LL-L 'Etymology' 2006.12.13 (06) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L * 13 December 2006 * Volume 06
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From: Andy Eagle <andy at scots-online.org>
Subject:  LL-L 'Etymology' 2006.12.13 (01) [E/F/LS]

Heather wrote:
> jonny  writes
>
>>I remembered an LS-expression of my youth: _ticken_, even 'Ticken
>>spielen',
>>which exactly means 'to touch (someone)'. We used this word when we played
>>different outdoor-games; if you 'ticked' someone you symbolically had
>>captured him.
>
> Jonny
>
> This game is called 'Tig' in English playgrounds! Isn't that great - we
> have
> lost all other original meanings / words but the children have kept this
> one alive!
> Brilliant!

> re the game of 'Tig' - I was talking this over with my mother (90yrs old)
> and she remembered it as 'Tag' instead.
> We then wondered whether 'to tag along' or 'to tag on to someone' were
> related
> - with the idea of touching and taking hold of someone  and not letting
> go.
> ......( like the magic goose story!)

The form tig is perhaps a variant of tick: to touch or tap lightly, mark
with a dash etc. cf. LS tikk, Dutch tik, MHG zic, Norw. tikke.

Tag may simply be another variant or perhaps another word 'tag' in the sense
of attaching a 'tag' to someone. Perhaps a form of tack: a fastening, clasp,
nail etc.

Andy

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From: hennobrandsma at HETNET.NL
Subject:  LL-L 'Etymology' 2006.12.13 (01) [E/F/LS]

> From: helgetietz at YAHOO.COM
> Subject: Etymology
>
> The word "to take" was introduced from Scandinavia into the English
> language, there it is commonly "tar" as e.g. Swedish "Jag tar en av
> dina cykler" and to me that somehow sounds more related to
> Westphalian  "tein" for  " to pull" (instead of trecken as it is
> further North), in standart German it is "ziehen". I can see a
> connection there  rather than "to touch".
>
> [Helge Tietz]

I don't think it's related. "tein" / "ziehen" is from a large family
of verbs:
Dutch "tijgen" (still in "geboren en getogen" = born and raised),
West. Frisian "tsjen" (Old Frisian tia), all
from Old Germanic "teuhan", where -h- also surfaces as a -g- sound
(as in Dutch, or in the past tense in Frisian: teach).
It is also related to Dutch teug/ toog, German "Zug", WF "tûch" etc,
via ablaut.
Not a -k- in sight, so quite a different stem. Also pull != take.

Regards,

Henno Brands
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