LL-L "Etymology" 2005.09.19 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 19.SEP.2005 (02) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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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: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Dear Lowlanders,

Here's another nut to crack for us: words for a spouse that is temporarily 
solo, thus English "grass widow" (~ "grass-widow") and "grass widower" (~ 
"grass-widower").

First of all, does anyone know Modern Low Saxon equivalents of these words? 
I have to admit that I am prone to making them up ("Patentplatt"?) on the 
basis of German _Strohwitwe_ and _Strohwitwer_ respectively, using "straw" 
rather than "grass," thus *_strou-weetvrou_ ~ _strou-witvrou_ 
(<Strohweetfro> ~ <Strohwittfro>) and *_strou-weetman_ ~ _strou-witman_ 
(<Strohweetmann> ~ <Strohwittmann>).   If I went with Dutch _grasweduwe_ and 
_grasweduwnaar_ respectively as well as with Middle Saxon _graswedewe_ for 
"straw widow" I would have to make it *_gras-weetvrou_ ~ _gras-witvrou_ 
(<Grassweetfro> ~ <Grasswittfro>) and *_gras-weetman_ ~ _gras-witman_ 
(<Grassweetmann> ~ <Grasswittmann>).

It is interesting to note that use of "grass" in these words seems to be 
western (if we include Swedish), and use of "straw" seems to be eastern, 
cutting across language boundaries, possibly as a matter of cultural 
contacts; e.g.,

Western ("grass ..."):
English: grass widow; grass widower
Dutch: grasweduwe; grasweduwnaar
Middle Saxon: graswedewe; ?
Swedish: gräsänka; gräsänkling

Eastern ("straw ..."):
German: Strohwitwe; Strohwitwer
Upper Sorbian: słomjana wudowa (~ połwudowa "semi-widow");
     słomjany wudowc (~ połwudowc "semi-widower")
Polish: słomiana wdowa; słomiany wdowiec
Czech/Slovak: slámená vdova; slámený vdovec
Ukrainian: соломяна вдова (solomjana vdova);
     соломяній вдівець (solomjanij vdivec')
Russian: соломенная вдова (solomennaja vdova);
     соломенный вдовец (solomennyj vdovec)
Bulgarian: сламена вдовица (slamena vdovica);
     сламен вдовец (slamen vdovec)

But Serbian uses "white" (= "not in mourning"?): _bela udovica_; _beli 
udovac.

What are the Scots, Frisian and Afrikaans words, and those in other 
varieties?

It is interesting to note that there seem to be no specific words for these 
concepts in Romance languages.

The original meaning and the cultural significance of these words don't seem 
to be entirely established.  The concensus seems to be that "grass" and 
"straw" refers to bedding, or rather alternative bedding.  If we were 
dealing with a spouse that has been left alone at home, this would not seem 
to make perfect sense. It would only do so if we were dealing with one who 
is traveling or otherwise absent, since poor travelers usually slept on 
straw, or on grass if outside.  An earlier and in some dialects still active 
meaning of English "grass widow" is 'woman that sleeps around'.  If this was 
earlier, I don't know what this says about the semantic shift, if this 
implies that wifes temporarily left by their husbands or leaving them 
temporarily had a tendency or (deserved or undeserved) reputation of being 
unfaithful.  Another thing: the creation of "grass widower" appears to be an 
afterthought.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

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