LL-L "Literature" 2002.06.17 (01) [E/Z]

[R. F. Hahn]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 17.JUN.2002 (01) * 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: "Marco Evenhuis" <evenhuis at zeelandnet.nl>
Subject: LL-L "Help needed" 2002.06.16 (04) [D/E/French]

Patricia Beving asked

> I also wondered if there was still any current dialect closer
> to
> Middle Dutch than Standard Dutch?

The writer of Reynaert, an anonymous writer
who names himslef 'Willem die Madoc maecte'
('William who wrote Madoc'), wrote in the
dialect of Eastern Flanders that in that time
wasn't influenced by Brabantish yet.
Nowadays, Eastern Flemish is a Franconian
dialect, while before say the 15th century it was
Fris-Franconian. In fact, there where not much
differences then between the dialects of eastern
and western Flanders.
Since Western Flemish has kept most of  the
original Friso-Franconian features that you see
in Reynaert, I believe that this dialect is by far
the closest you can get to the original.
I'd even say that the most 'archaic' form of
Western Flemish is even to be found in your
own country, Patricia. In French Flanders (the
western part of the Nord-departement) the
older people still speak a dialect of Western-
Flemish that has de facto been isolated from
the rest of the Western Flemish or Dutch
speaking community since the 17th century.

Something else: I know of quite a few
translations of Reynaert in Dutch and Flemish
regional languages (Gronings, Limburgish,
Brabantish, Drents, Frysk...). Of course, the
Zeelandic translation is one of the best ;-)
I was wondering if Reynaert is translated in
so many dialects and regional languags outside
The Netherlands and Belgium as well. And if so:
why Reynaert?

A few lines from the Zeelandic translation
by Jan Kousemaker ("'t Beêste-verael van den
Vos Reinaerd uut den Middeleêuwsen tekst
beriemd verzeêuwst", Middelburg 1981):

Belien voe Nobel

't Joengen! Wat zetten dien Ram d'r de sokken in!
'n Boschap voe den Konienk, dat was nae z'n zin.
't Was laete in de mirreg dat den Ram
an 't 'of bie Konienk Nobel kwam.
Toe die d'n zag (Belien daenig uut z'n sas)
mie de maele die uut Bruun z'n pels esneeë was,
riep n: 'Gostermanne! Ram Belien!
Is t'r soms wat mis, messchien?
Waer is Rein, Wat mot je mie z'n tasse?
Mo jie soms op den inoud passe?"
"As je mien, o Vorst, dat uut wil laete leie
dan za ik joe 's wat bezonders zeie:
Rein vroeg of ik voe den Konienk ok een brief
mee wou neme. Ik dee niks zò lief!"

Regards,

Marco

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