LL-L "Etymology" 2004.10.14 (16) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

======================================================================
L O W L A N D S - L * 14.OCT.2004 (16) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
http://www.lowlands-l.net * lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Rules & Guidelines: http://www.lowlands-l.net/index.php?page=rules
Posting: lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org or lowlands-l at lowlands-l.net
Server Manual: http://www.lsoft.com/manuals/1.8c/userindex.html
Archives: http://listserv.linguistlist.org/archives/lowlands-l.html
Encoding: Unicode (UTF-8) [Please switch your view mode to it.]
=======================================================================
You have received this because you have been subscribed upon request.
To unsubscribe, please send the command "signoff lowlands-l" as message
text from the same account to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or
sign off at http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================
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)
=======================================================================

From: Ruth & Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2004.10.14 (03) [E]

Dear Ron,

Subject: Etymology

> Under "Lexicon," Liesbeth inquired about the Scots word _teuchter_, and
Tom
> Maguire, Andy Eagle and Tom McRae explained that it is a disparaging term,
> denoting an uncouth person, often specifically a Gaelic-speaking
Highlander.
>
> Tom McRae has also mentioned one etymological theory of the word
_teuchter_
> being onomatopoetic in origin, either imitating their Gaelic speech or the
> sound their heavy boots made on cobblestones.
>
> I will attempt to get the ball rolling on an etymology of this word,
hoping
> that others will help.

One possibility you didn't mention, & I am intrigued that you didn't.
[Afrikaans] 'tog' (tox) is related to [English] 'tug' & 'tow' (sticking only
to the ME) & it means 'expedition, journey cruise, excursion, march, trip'.
We've gone through some of this before.
Looking baldly at the word, I would say it is Inglis, & guess it means
'traveller, vagabond, wanderer'.
We don't use it this way, having rather resource to the words 'togganger' =
transport -rider, itinerant trader, 'togryer' = transport rider. We would
understand it, though; it is a familiar construction; 'slag' = slaughter,
'slagter' = slaughterer (butcher); 'opsig' = supervision, 'opsigter' =
supervisor; 'Reg' = Law, 'regter' = judge.
 Vertalende GROOT WOORDEBOEK Kritzinger, Steyn, Schoonees & Cronje.

> According to the _Oxford English Dictionary_, the origin of this word is
> unknown.

Tolkien must have left before they got to 'T'.

Yrs,
Mark

----------

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

Thanks, Mark.  Good point, but one that is limited in that it comes from a
purely Afrikaans perspective.  The Afrikaans examples you gave are only
orthographic, not phonemic, in that the final /t/ (or /d/) is not sounded
word-finally but resurfaces before a suffix that begins with a vowel.

(Alternatively, Afrikaans would for instance write for 'face' _gesigt_ and
pronounce it [x@'sIx] and write the plural _gesigte_ [x@'sIxt@].  This would
be consistent and phonemically based.  The speaker would know when not to
pronounce the _-t_, because there is a rule involved here.  Conversely, the
learner does *not* know that a _-t-_ must be "inserted" in the plural form
if he or she reads _gesig_ for the first time.)

phonemic - Afrikaans - Dutch - Lowlands Saxon - English
/slag-t/ - slag - slachten - slachten - slaughter
/op-sig-t-/ - opsig - opzicht - opsicht/upsicht - ("over-sight" =
supervision)
/rext/ - reg - recht - recht - right, law
/tog-t/ - tog - tocht - tog(t) - procession, trip, etc.

singular - plural
Afrikaans  (Dutch, LS) English
slag - slagter (slacht - slachter, slacht - slachter) slaughter -
slaughterer
gesig - gesigte (gezicht - gezichten, gesicht - gesichten) face - faces
reg - regte (recht - rechten, recht - rechten) right - rights
tog - togte (tocht - tochten, tog(t) - töög' ~ togten) pocession -
processions

Since Scots does not seem to have this "problem," I don't know how relevant
this is to the etymology of _teuchter_.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

==============================END===================================
* Please submit postings to lowlands-l at listserv.linguistlist.org.
* Postings will be displayed unedited in digest form.
* Please display only the relevant parts of quotes in your replies.
* Commands for automated functions (including "signoff lowlands-l") are
  to be sent to listserv at listserv.linguistlist.org or at
  http://linguistlist.org/subscribing/sub-lowlands-l.html.
=======================================================================