LL-L "Etymology" 2005.04.02 (06) [E]

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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
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From: Tom Mc Rae <t.mcrae at uq.net.au>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2005.04.02 (03) [E]

On 02/04/2005, at 2:17 AM, R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>

> Is it a
> coincidence that in many languages people refer to cuckoos when
> indicating
> that someone isn't "right in the head"?  In German, such a person has a
> "bird" (_Vogel_).
Aye and in my part of Scotland they'd say ''e went cookoo.'
>   Might all this have something to do with the cuckoo's odd
> behavior, including its habit of tricking other birds into raising its
> young?
>
Or could it be merely onomatopoeic, based on the noises a totally
mental patient can make ?
Interestingly enough while we play Peek a Boo, or Peep Boo, with kids I
discovered on the Trans Siberian Express that Russian kids peep out
saying 'Cuckoo'.
Regards
Tom Mc Rae
Brisbane Australia
Oh Wad Some Power the Giftie Gie Us
Tae See Oorsel's as Ithers See Us
Robert Burns

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

Hey, Tom!

> Or could it be merely onomatopoeic, based on the noises a totally
> mental patient can make ?

Well, yeah ... But how about both of the above?

> Interestingly enough while we play Peek a Boo, or Peep Boo, with kids I
> discovered on the Trans Siberian Express that Russian kids peep out
> saying 'Cuckoo'.

Yes, but that could be a German loan, based on _Kucku(k)!_, _Kuku(uk)_,
etc., which I take as being a "confluence" of making a suprising sound (cf.
English "(peek a) boo") with simultaneous reference to _gucken_ or _kucken_
'look' (cf. Low Saxon _kyken_ <kieken>, Dutch _kijken_, Afrikaans _kyk_, and
supposedly Old or Middle Flemish-derived _keek_ in Scots). The "cuckoo"
twist may well be an afterthought.

Incidentally, in Low Saxon, Missingsch and in Missingsch-based North German
dialects, the equivalent of "peek a boo!" is _mume (mume) ... kieks!_.  You
say the _mume_ part (with a low voice) while hidden and the _kieks_ part
(with a high voice) while (re)appearing. _Kyksen_ <kieksen> can be used to
mean 'to peek'.  I assume the _mume_ part is related to "mumming," German
_(ver)mummen_, etc., thus to "disguising."

Incidentally, Scots _gowk_ appears to be derived from Old Norse _gaukr_ or
_gjœkr_, attested no earlier  than the 14th century.  It seems to have
overlapped with _gawk_ and _gawkie_ in the sense of 'fool', though I assume
the latter is related to 'to gawk'.  Or are the two related?

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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