LL-L "Etymology" 2003.05.30 (05) [E]

[R. F. Hahn]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 30.MAY.2003 (05) * 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: Gustaaf Van Moorsel <gvanmoor at aoc.nrao.edu>
Subject: LL-L "Resources" 2003.05.30 (03) [E]

Peter Snepvangers wrote:

 > I am very curious
 > about the word Fenster (German), Venster (Afrikaans), Venster
(Flaams),
 > Finster (Frisian).Why is the Dutch word for window
 > Raam when most of the geographical reach of the other languages are
so
 > similar?

As so often in cases like this, the word 'venster' does exist
in Dutch as well, with the same meaning.  But it is more used
in a figurative sense now: 'Een venster op de wereld'.  Also
in compositions, e.g. 'vensterbank' for 'window sill', *never*
'raambank'!

'Raam' I suppose is another example where a word originally
denoting surrounding something became the word for the object
being surrounded (cf German 'Zaun', Dutch 'tuin', Eng 'town').

Gustaaf

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

In most Lowlands Saxon (Low German) dialects, 'window' is _vinster_
(_Finster_ ['fI.nst3`]) or _venster_ (_Fenster_ ['fE.nst3`]), going back
to Latin _finestra_.  However, in some dialects people say _ruut_
(_Ruut_ [ru:t]), or _rute_ (_Rute_ ['rU:te]) where the _-e_ is preserved
in feminine nouns.  In other dialects, _ruut_ specifically denotes
'window pane', which in other dialects is called _vinsterschyv'_
(_Finsterschiev'_ ['fI.nst3`Si:.v]; cf. German _Fensterscheibe_).  I
suppose this is similar to the Dutch case of making the frame (_raam_,
cf. German _Rahmen_) representative of a window.

What is the etymology of (_rute_ >) _ruut_?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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