LL-L: "Etymology" LOWLANDS-L, 31.JAN.2001 (01) [E/LS]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 31.JAN.2001 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Etymology

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

Beste Leeglanners,
     Mie is noch 'n neddersassisch (nedderdüütsch) Woord infullen, dat sachs
uut 't Ingelsche kümmt.  Dat Woord is "daddeldu" ([dad=l'du:]).  Dat höört
tomeerst to de Seefaartsspraak to un is nu wat oldbaksch.  Dat seggt 'n, wenn
de Arbaid daan is, so wat as "Fieravend!"  Dat kann ook so wat as "Daan!", "Nu
hebbt wie dat trecht kregen" or "Noog daar vun!" bedüden.
     Ick heff 't man bloots in een Wöörbook funnen:
     Herrmann-Winter, Renate (1986); _Kleines plattdeutsches Wörterbuch: für
den
     mecklenburgisch-vorpommerschen Sprachraum_; Neumünster (Germany):
     Wachholtz.
     Renate Herrmann-Winter gifft etymoloogsche Verklaren, wenn se kann.
Avers hier gifft se keen.
     Ick meen, dat is teemlich klaar, dat "daddeldu" vun ingelsch _That'll do_
afkamen is, wat so veel bedüüdt as "Dat is noog".  Ick kann mie vörstellen,
dat de ingelsch-snackenen Basen up de olden Sailscheep "That'll do" seggt
harren, wenn de Kru na de Arbaid in de Köjen krupen kunn.  De Seelüüd', de up
ingelsche or amerikaansche Scheep anhüürt weren, hebbt den Uutdruck sachs na
Noorddüütschland bröcht, un daar weer "daddeldu" vör de Minschen man bloots so
'n appeldwatsch Woord, dat so wat as "finito" bedüden dee.  Wiel dat 't sick
so snaaksch anhöör, hebbt de Lüüd' daar ook Spijöök mit dreven, hebbt dat t.B.
as Naam bruukt, as in dat düütsche Leed "Vom Seemann Kuttel Daddeldu" vun
Ringelnatz (http://ingeb.org/Lieder/einebark.html).
     Gifft dat för "daddeldu" 'n etymoloogsch Verklaren?
     Gröten,
     Reinhard/Ron

Dear Lowlanders,
     I have remembered another Low Saxon (Low German) word that appears to be
an English loan.  It is the word _ daddeldu" ([dad=l'du:]).  It is a
predominantly nautical expression and is somewhat archaic.  You use it to
announce the end of a work shift.  It can also be used to denote things like
"Done!" or "Enough of that!"
     I found it listed only in one dictionary:
     Herrmann-Winter, Renate (1986); _Kleines plattdeutsches Wörterbuch: für
den
     mecklenburgisch-vorpommerschen Sprachraum_; Neumünster (Germany):
     Wachholtz.
     Renate Herrmann-Winter tends to provide etymological explanations
whenever she can.  In this case she does not provide one.
     I think it is pretty obvious that _daddeldu_ is derived from English
"That'll do."  I can well imagine that in the days of the great sailing ships
the English-speaking overseer would have used "That'll do" to give permission
for the crew to return to their bunks.  Probably, sailors hired by British or
American companies took this expression home to Northern Germany, where people
must have perceived it as some sort of nonsense word that means something like
"finito."  Probably because of its peculiar sound, it has been used in jocular
fashions, for instance as a name in the German song _Vom Seemann Kuttel
Daddeldu_ (About Sailor Kuttel Daddeldu) by Ringelnatz
(http://ingeb.org/Lieder/einebark.html).
     Is any aware of an etymological explanation of "daddeldu"?
     Regards,
     Reinhard/Ron

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