LL-L: "Nautical terms" LOWLANDS-L, 16.OCT.1999 (04) [E]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 16.OCT.1999 (04) * ISSN 1089-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: "Jorge Potter" <jorgepot at caribe.net
Subject: Spanish nautical terms

Most Spanish words are derived from Latin, with a fairly large secondary group
from Arabic. Although some have Celtic roots, it's not clear how many came
directly from Celtic languages and how many through Latin. Interestingly, many
nautical terms derive from Lowlands speech. I am quoting a few, hoping someone
will provide a glossary of Lowlands nautical terms, regardless of their impact
on other languages. It also seems there is a commonality of roots between
Lowlanders, English and Scandinavians, together the greatest sailors of the
world, because of their geography and frequent, terrible storms.

Babor (port) is simply Nederlands bakboord.

Bauprés (bowsprit) from French beaupré from Neddersassisch baghspret.

Cúter (cutter) from English.

Escota (sheet) from Frankish skota, (Nederlands schote, related to Scandinavian
skaut  =  clew of a sail and related to Hochdeutsch Schoß.)

Estribor (stab'd) comes from Old French estribord, from Nederlands stierboord.

Estay (stay) doesn¹t come from English, but through OF estay, from Frankish stag
( = Old Scandinavian).

Foque (jib) from Nederlands fok, from fokken = raise sails.

Lastre (ballast) from OF, from Nederlands last.

Mástil (mast) from Frankish mast, but common to the whole area.

Obenque (shroud) from Frankish hobent from O. Scand. höfudbenda (line to the
head of the mast).

Quilla (keel) from OF quille, from O. Scand kilir.

Traca (lapstrake) from English strake from OF estraque.

Yate (yacht) from English, from Nederlands jacht from jagen.

Yola (yawl, but here in Puerto Rico it's the clunky, oldfashioned flat bottomed
wooden rowboat) from Neddersassisch jolle, Nederlands jol.

Smooth sailing!

Jorge

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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Nautical terms

Dear Jorge,

Bienvenido/Welcome/Welkom/Willkamen/etc. aboard Lowlands-L!  It is good to have
you pitch in so soon after joining us aboard the "Lowlands-L" as we briefly
anchored off beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico, to enjoy the balmier climes.  (I
hope the recent hurricane did not affect you.)

And thanks for the interesting contribution above.  We once discussed nautical
terminology before, quite some time ago.  I am not sure if I can dig it out of
my own archive.  You have added to that by showing us that Lowlandic terminology
even entered Castilian.

Please allow me to make a few comments right away.

As you probably already know, it is sometimes difficult to determine if a
loanword in English is of Low Franconian (Dutch) or Low Saxon ("Low German")
origin because the two languages are relatively close to each other (both
genealogically and geographically), have many words in common, were spelled
almost or actually identically before orthographic Germanization took place on
the German side of the border, and are languages of ethnic groups with important
seafaring traditions and have had direct contacts with the British Isles.  I
feel it is therefore wise to consider it not impossible that a loanword marked
as "Dutch" in English dictionaries is actually Low Saxon.  Of course, in the
case of German and the Scandinavian languages it is almost safe to assume that
Lowlandic-derived terms are of Low Saxon origin (and most German nautical and
fishery terms are).   In French it is fairly safe to assume, also on historical
and geographical grounds, that such words are of Dutch origin.  Now, I am not
sure how this works once we deal with Castilian (or any other language of Spain
and possibly Portugal).  I would have thought that there, too, it would only be
Dutch borrowings.  However, you seem to show that there are also Low Saxon
loans, which I find very interesting.  Having said this, please let me add this:

> Babor (port) is simply Nederlands bakboord.

It is also /bakbord/ (_Backbo(o)rd_) in Low Saxon (> German _Backbord_).

> Cúter (cutter) from English.

Also an English loan in Low Saxon: _Kutter_ ['kUtV] (> German _Kutter_)

> Estribor (stab'd) comes from Old French estribord, from Nederlands stierboord.

Low Saxon _Stüürbo(o)rd_ (> German _Steuerbord_)

And now "('n) Goden Wind in de Sails!" as we wish in Low Saxon.

Best regards,

Reinhard/Ron

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