LL-L "Language varieties" 2004.08.09 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 09.AUG.2004 (07) * 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: Ed Alexander <edsells at cogeco.ca>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2004.08.09 (05) [E]

At 06:12 PM 08/09/04 -0700, John Feather wrote:
>It seems to me extremely improbable that Frisians can understand both Old
>English and Modern English and highly improbable that they can understand
>Beowulf, which has all the special problems which poems generally present.
>I've looked at the simpler passages in Sweet's Old English primer and have
>grave doubts as to what sense a modern English speaker can make of them
>simply on the basis of a superficial knowledge of spelling changes and
>pronunciation.

Well, I actually tried this on my Frisian informant (OBM) now several years
ago.  He and his wife were completely fluent in English, Dutch and I guess
what would be a form of WL Frisian.  When they did not have English
speaking visitors, they would use both Dutch and Frisian at home, though
more the former, though they spoke primarily Frisian with their eldest
daughter, who remains fluent in it and uses it with her current husband.

I brought Nick a copy of some OE text, Beowulf as I recall, and he was able
to understand it.  My wife and I did not press the issue to determine the
exact level of understanding, but he clearly was better able to tell us in
Modern English what was going on in the story than I could ever armed only
with my primary knowledge of English and a secondary knowledge of High
German, and a superficial knowledge of Frisian.  I certainly wouldn't call
this a "careful study" of these issues, but evidence of some sort.  It's
pretty obvious that Frisian and LS have undergone fewer changes, especially
in vocabulary and sentence structure and word order, than English, so it
only makes sense that they will remain closer to their ancient sister OE
than Modern English.

Ed Alexander, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

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