LL-L "Language varieties" 2004.08.31 (10) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 31.AUG.2004 (10) * 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: Ruth & Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2004.08.30 (06) [E]

Dear Denis, Luc, Dan, Burgdal, John,

Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2004.08.29 (06) [E]

> Apart from that, what tickles me, & has for a long time, that the
'Anglian'
> features of Old English & Modern English are closer to Afrikaans than the
> Anglo-Saxon English of King Alfred's Court.
>
> Why would one refer in this context to Afrikaans, which in fact is a very
> new language, whereas Afrikaans itself was influenced and has loads of
> sound-similarities with "westnederfrankisch" dialect Westflemish?

Only because the features in question are familiar to me from my own tongue.
Now, someone offered the thesis that Anglian developed its unique features
in Britain. If this is so, then the very Wesnederfrankiese eienskappe -
sorry - features common to Anglian _&_ to the Continental ancenstors of
Afrikaans need examination: Not so? It seems to me rather, that Anglian was
notably conservative of its Continental heritage.

> The Anglo-saxon coast started in the region of Boulogne all the way up
> to the  (now) Danish border.
To---
> Look at the placenames and compare them  with those on the other side
> of the Channel.
> A lot of historie has been "fastened" to quick.

Ek stem saam. All too much 'History' gives all too little attention to
migration. We read in our school history books about the 'Migratory Period'
German, as though they were static before & static afterwards [I shake my
head]. But look, you have an ally in Snorri Sturlusson. He wrote about the
telling differences between place-names & the language of the 'current'
occupiers.

> >> The Old English dialects called Anglian most likely developed their
> > distinguishing features in Britain.

> Why should a London professor study Old  Flemish in order to
> understand Old English  better?

Why not? Parallel development & a common ancestry, to say nothing of similar
influences, will all play their part in both tongues. Certainly we don't yet
know everything about Old English. Insights developed from Old Flemish may
well cast light on Old English. This is how code-breakers work in the Army.
Natural languages can be 'broken' in the same way. That was how Ancient
Egyptian & Sumerian were 'broken'.

Die Uwe,
Mark.

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