LL-L "Idiomatica" 2003.04.15 (09) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 15.APR.2003 (09) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
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From: burgdal32admin <burgdal32 at pandora.be>
Subject: LL-L "Idiomatica" 2003.04.06 (02) [E]

> From: R. F. Hahn <admin at lowlands-l.net>
> Subject: Idiomatica
>
> Folks,
>
> As no doubt you all agree, idiomatic expressions can be very
> interesting and
> also mysterious, especially in the lesser-known and -studied language
> varieties.  I often wonder what the origin of some of the Lowlands
> Saxon
> (Low German) ones are and if there are similar ones in closely related
> language varieties, such as the ones of the Frisian and Netherlandic
> areas.
> Let me throw two of them at you today to see if you can come up with
> clues
> as to their origin and distribution.
>
> (1)
>
> "Neutral" expressions:
> Dat weet ik nich. ~ Ik weet dat nich.
> (Dat wäät ik nich. ~ Ik wäät dat nich.)
> (cf. German: Das weiß ich nicht. ~ Ich weiß es/das nicht.)
> 'I don't know it/that.'
> Daar weet ik niks vun (af). (Daar wäät ik niks vun (af).)
> (cf. German: Ich weiß nichts davon. ~ Davon weiß ich nichts.)
> 'I know nothing about it.', 'I don't know anything about it.', 'I have
> no
> clue/idea (about it).'
V:Da weet ek nie. 'k Weet da nie.
    'k Weet do niks van af.
   'k wete nog van toet'n nog van blaz'n.
>
> "Colorful" equivalent:
> Daar schal ik üm leygen. (Daar schall ik üm legen.)
> ("There shall I about lie." = "I would lie about that." = "If I said
> said
> anything about it (and thus pretended to know), I'd be lying." = 'I
> don't
> know.')
> (> Missingsch/North German dialects: Da muss ich lügen. 'I don't
> know.',
> 'I'm not sure.')
V: 'k Zal der voôrn lieg'n.
>
> (2)
>
> "Neutral" expression:
> Weetst bescheyd? (Wäätst Bescheed?)
> (cf. German: Weißt du Bescheid?)
> 'Do you know (about it)?', 'Are you informed?', 'Are you clued in?'
V: Zij j' beschit?
>
> "Colorful" equivalent:
> Markst müys'? (Markst Müüs'?)
> ("Do you sense/notice mice?")
V: ?
>
> I wonder if the second "colorful" phrase originally meant something
> like "Do
> you, too, feel there's something going on?", "Can you tell that
> something is
> afoot?", "Do you, too, smell a rat?"  (perhaps from hearing mice and
> knowing
> they are present and up to no good, just as in English "to smell a
> rat").  I
> could see how this could have shifted to 'Do you know that something is
> going on?' > 'Do you know what's going on?'
V: Voel j'em? (E: lit., Do you feel him)
>
> Any theories and information?
>
> Thanks.
> Reinhard/Ron
Groetjes
Luc Vanbrabant
Oekene

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