LL-L "Idiomatica" 2004.07.09 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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From: Liza du Plooy <lizaduplooy at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Idiomatica" 2004.07.06 (02) [E]


Ron wrote:

>The usual way of using it is with _'n_ (or "formally" _eyn_) 'a', but in
>some dialects you can omit this; thus for example
>
>_('n) barg böyker_ 'many books'*
>_('n) barg minschen_ 'lots of people'
>_('n) barg saken_ 'many matters', 'many things'
>_('n) barg tüyg_ 'a lot of fabric', 'lots of clothes'
>_('n) barg tüynkraam_ 'a bunch of nonsense'
>_('n) barg spraken_ 'many languages'
>_('n) barg arbayd_ 'loads of work'
>
>* different from _'n stapel böyker_ 'a stack of books'

I don't know if it's just the way I speak Afrikaans, but I would use "baie"
for nearly every example you gave:

baie boeke
baie mense
baie sake / baie dinge / baie goeters
baie materiaal / baie klere
* 'n spul nonsens
baie tale
baie werk

I wouldn't not hesitate to use "'n berg werk" in the sense of "ek het 'n
berg huiswerk om te doen" (I have a mountain of homework to do).

A stack of books in Afrikaans is also "'n stapel boeke"

>_veel water_ 'much water', 'a lot of water' (not *_('n) barg water_)
>_veel sand_ 'a lot of sand' (vs _('n) barg sand_ 'a mound/heap of sand')

I'd say
baie water
'n hoop sand

>How about similar expressions in other Lowlands varieties?

Not quite the same thing, but I thought these might be of interest while we
are on the subject of expression incorporating mountains/hills. I looked in
my 1961 edition of the "Afrikaanse Spreekwoordeboek en die Engelse
Ekwivalent" by Kritzinger, de Villiers and Pienaar and found these:

'n Berg van 'n molshoop maak: Baie oordryf: To make mountains out of
mole-hills.
As die berg nie na Mohammed wil kom nie, moet Mohammed na die berg gaan: 'n
Mens moet die mindere wees as 'n ander nie wil toegee nie: If the mountain
won't come to Mohammet, Mahommet must go to the mountain.
Die berg het 'n muis gebaar: Groot dinge is verwag en net iets kleins het
gebeur: The mountain brought forth a mouse.
Sy hare het te berge gerys: Hy het baie groot geskrik: His hair stood on
end.
Iemand goue berge beloof: Iemand die mooiste beloftes maak: To promise the
moon.
Berge versit: Baie uitrig: To move mountains.
And my favourite one (from the old wives tale that babies are little baboons
caught in the mountains and then shaved)
Berge toe gaan: 'n Babetjie ryker word: To be visited by the stork, to have
an addition to the family.

So what I'd like to know is whether other lowlands languages have similar
expression. I'd be very interested to know if any of these are unique to
Afrikaans.

On a personal note, I'd like to share with the list that I have been
accepted to study linguistics at the University of Texas this coming
semester!

Liza du Plooy


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

Liza:


> On a personal note, I'd like to share with the list that I have been
accepted
> to study linguistics at the University of Texas this coming semester!

That's great news, Liza.  Congratulations!  Soon you'll put us all to shame.
:-)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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