LL-L "Semantics" 2002.06.06 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 06.JUN.2002 (06) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German) S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic Z=Zeelandic (Zeeuws)
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From: "Friedrich-Wilhelm.Neumann" <Friedrich-Wilhelm.Neumann at epost.de>
Subject: LL-L "Semantics" 2002.06.04 (02) [E]

Hi, Randy, Ron,

the Low Saxon "leeg" in our dialecct only stands for "bad, naughty",
near to "evil".

I'm sure, Ron knows and just is making a joke with it.

We always use to say "sied [si:d]" for "low"; and in Upper German there
is
the "Sied-lung [si:dlung]" for those locations poor people had to
emigrate
to for establishing a farm.

Regards

Fiete.

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

Moin, Fiete!

Yes, I do know, and ... well, I'm only somewhat joking.  Let's write it
down to "poetic license with a slight smirk"

It is quite correct to say that the meaning 'low(-lying)' and '(low and)
flat' for (_lage_ > /leig'_) _leeg_ has gotten lost in many Low Saxon
(Low German) dialects of Northern Germany.  However, it has not gotten
lost in *all* of them.  Take a look at various dictionaries, and you
will see that these glosses are always listed besides the derived
meaning ('low' >) 'inferior' (> 'bad' > 'badly behaved' > 'evil').

Yes, I used to say _Siedland_ instead of _Leegland_.  However, (1) many
people, including speakers of Low Saxon, did not understand _Siedland_,
and (2) _Siedland_ to me denotes a smaller area, a stretch of low-lying
land (usually below sea level) that is prone to flooding, also a marsh,
or a depression (something I'd call _Niederung_ in German, which, sure,
you *could* stretch to denote a large area).  (The adjective _sied_
[si:t] ~ _sied'_ [si:.d] means 'shallow' first and foremost.  I always
thought it was related to German _seicht_ 'shallow'.)

So we get:

English:                Lowlands
Mainland Scots:         Lawlands
Ulster Scots:           Lallans
Shetlandic:             Laich Laands
W. Frisian:             Lege Lannen
Saterland E. Frisian:   Lijge Lounde
Mooring N. Frisian:     Läige Lönje
Amrum N. Frisian:       Liach Lunen
Dutch:                  Laagland
Zeelandic:              Laege Landen
Afrikaans:              Lae Lande
Stellingwarf Low Saxon: Lege Lanen
Twente Low Saxon:       Leeglanden
Mennonite Low Saxon:    Läaglaund
Northern Low Saxon:     Leegland (Siedland?)
Limburgish:             Liege Lenj ~ Leig Laan

So, for the sake of consistency and mutual comprehension I just choose
to use _Leegland_, _Leeglannen_ and _Leeglanner_, certainly don't
*dictate* it (wouldn't give you bad marks or a slap with my ruler on
your fingers if you chose to say _Siedland_).  And, yes, admittedly,
_Leegland_ is vaguely reminiscent of English "badlands" (an arid, rugged
region), and I kind of enjoy the "naughty" connotation too (Reinhard
being related to Reynard [de Voss]).  :)

Kumpelmenten,
Reinhard/Ron

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