LL-L "Literature" 2005.03.06 (02) [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
S=Scots Sh=Shetlandic V=(West)Flemish Z=Zeelandic (Zeêuws)
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From: Críostóir Ó Ciardha <paada_please at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Celtica" 2005.03.04 (06) [E/LS/Cornish/Gaelic]


Ron wrote:
"Anyway, I translated the song -- the long version rather than the usual
abbreviated one -- in a singable form but fairly closely to the original.
This includes translating _mórbheanna_ as "great/giant/tall mountains"
rather than the usual English "mist covered mountains" (which I think ought
to be "mist-covered mountains")."

>From an Irish-speaking point of view, I would not analyse _mórbheanna_ as
"tall mountains", even in a poetic, contemplative sense - that would be
_ardbheanna_ which, for the purposes of rhyme, does not fit. To me,
_mórbheanna_ implies an imposing, impressive, awesome range of black
mountains blotting out the horizon (note, no mist). By contrast,
_ardbheanna_ implies large mountains that loom upwards and over the reader.
The term implies a closer position to the mountains than in _mórbheanna_ on
the part of the viewer.

But I do not understand the variations in Scottish Gaelic, so I may be
utterly wrong.

Go raibh maith agat,

Criostóir.

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

Thanks, Críostóir.

Don't you think Low Saxon _rysig_ (<riesig>) will do?  It includes all of
the above, mostly "giant" with an emphasis on elevation.  It is related to
_rys'_ 'giant' (<Riese>, Dutch _reus_, German _Riese_ 'giant' (nom.), cf.
Gaelic _famhair_ 'giant', Irish _fomhor_ 'pirate' < Early Irish _fomhór_ <
*_fo-mór_, pl. _fomhórach_ in reference to the mythical race of the giant
Fomorians), and these are etymologically linked with English "to rise" and
LS _rysen_ (such as of yeast).  Of course, _mór_ can also be used in the
sense of 'great' as in 'famed', and as such it appears to be related to
Welsh _mawr_, Cornish _maur_, Breton _meur_, Gothic _-mêrs_, Old German
_mâri_ (> _Mär_ 'great tale' > _Märchen_ 'fairytale'), Latin _merus_ and
English _mere_.  But apparently it related also to 'overwhelming', as in
German _(Nacht-)Mahr_, as in English _nightmare_.  So, I think that, apart,
from the usual 'great' and 'tall' there is the idea of 'imposing'.

I feel that _rysig_ (<riesig>) works here because it expresses height while
we know that the protagonist either sees the mountain from a distance
(approaching them by boat from the sea) or just in his or her mind (more
likely, namely from the dreaded city).

Thanks for the help!

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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