LL-L "Etymology" 2004.10.09 (07) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 09.OCT.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: Global Moose Translations <globalmoose at t-online.de>
Subject: LL-L "Image" 2004.10.08 (08) [A/E/LS/Yiddish]

John Baskind wrote:
> In Yiddish one refers to a person who demonstrates a sensitive grasp of
> things aesthetic and moral, and grace in execution of that understanding,
as
> an "eidel". There are a lot of eidele menschen on this list, and I am
happy
> to know you all, and Ron, especially, דו ביסת א   ידעלע מע  ש you are an
> eidele mentsch.

Now here's a root that seems to have involved into many different
directions. While, in Yiddish, "eidel" means something quite positive,
German "eitel" (likewise Dutch "ijdel") means "vain" or "conceited" (plus,
almost obsolete these days, the meaning of "pure", as in "eitel Gold" or
"eitel Sonnenschein"); in English, "idle" is "meaningless", "lazy" or, a
little less negative, "having nothing to do".

What about other languages?

Gabriele Kahn

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From: R. F. Hahn <lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net>
Subject: Etymology

Hey, Gabriele!

Are you trying to imply something about me from the assumed safety of the
peanut gallery?

Yiddish עידעל _eydel_, German _edel_ and Lowlands Saxon _eddel_ 'noble' are
related to the noun _Adel_ 'nobility', thus are related to Dutch _edel_ and
_adel_ respectively, also Old English _æðele_ and _æðel-_ respectively.

Dutch _ijdel_ and English 'idle' are related to German _eitel_ and Lowlands
Saxon _ydel_ (_iedel_) 'vain'.  Their relations are not totally known, but
their meaning used to be 'empty' (hence LS _leddig-gaan- "to go empty" = 'to
e idle', 'to be unemployed') as well as 'pure' (e.g., archaic German _eitel
old_ 'pure gold').

Of course, we know that officially noble people also tended to be vain and
idle, but none of this wouldn't apply to me (though _eitel Gold und
Sonnenschein_ definitely would).  So watch it!

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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