LL-L "Language varieties" 2003.12.09 (08) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 09.DEC.2003 (08) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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A=Afrikaans Ap=Appalachian B=Brabantish D=Dutch E=English F=Frisian
L=Limburgish LS=Lowlands Saxon (Low German) N=Northumbrian
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Luc Hellinckx <luc.hellinckx at pandora.be>
Subject: Language varieties


Beste liëglanners,

I think we have to be very careful when we are trying to extrapolate our
"modern" emotions into the distant past. Semantic shifts are always
possible, even in the case of "nursing words".

Look at the case of "caca". I remember my graddad talking about nen
"bèèrpruver" (B) ("beerproever" in Dutch). Believe it or not, this was a man
whose sole destiny it was to sample "beer" (no, not ale! *s*...Dutch "beer"
means "night soil")! Sort of like a mobile laboratory he visited any
interested farmer, headed for the cesspool, and actually tasted some "beer",
after which he judged the fertility of this "beer"! Highly valued profession
in an agricultural environment!

When I was in China, I was amazed again when I saw that up in the Tien Shan
mountains children's toy number one was...eh...horse droppings.

And dried animal waste is used in many "developing countries" (hate that
concept...we are all developing) as fuel.

Western man continually wants to alienate himself from death, decay and
dirt, so it's pretty obvious I think, that moral judgment will keep on
distorting the meaning of words.

Kind greetings,

Luc Hellinckx

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