LL-L: "Etymology" LOWLANDS-L, 19.AUG.2001 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 19.AUG.2001 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachian, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
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From: "Roger Thijs" <roger.thijs at euro-support.be>
Subject: Etymology

I'm preparing a web page about the various "Limburg / Lemberg /
Limbricht" in the world.
In Belgian literature (as e.g. Carnoy) the Lim in Limburg is told to be
etymologically related to linde (lime tree).
I just don't see how a "m" becomes "nd" or vice versa.
Is the English "lime" related to the Dutch/German "linde"?

Does anybody know where the Lim from Limburg (Hagen, Germany) or Limburg
(a d Lahn) is considered to come from?

Thanks for your advice.

Regards,
Roger

PS. "burg" is this area is rather related to "fortress, castle" than to
"borough", town, I think, since most of the "Limburg" had a fortress
from the very beginning.

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

Roger, you wrote:

> In Belgian literature (as e.g. Carnoy) the Lim in Limburg is told to be
> etymologically related to linde (lime tree).
> I just don't see how a "m" becomes "nd" or vice versa.

I do not know if the etymology is correct, but phonologically it does make
total sense, because /d/ likes to assimilate to preceding /n/ (especially
in Low Saxon, e.g., _ende_ > _enn(e)_, _land_ > _lannen_), and /n/
typically associates to a following labial (/m/, /b/ or /p/), thus:

Linde(n)burg > Linn(e(n))burg > Linburg > Limburg
or
Lindenburg > Linnenburg > Linnburg > Linburg > Limburg

> Is the English "lime" related to the Dutch/German "linde"?

Apparently.  _Lime_ used to stand in alternation with _lind_.  _Lind_ is
Old English for the same tree.  I do not know what caused the shift to /m/
in this case.  Modern English has _lime-tree_ and _linden-tree_ for the
same plant.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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