LL-L "Lexical usage" 2003.02.04 (08) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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From: elsie zinsser <ezinsser at icon.co.za>
Subject: LL-L "Lexical usage" 2003.02.04 (04) [E/S]


Hi all,

Thanks John for keeping me in suspense with 'orra'.

>> I actually knew what the word 'orra' meant - it means 'odd' in
the sense of 'spare' or 'peculiar', and can also mean 'unsuitable' or
something like that.

Ah, so it probably relates to ornery as in "Don't be ornery as a mule"??

Your explanation below reminds me of the Afrikaans word "orig": In certain
geographical areas it means 'nuisance/ peculiar / irritating' but in others
the meaning 'left over / redundant' predominates.

I don't find the equivalent in Dutch. A Scots influence on Afrikaans?

Regards,
Elsie

>>The reason I gave these quotations was that the use of 'orra'
in them doesn't correspond to any use of the word that I know. I suspected -
and Sandy's comments confirm this - that it is actually misuse - a result of
dictionary dredging by someone who doesn't actually know the word or how to
use it.

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