LL-L "Etymology" 2004.07.23 (11) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 23.JUL.2004 (11) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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From: Hugo Zweep <hugo.zweep at valuersillawarra.com.au>
Subject: LL-L "Idiomatica" 2004.07.23 (02) [E]

I notice the word "ete petete" below, describing aspiring Hamburgers.

Can anyone tell me more about that. My mother used to call one of my
daughters a "hitte petitt" meaning she was bright, on the ball but in your
face. That would have come from north east Groningen.

Geuko Zweep

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

Hoi, Hugo!

We use this _ete petete_ quite a bit.  It denotes the quality of being
fastidious, especially of women.  I wish I knew its origin for sure.  I
suspect it's French, probably containing _petit(e)_ 'small'.  I also suspect
that the name of Flensburg's stereotypical _Petuh-Tanten_ has something to
do with it, those whose name serves in the name _Petutantendeutsch_ (or
_Petuh-Tanten-Deutsch_), a type of Missingsch based on the local,
Jutish-influenced Lowlands Saxon (Low German) dialect.  (This dialect uses
some archaic LS expressions, and, as in Jutish and Danish, it pronounces /s/
consistently as [s], not as [z].)

In my private lingo I describe such women as being "petite about
themselves."  This is based on something a TV show contestant said many
years ago.  He was asked how he liked his women, and he wanted to sound
overly educated but was too creative in the process, so he said he liked his
future bride to be "petite about herself."  I think he meant something like
"take care of herself."  This stuck with me ...  (For those of you who
aren't familiar with it, in English "petite" usually refers to a woman's
small body or clothes size.)

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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