LL-L "Etymology" 2003.05.26 (06) [E]
Lowlands-L
sassisch at yahoo.com
Tue May 27 04:38:49 UTC 2003
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L O W L A N D S - L * 26.May.2003 (06) * 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: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology
> From: Gary Taylor <gary_taylor_98 at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Etymology
>
> Hy aw
>
> U me sumwun dhës eevnin cawd Gundolf go me
> wundrin ëbou is etimolëjy eny iedee(r)s? Awso,
> widh aw dhë tawk ëbou kies ën dragënz wos dhy
> etimolëjy ëv kie? I ëpparënly cumz frëm dhë
> be(r)d bë my etimëlojicaw
> dicshënery sez dhë is
> imitëtiv U dëno wo ë kie sounz like, bë U cahn
> imajin isez enythin like kie!
>
> I met someone this evening called Gundolf it got
> me wondering about its etymology any ideas? Also,
> with all the talk about kites and dragons whats the
> etymology of kite? It apparently comes from the bird
> but my etymological dictionary says that its
> imitative I dont know what a kite sounds like, but
> I cant imagine it says anything like kite!
Hay, Gary, ow mey'!
Gundolf is Old German or Germanic:
Gundobald battle + courageous/valiant
Gundobert, Guntbert, Guntbrecht, Gumpert, Gumprecht battle + bright
Gundolf, Gundolph battle + wolf *
Gundomar, Guntmar battle + story/renown
Guntfried battle + peace/victory
Gunthard battle + hard/strong/competent
Gunthelm battle + protection (> helmet)
Gunther, Günther, Gunter, Günter, Gunnar, Gunner battle + lord, ruler
Guntrad battle + counsel
Guntram battle + raven
Guntwin battle + friend (win?)
* cf. Randolf, Randolf shield + wolf
The etymology of "kite" (the bird, _Milvus_) is uncertain, but any
dictionary that says anything about it points to onomatopoeia, namely
the cry of the bird. "Kite" is the Modern English development of Old
English _cy^ta_ (with a long "y"), thus pronounced ['ky:ta] (as though
spelled _Kühta_ in German and _kuta_ in Dutch), so I guess they have in
mind a cry like [ky:t], [ky:], [ku:t] or [ku:]. German has _Milan_ and
_Gabelweihe_ for 'kite', Dutch _wouw_, and Lowlands Saxon _Gavelrick_.
According to Partridge, "kite" may be related to German (_kûz(e)_ >)
_Kauz_ 'screech-owl' (_Strix aluco_, Dutch _kerkuil_ ("church owl"),
_torenuil_ ("tower owl"), Lowlands Saxon _Kattuul_ ("cat owl"),
_Nachtuul_ ("night owl"), _Dodenvagel_ ("bird of death")). Of course,
kites and owls are quite different, but they are both birds of prey and
maybe make similar sounds.
On a cultural note, the LS name _doudenvagel_ ~ _Dodenvagel_ ("bird of
death")) appears to be connected with the traditional belief that a
screech owl, or another type of owl, especially a great horned owl
(_Bubo bubo_, German _Uhu, LS _Schufut_) or a barnowl (_Tyto alba_,
German _Schleiereule_, LS _Kattuul_, _Kackeduul_), calls (usually three
times) when someone in a home or village is bound to die (thus a role
much like that of the Irish banshee). So this usually nocturnal call is
heard with a lot of apprehension, by some people even now -- and with a
lot of fear by me as a child staying with my relatives who lived in the
deep woods.
As you can see, there is much overlap in the naming of birds (e.g.,
_Kattuul_ "cat owl" for both 'screech-owl' and 'barnowl').
Cheerio!
Reinhard/Ron
P.S.: Gud të sí yú á stil chipin ëwey a' dhí owd óthogrëfí. Kíp üp dhë gud wëëk
! Jis givin yú ë fyú åwtëënëtiv aydíëz híë (ó kënfyúzin yú) widh ë les Inglish
solyúshën. Wå' dú yú think? Bay dhë wey, "Hy aw", "etimolëjy" and "ki'e" n
íd të bí rekënsaywd (híë "Hay, åw", "etimolëjí" and "kay'"). Bü' le's tók ëbaw'
dha' topik ündë "Orthography" if yú fíw layk i'.
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