LL-L "Orthography" 2003.10.17 (13) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 17.OCT.2003 (13) * 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: Holger Weigelt <platt at holger-weigelt.de>
Subject: "Orthography"

> Dan and others,
>
> Here's another instance of having to opt for consistency versus etymology
in
> the Neo-Hanseatic spelling of Lowlands Saxon (Low German): <harfst>
> (autumn).  Influenced by etymological awarerness, I am inclined to write
> <harvst>, and I do tend to write <Harvst> in German-based orthgraphy,
while
> most other folks (who shoot for "phonetic" and have no awareness of
> etymology) write <Harfst>.  The [f] sound in this word ([ha:fs(t)]) never
> alternates, and on this basis we must assume that /f/ is underlying, which
> necessitates writing it as <f> if consistency and predictability supercede
> etymology.  Again, LS here has established company: Dutch <herfst>.
>
> Etymological note:
> Old English: hærfest (= /hærvest/)
> LS: herƀest > hervest > Harfst
> German: herbist > herbest > Herbst
> Frisian: herfst > harvst, hearst, herst
> Latin: carpere (to pluck, to pick)
> Greek: καρπόσ [karpós] (fruit)
>
> Where things get more interesting is where there *are* etymological
> connections.  Take for example <schrift> ([SrIft] writing, script) versus
> <schryven> (['Sri:vm] to write).  Should the former be spelled <schrivt>
> instead?
>
> Cheers!
> Reinhard/Ron

Hello Ron !
The "autumn-thing" is a feature I considered for my spelling proposals for
EFLS also but on another aspect:
First I spelled it "hārfst" being aware that this doesn't reflect the
pronounciation. However I thought I had to view it's etymology and by the
way find a spelling which isn't too far from what people here are used to
from German based orthography (Harfst, Harvst). But when I learned that in
Frisian these aspects are misregarded too, I decided to dare to switch to "
hārst" as I normally would spell it due to phonematic.
I several times thought about consistency and tried to come as near as
possible to it but experienced this to be very difficult.  It is impossible
for me to be totally consequent in this regard because there are often more
aspects to be watched than etymology and phonetics.
For example: <schrift> ([SrIft] writing, script) versus
> <schryven> (['Sri:vm] to write) is complicated in EFLS.
I take ~v~ in cases where the sound is indifferent between [v] and [b]. This
we have with "sğrīven" = to write (where the ~ven mostly is [m:] with a
feeling of initial [v] or [b].
"sğrift" = script, writing (häi sğrift = he writes) has [f] without any
doubt but "ik sğrīw" = I write has a [v] at it's end - In EFLS
end-consonants are often voiced or in a medium state between voiced and
unvoiced [v]/[f] - and "wī sğrīven" = we write has the same shape like the
infinitive "sğrīven". To come out of this I'd have to fix the spelling on
~w~ (sğrīwen, sğriwt, sğrīw) which would look strange to most readers in
case of "sğriwt" (where it also isn't phonetically correct) - a little more
acceptable for "häi sğriwt" than for the meaning _script, writing,
scripture_ - but acceptable in the other cases.
Regards
Holger

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