LL-L "Etymology" 2005.10.03 (01) [E/German]

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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 "Etymology" 2005.10.02 (08) [E]


David Barrow wrote:
"bleak
c.1300, from O.N. bleikr "pale" (see bleach). Sense of "cheerless"
is c.1719 figurative extension. The same Gmc. root produced the O.E.
blac "pale," but this died out, probably from confusion with blæc
"black;" but bleikr persisted, with a sense of "bare" as well as "pale.""

Interesting that the contemporary meaning of "bleak" only developed as late 
as 1719. I wonder why its original meaning was so largely superseded by this 
figurative sense, to the extent that "bleak" nowadays (and for as far as I 
can remember or identify) means "cheerless" first and "pale" only in a 
figurative sense.

Go raibh maith agat,

Criostóir.

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From: Elsie Zinsser <ezinsser at icon.co.za>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2005.10.02 (04) [E/German]

Hi all,

Jonny, your _kirre_ reminds me of two Afrikaans words:
_aankarring_ - to get on with life quietly
_koer_ - the sound a dove makes.

I wonder if there is any relation to _kirre_?

Cheerio,
Elsie

>mhd. _kürre_ , mnd. _quer[r]e_, got. _quaìrrus_, aisl. _kvirr_  in der 
>Bedeutung von
>'sanftmütig, ruhig, still, freundlich' nahe kommt.

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