LL-L "Etymology" 2005.05.03 (11) [A/E]

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From: Arthur Jones <arthurobin2002 at yahoo.com>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2005.05.03 (02) [A/E/LS]

Mark Dreyer skreew,

>Valhalla. Soos ek die woord ontleed beteken dit
'blinke saal'.

I think you're on the right track, Mark, except I
think we'll find that the original Old Norse word was
'Valr-halla', or 'hall of the valiant'. The valiant or
brave, of course, were the fallen warriors. With
nothing more left to lose after death in battle, one
can imagine the unbridled partying that went on there.
And nobody to call the cops.
The fourth Century Gothic word for Hell, the
Netherworld, was 'Halja', and its godess went by the
same name. We don't get too much info about them in
written documents, though, because the translator was
a bishop who was selling a new religion, Christianity,
to the Goths. He didn't want to encourage more heathen
practices. Much of the gothic vocabulary was therefore
'censored', and we can only guess at them today.

Your thoughts about 'blinke' or bright may come from
the association with fire. In a world lit only by
fire, Hell might have been a bright place indeed.

If you've ever seen a lonely Danish bog in a November
twilight, a seat on a bench by the fire --the other
image in your email-- would be a welcome change.

Incidentally, I really appreciate your giving your
text first in Afrikaans, then in English. It is a
great help to those of us who are willing, and trying,
to learn the language. It is a stunningly beautiful
tongue, loaded with down-to-earth expressions. Thanks.

Arthur

Arthur A. Jones arthurobin2002 at yahoo.com

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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2005.05.03 (02) [A/E/LS]


Ek dink daar is ook 'n dorpie in Nordwes Kaapse provinsie in Suid Afrika by
name 'Hel'

Paul

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