LL-L "Names" 2004.05.10 (03) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 10.MAY.2004 (03) * 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: Hugo Zweep <hugo.zweep at valuersillawarra.com.au>
Subject: LL-L "Names" 2004.05.09 (02) [E]

Mark
Your thoughts on the "healthy response to pejorative language" probably
echoes what happens in other countries where people won't be put down by
those who, thinking  they are superior, are merely patronising. An  example
which comes to my mind is one from warfare with the Rats of Tobruk during
WWII - on being dismissed by the enemy as merely being rats trapped in a
besieged fortress, the defenders adopted the tag with pride.

However, I find the change in pronunciation from Geus to Gouw interesting.
The lady is, as I recall, is supposed to have spoken in French and said that
the protesting nobles were only "gueux". In Dutch that would have been
schooiers, landlopers or bedelaars, i.e. beggars. Adapt the French to a
Dutch pronunciation and you have Geus and Afrikaans seems to have it as
Gouw.

Incidentally, from being a pejorative description of the nobles, the word
came to encompass all those who opposed Phillip II. By the 17th C it
described Protestants. It also described a contra-remonstrant or Gomarist,
follower of Gomarus, a follower of Calvin and believer in pre-destination. I
wonder whether the word Geus came to South Africa in one of these senses,
given the strong Afrikaans adherence to Calvinism.

groet'n van'n Grunniger
Hugo (Geuko) Zweep

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