LL-L "Etymology" 2003.11.18 (03) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 18.NOV.2003 (03) * 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: John Duckworth <jcduckworth2003 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: Etymology


Dear Lowlanders,

I was wondering if anyone could throw any light on the name _Mokum_ used for
Amsterdam. I have always been told that it is the Jewish name for the city,
but it does seem to have a certain currency among non-Jewish inhabitants,
and almost seems like a secret name for the city that only true natives
(Mokummers) are allowed to use.

Also if it is from Hebrew then which word is it derived from? Perhaps from a
Hebrew cognate of the Arabic _maqaam_ / _muqaam_ (place, location; place of
standing; from the verb _qaama_ [he stood] )?

John Duckworth
Preston, UK.

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

A very interesting question, John!

I remember reading notes about this in the past, and they support your
theory.  The corresponding Hebrew word is מקום _makom_ (= _mâqowm_) 'place',
'locality', related to the verbal root קום _kum_ (= _quwm_) 'stand',
'(a)rise'.  So, the nickname really means something like "The Place," as you
seem to have suspected.

I have no idea which of the following stages this name belongs to:

(1) Sephardi (immigrants from Portugal during and after the Inquisition)
(2) West Ashkenazi (West Yiddish of immigrants from Germany, Alsace and
Lorraine)
(3) East Ashkenazi (East Yiddisch of immigrants from Eastern Europe)

I have a hunch that it belongs to stage 3, though stage 2 is a possibilty
also.  If it belonged to stage 1, I would expect something like
*_mak(k)ó(o)m_ or *_mekkó(o)m_, unless this word unterwent Germanic stress
shift by way of use among Dutch speakers.  (The Hebrew word has final
stress, and this is consistent with Spanish, Ladino and Portuguese
phonology.)  West and East Yiddish did undergo this shift.  I do not know
what the form is in West Yiddish (which is extinct to all intents and
purposes), but I do know that it is _mokem_ (_mókem_) in East Yiddish.

I wonder if the nickname developed from a Jewish name for the city or from a
Rotwelsch nickname.  In fact, *the* Rotwelsch word for 'place', 'locality'
is _makum_.

Rotwelsch is (better "was") a jargon used at the fringes of society, mostly
in German-speaking areas.  It is based upon German but contains many words
and expressions loaned from Romani and Yiddish, among others.  Apparently it
was used in or "spilled over" into Dutch-speaking areas as well (probably
melting into Dutch-based jargon(s)).  "Slang" words like Dutch _tof_ and
German _toff_ 'good', 'great', 'fine' (< Rotwelsch < Yiddish _tov_ < Hebrew
טוב _towv_ 'good') are among words that entered the mainstream from this
sort of jargon.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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