LL-L "Etymology" 2003.03.16 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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

Lowlanders,

I wonder if together we will be able to shed a bit more light on the
etymologies of words for "magpie" (_Pica pica_).

In Lowlands Saxon (Low German) there are the following words I am aware of
([ ] = phoentic, / / = phonemic):

Heekster ['hE.Ikst3`] /hejkster/
Heckster ['hEkst3`] /hekster/
Heester ['hE.Ist3`] /hejster/
Hester ['hEst3`] /hester/
Heister ['ha.Ist3`] /hajster/
Eckster ~ Ekster ['?Ekst3`] /ekster/
Eekster ['?E.Ikst3`] /ejkster/
Eester ['?E.Ist3`] /ejster/

Furthermore, there is _Eekheckster_ ['?E.IkhEkst3`] which appears to contain
_Eek_ /ejk/ 'oak' and of which _Eekster_ and _Eester_ above may well be
contractions.  In some dialects _Eekheckster_ means 'magpie', in others
'jay' (_Garrulus glandarius_).  'Jay' may also be called _Eekster_,
_Heckster_ or _Heister_ (in other dialects _Aakster_, _Holtschraag_,
_Holthäger_ or _Holtsnarr_) in some dialects (_Holt_ ~ _Hult_ 'wood'); so
there is some overlap.

Both Dutch and Afrikaans have _eekster_ for 'magpie'.   I wonder what sorts
of etymological theories have been proposed for them.

German has _Elster_ for 'magpie'.  The etymological dictionary
_Herkunftsduden_ is somewhat vague about it.  Middle (High) German has
_agelster_, _alster_ and _elster_.  Old (High) German has _ag-alstra_,
_ag-astra_ and _ag-aza_.  It seems to be implied that the Lowlands Saxon
words are derived, via Middle Saxon _hêgester_, from Old German _ag-aza_,
which as a loanword developed to _agace_ in French and ro _gazza_ in
Italian.  Middle Alemannic and Modern Swabian _Hetze_ is said to be derived
from this too, and _Atzel_ in dialects of Hesse, the Palatinate and Alsatia
is said to be derived from the (reconstructed) diminutive form *_agazala_.
Furthermore, Old German has the (basic?) form _aga_ and Old English _agu_
for 'magpie'.  The occurrence of forms with and without /h-/ is not
explained.  Furthermore, the author suspects that, due to the shape of a
magpie tail, there is a connection with words for "corner" (e.g., German
_Ecke_) which comes from Indo-European *_âk^-_ ~ *_ôk^-_, denoting the sense
of 'pointed' or 'sharp'.  He or she mentions as a counter-argument Swedish
_skata_ 'magpie', which appears to be related to Middle Alemannic _skate_
'point', 'tail' (cf. also Icelandic _skjór_ 'magpie').  I am not sure why.
Metathesis (sk > ks)?

English _magpie_ appears to be younger that Old English _agu_, as appear to
be Scots _maggie_ and _pyot_, apparently based on _Mag(gie)_ < Margaret, and
_pie_ Latin _pica_ 'magpie'.  Is this written in stone?

Does not Latin _pica_, too, connote 'pointed (one)'?

What Frisian, Zeelandic, Flemish, Brabantish and Limburgish words are there
for "magpie"?

Just in case there is any relevance, please allow me to add that _-ster_ is
a common deverbal (feminine?) noun suffix; e.g., _bakster_ 'baker',
_webster_ 'weaver', _spinster_ 'spinner' (> 'unmarried woman').

Furthermore, there are nickname-based words for 'magpie':

Scots _deil's bird_ ("devil's bird"): because of the bird's mischievious
behavior and/or because it is mythologically linked with evil forces (as the
raven is in other traditions)?

Afrikaans _babbelaar_ ("babbler"): because of the bird's normal call or
because, like ravens and crows (apart from Parrots etc.), magpies can be
taught to "talk"?

Thanks for thinking about it.

Reinhard/Ron

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