
city that could be reached from Hamburg's city walls by just a short. Altona
used to house a major Jewish community. Because Hamburg severely restricted
the number of resident Jews until 1864 (with one break: 1811-1815), most
Jews lived in Altona and worked in Hamburg which was sometimes independent
and sometimes under Prussian power.

Anyway, I have heard stories about a child or a blind person having to mark
the town's border, or Hamburg's border, or someone was to do so by throwing
something or other, and then the Low Saxon reaction was "Al to nah!" ("All
too near!"). Or was it that people used to say that Altona was "Al to nah"
from Hamburg?

Main stress is on the first syllable of the name, by the way, unlike all
those American places called Altona and Altoona that are stressed on the
second syllable. The phrase "Al to nah" has stress on the last syllable.

Anyway, does anyone know anything about these etymological theories and what
seems to be the true one?

I have also heard that the city may have been named after a brook called
Altenau (Alten-au), which would pan out stress-wise. Also, there is an
Altona Manor in Eldena, near Ludwigslust in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.
Altona and Eldena may well be related names.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

•

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