LL-L: "Etymology" LOWLANDS-L, 09.SEP.2000 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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From: Henry Pijffers [hpijffers at home.nl]
Subject: LL-L: "Etymology" LOWLANDS-L, 08.SEP.2000 (11) [E]

Ron wrote:
>
>Indo-European *_{g^}eus-_ >
>Old High German _kiosan_ > Archaic Modern German _((aus)er)kiesen_ 'to
>choose (from among)', past participle _((aus)er)koren_ 'chosen (from
>among)'
>
In Dutch we have "uitgekozen", which just means that something has been
chosen
and we have "uitverkoren", which is more like "the chosen one/thing". So if
you buy
a book, when you made up your mind on which one to buy, you have
"uitgekozen"
a book. "uitverkoren" is used only in special cases, like when someone is
chosen
to do something really special, then you're "uitverkoren".

>Also Modern German _Kür_ 'exercise/performance with chosen contents and
>style' (e.g., in ice-skating)
>
In both my Low-Saxon and Dutch we have "kür" (LS) /"kuur" (D), which we use
for
the ice-skating performance, but also for medication (cure).

Also, here "küren" (Dutch: "keuren") means "to criticize/to judge/to
approve", as in
choosing the right one(s).

grooten,
Henry

----------

From: FryskeRie Friesenrat [fryskerie at altavista.com]
Subject: LL-L: "Etymology"

Ron wrote:

> Modern Low Saxon (Low German) also a verb-derived (/köör-/)
> adjective/adverb with /-S/: _köörsch_ ~ _küürsch_ ~ _krüüsch_
(metathesis)
> 'choosy', 'picky' (mostly with reference to food) (> Missingsch
> _krü(ü)sch_); e.g., ...
>
> He is asig krüüsch 'He is awfully choosy', 'He is a terribly picky eater'

> Nu wees maal nich so krüüsch! 'Don't be so picky!'

Those forms correspond to Dutch _kieskeurig_ (picky), which carries both
the z- and r-roots (kiezen/keuren). A (less common) Frisian form is
_kiezzich_ with the same meaning. The word's more common meaning is
'grumpy', 'irritated'. I always associated it with _kies_, thinking of
frustrated tooth grinding. ;-)
Nearly synonymous BTW, is _kribbekeurich_ (unhappy, picky, grumpy,
unsatisfied), which is an etymological stinker. It's origin is French
_crève-coeur_ (brokenheartedness).

Talking of z/r variation, is the above LS word _asig_ related to Dutch
_erg_, NF _arrig_, _ärj_ ('very'; also: 'badly')?

Henk Wolf

----------

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

Henry wrote:

> >Also Modern German _Kür_ 'exercise/performance with chosen contents and
> >style' (e.g., in ice-skating)
> >
> In both my Low-Saxon and Dutch we have "kür" (LS) /"kuur" (D), which we
use for
> the ice-skating performance, but also for medication (cure).
>
> Also, here "küren" (Dutch: "keuren") means "to criticize/to judge/to
approve", as in
> choosing the right one(s).

The _Herkunftsduden_ (an etymological German dictionary) also describes the
original meaning of this whole group of words to be based on the idea of
"to choose in a judging/discriminating way" [my rephrasing].

Henk wrote:

> Talking of z/r variation, is the above LS word _asig_ related to Dutch
_erg_, NF _arrig_, _ärj_ > ('very'; also: 'badly')?

I doubt it, Henk.  Low Saxon also has _arg_ [a:X], _arig_, _aardig_ and
_orrig_ where Dutch uses _erg_ and somewhat archaic German has _arg_.

I have always assumed that _asig_, in the sense of 'terribly', 'awfully',
is the same as the _asig_ that means 'disgusting', 'filthy', 'revolting',
'horrible', 'terrible', from _Aas_ (pl. _Öös_ ~ _Ööster(s)_) 'carrion',
'carcass', in extension '(revolting) creature', 'despicable person' (e.g.,
_Du Aas!_ 'You SOB!' which may be serious or playful), also nominal
extensions like _Aaskrai_ ~ _Aasvagel_ 'crow (that eats carrion)' and
_Aaskraam_ 'disgusting stuff', 'filth', 'obscene behavior or depiction',
'unnecessary or unwanted act', also the verb _asen_ 'to make a mess', 'to
do things wastefully'.  Thus, _asig_ seems to have gotten the same semantic
extension 'very', 'extremely' that English 'terribly' and 'awfully' got.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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