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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">===========================================<br>
L O W L A N D S - L - 05 January 2009 - Volume 03<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><br>
From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>
Subject: Etymology<br>
<br>
Thanks for the compliments, Marlou and Mark. <i>You guys ...!</i> (he says
blushing)<br>
<br>
Seriously, here's the continuation of word sleuthing and some homework for all
you etymologists at all levels.<br>
<br>
I wrote:</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">Tüdelkram</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);"> is a Missingsch and (from derived from it) casual
Northern German word for something like "nonsense", but not
necessarily with such a harsh sound, more in the sense of "convoluted
stuff", which is pretty much the literal translation. <br>
<br>
It is based on Low Saxon <i>Tütelkraam</i> (<i>tuytelkraam</i>). In other
dialects it is <i>Tüterkraam</i> (<i>tuyterkraam</i>). (You can also write it
with a "d" instead of a "t", but that's a different matter
to be taken up elsewhere.) This in turn is based on <i>Tüter</i> (<i>tuyter</i>)
'string', 'cord', 'thread', 'yarn', 'rope', anything that can be rolled up.
More specifically it means 'messed-up (convoluted) ball of yarn, rool of rope,
etc.' Hence the expression <i>in de(n) Tüter kamen</i> 'to get mixed up', 'to
get confused' (both referring to a string etc. and the person that does the
rolling up). It's extension is <i>Tüterband</i> (<i>tuyterband</i>) ~ <i>Tütelband</i>
(<i>tuytelband</i>) 'string' (often specifically a piece of string with which
to make figures in a game).<br>
<br>
Derived from it is the verb <i>tütern</i> (<i>tuytern</i>) ~ <i>tüteln</i> (<i>tuyteln</i>)
'to bind', 'to string up', 'to talk nonsense', 'to work slowly and
inefficiently'. Derived from this is the adjective/adverb <i>tüterig</i> (<i>tuyterig</i>)
'confused', 'potty' (in the non-American sense).</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"><br>
Now we ought to try to identify the root and its possible meaning.<br>
<br>
Remember what I often say about frequentive suffixes in verbs? They are <i>-r-</i>
for habitual action (<i><span style="color: black;">tüüt-r- -> tütern</span></i><span style="color: black;">)</span> and <i>-l-</i> for "small" repetitive
action (<i><span style="color: black;">tüüt-l- -> tüteln</span></i><span style="color: black;">)</span>. This makes the root *<i><span style="color: black;">tüüt-</span></i><span style="color: black;">. I go out on a limb and say that it once was</span> *<i><span style="color: black;">tuut-</span> </i>later to be umlauted under the influence
of a following high vowel. <br>
<br>
<span style="color: black;">The noun <i>Tüter</i> 'string', 'cord', 'thread',
'yarn', 'rope' seems somewhat odd we mostly recognize <i>-er</i> because the
deverbal nominal suffix as marking a (habitual) doer, such as
"baker", "liar" and "singer", which is the same
in Low Saxon. But it is not impossible that <i>Tüter</i> was derived from the
verb <i>tütern</i>. <br>
<br>
At any rate, it looks to be that we are left with the root </span>*<i><span style="color: black;">tüüt- < </span></i>*<i><span style="color: black;">tuut-</span></i><span style="color: black;">.<br>
<br>
There are two Modern Low Saxon nouns <i>Tüüt</i> that I can think of, and
neither appears to be related to the above:</span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Tüüt ~ Tütt</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> 'certain types of snipe' (<i>calidrid</i>, '<i>charadriida</i>')</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Tüüt ~ Tuut</span></i><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> (< <i>Tüte</i> ~ <i>Tute</i> > German <i>Tüte</i>)
'paper-bag' </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: black;">Paper
bags were originally cone-shaped, pointed and were made by vendors before
filling them (in times before they came to be glued), hence the Low Saxon
"nickname" <i>Tütendreier</i> (<i>tuytendrayer</i>) "paper-bag turner" for a
grocery shop keeper or market vendor. While "turning" is involved here, I do
not think this is related to <i>Tüter</i> and <i>tütern</i> ~ <i>tüteln</i>.
Much rather, I assume we are dealing with the verb <i>tuten</i> (<i>tuut-</i>)
'to toot'. The paper cones suggest trumpets, and children did indeed make play
trumpets in the same manner.<br>
<br>
So what <i>is</i> the root </span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">*<i><span style="color: black;">tüüt- < </span></i>*<i><span style="color: black;">tuut- </span></i><span style="color: black;">from which words
related to rolling up, threading and weaving are derived? So far I have not
been able to make a connection from it to words in older Germanic languages.<br>
<br>
So there's your homework.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Reinhard/Ron</span></span></p>