LL-L: "Language varieties" 16.JUL.2000 (02) [E/LS]

Sun Jul 16 23:16:07 UTC 2000

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From: Henry Pijffers [hpijffers at home.nl]
Subject: LL-L: "Language varieties" 15.JUL.2000 (06) [E]

John Feather hef skreeven:
>
> According to Chambers Dictionary the words had different usages until the

> 17th century. Thus:
>
> Positive question: "Are you coming?" - "Nay."
>
> Negative question: "Aren't you coming?" - "No."
>
> Negative statement: "So you aren't coming." - "No."
>
> In French ("Si") and German ("Doch") there are words which translate to
> English "Yes" which are used to contradict a negative question or
> statement:
> "Aren't you coming?" - "Yes [, I'm coming]." Do any of the Lowland
> languages
> have the equivalent of this, or of the no/nay distinction indicated
above?

In Dutch and in the Low-Saxon/Low-German dialects on the Dutch side of the
Dutch/German border, we have the following:

"Kom je niet?" (Aren't you coming?) - "Jawel" (yes), where "jawel" means
"ja, ik kom wel" (yes, I am coming)

There's one other thing, concering "no" in the Low-Saxon dialects on our
side
of the border. Besides "nee", we also have "neu" (sounds like "nöö"), which

is sort of a casual "no". We use it when we're not really interested. Like
for
example when somebody asks "Kom je?" (Are you coming?), we answer with
"nee", when we perhaps would like to come, but can't for some reason. And
sometimes we use "neu" when we just don't feel like coming, because we're
not interested.

Henry

----------

From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Language varieties

[The following is in Low Saxon (Low German) and English.]

Leve Henry un annere Leeglanners,

> In Dutch and in the Low-Saxon/Low-German dialects on the Dutch side of
the
> Dutch/German border, we have the following:
>
> "Kom je niet?" (Aren't you coming?) - "Jawel" (yes), where "jawel" means
> "ja, ik kom wel" (yes, I am coming)

De polietsche Grenss is ogenschienlich to 'n Aard Graven worren twüschen
dat Nedderlandsche un dat nedderlandsche Neddersassisch in'n Westen un dat
Neddersassische (Nedderdüütsche) in'n Oosten.  Liekers hett se dat
Kontinuum noch nich heel un deel toschannen maakt.  De neddersassischen
Dialekten vun Düütschland dichter bie de Grenss liekt de Dialekten vun de
Nedderlannen noch besünners, wenn 't ook bie't Lesen vun wegen de
Schrievwiesen nich glieks apenbaar is.  Man ook wieder weg oostwards bie us
kannst de enge Verwandtschupp noch seen.  Wie seggt tomeerst ook "wull" or
"woll" (or in'n "feernen" Westen "well") waar Jie _wel_ un de Hoogdüütschen
_doch_ seggt:
"Kümmst nich?" - "Ja, wull" ~ "Ja, wull kaam ik" ~ "Ja, ik kaam wull."
"Dat heff ick nich seggt." - "Ja, wull hest dat seggt!"

Up "Hoog-"Düütsch seggt 'n ook noch _Jawohl_ in'n Sinn vun "Ja, wull" or
"Ja, seker".

> There's one other thing, concering "no" in the Low-Saxon dialects on our
side
> of the border. Besides "nee", we also have "neu" (sounds like "nöö"),
which
> is sort of a casual "no". We use it when we're not really interested.
Like for
> example when somebody asks "Kom je?" (Are you coming?), we answer with
> "nee", when we perhaps would like to come, but can't for some reason. And

> sometimes we use "neu" when we just don't feel like coming, because we're

> not interested.

Dat is nich bloots up Juun Sied so.  Normalerwies' seggt wie "Nee", man wie
seggt ook "Nöö" waar Jie _Neu_ (Nöö) seggt, ook up "Missingsch" (Düütsch up
neddersassisch Substratum) un in noorddüütsche Olldaagsspraak:
_Kommstu?_ - _Nöö ... (Ich happ keine Lust.)_
_Du hass wohl kein Hunga, nä?_ - _Nöö ... eingklich nich._

Gröötnissen,
Reinhard/Ron

Dear Henry and other Lowlanders,

> In Dutch and in the Low-Saxon/Low-German dialects on the Dutch side of
the
> Dutch/German border, we have the following:
>
> "Kom je niet?" (Aren't you coming?) - "Jawel" (yes), where "jawel" means
> "ja, ik kom wel" (yes, I am coming)

Obviously the political border between Dutch and Low Saxon on the western
side and Low Saxon (Low German) on the eastern side has been turned into a
kind of ditch.  Nevertheless, it has not yet totally destroyed the
continuum.  The Low Saxon dialects that are closer to the border on the
German side still resemble the dialects in the Netherlands a great deal,
even though that is not always readily apparent due to differences in
spelling.  But the resemblance is still apparent also farther eastwards in
our regions.  We mostly say _wull_ or  _woll_ (or "well" in the "far" west)
where you say _wel_ and German speakers say _doch_:
_Kümmst nich?_ - _Ja, wull_ ~ _Ja, wull kaam ik_ ~ _Ja, ik kaam wull._
("Aren't you coming?" - "Yes, sure (I'm coming).")
_Dat heff ick nich seggt._ - _Ja, wull hest dat seggt!_
("I didn't say that." - "Yes, sure you said so!" ~ "Yes, you did *too* say
so!")

In German you also say _Jawohl_ in the sense of "Yes, certainly" or "Yes,
sure!"

> There's one other thing, concering "no" in the Low-Saxon dialects on our
side
> of the border. Besides "nee", we also have "neu" (sounds like "nöö"),
which
> is sort of a casual "no". We use it when we're not really interested.
Like for
> example when somebody asks "Kom je?" (Are you coming?), we answer with
> "nee", when we perhaps would like to come, but can't for some reason. And

> sometimes we use "neu" when we just don't feel like coming, because we're

> not interested.

That is not only so on *your* side.  Usually we say _Nee_ [ne:] (~ [nei]),
but we also say _Nöö_ [nø:] where you say _Neu_ [nø:], also in "Missingsch"
(German on Low Saxon substrate) and in North German casual speech:
_Kommstu?_ - _Nöö ... (Ich happ keine Lust)_ ("Are you coming?" - "Nah ...
(I don't feel like it.)")
_Du hass wohl kein' Hunga, nä?_ - _Nöö ... eingklich nich._ ("You aren't
hungry, are you?" - "Nah ... not really.")

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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