LL-L "Etymology" 2006.01.03 (05) [E]

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   L O W L A N D S - L * 03 January 2006 * Volume 05
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From: David Barrow <davidab at telefonica.net.pe>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2006.01.03 (02) [E]

From: heather rendall <HeatherRendall at compuserve.com>
Subject: LL-L "Literature" 2005.01.02 (04) [LS]

Message text written by INTERNET:lowlands-l at LOWLANDS-L.NET

  Groytens to myn Macker<


Greetings to my ......... ?
Is this the same as Geordie 'Macker' = mate, friend?
(not sure how Geordie spells it)
Heather

Happy New Year from Worcester

---------- 

From: R. F. Hahn
Subject: Etymology

And a happy 2006 to you, Heather.

Indeed, indeed!  It *is* the very word with exactly the meaning you 
mentioned.  It is used in Low Saxon (_Macker_, _makker_), in Missingsch 
(_Macker_, _Maggä_) and also in Dutch (_makker_).

Isn't it also _marra_ in Geordie?

So, what about the etymology and the connections?  It seems to be a mystery, 
to some degree at least.  What do Dutch dictionaries say?  The _Oxford 
English Dictionary_ lists "macker" only as an Australianism denoting 'new 
recruit', 'greenhorn', 'newby', etc., and assumes it is based on "mac" 
derived from (Italian _mac(c)arone_ > Middle French _macaron_ >) "macaroon" 
in the sense of 'buffoon', 'blockhead', 'dolt', etc., also 'fob'.  There is 
no mention of Northumbrian.

Might the connection go back to "Flemish" garment workers in Britain or, 
perhaps more likely, to Continental workers in the Toon's (i.e., 
Newcastle's) steel industry?

Aye, it's a mystery, ye knaa. But there ought te be a git juicy story bheend 
it, summat te dee wi the "ordinary" Jo an his unwritten language. Glenn, 
dyer knaa owt aboot the story o "macker" (an "marra") in yer neck o the 
woods, kiddah?

Reinhard/Ron
Any relation to dialectical 'make' from OE gemaca?

from Bosworth & Toller:

ge-maca, an; m. and f. A mate, an equal, companion; par, socius :- Gemaca 
hic et hæc par, Ælfc. Gr. 9; Som. 9, 50. Of eallum nýtenum ealles flǽsces 
twegen gemacan of all beasts two of the same kind, male and female, Gen. 6, 
19. [Laym. i-maken : O. Sax. ge-maco : O. H. Ger. ka-mahho socius.] DER. 
fyrd-, heáfod-gemaca. [Cf. ge-mæcca.]

ge-mæcca, -mæccea, an; m. and f. A companion, mate, consort, husband or wife 
:- Twegen turturan gemæccan a pair of turtle doves, Blickl. Homl. 23, 27. Ne 
eart ðú ðon leófre nǽngum lifigendra menn to gemæccan ðonne se swearta hrefn 
thou art not any dearer to any living man as mate than the swart raven, 
Exon. 99 a; Th. 370, 6; Seel. 53. Boga sceal strǽle sceal mon to gemæccan a 
bow must have an arrow, a man must to his mate, Exon. 91 b; Th. 343, 10; Gn. 
Ex. 155. Gemæcca conjunx, Ælfc. Gr. 28; Som. 31, 54. Gif wíf wiþ óðres 
gemæccan hǽmþ si mulier cum alterius conjuge adulteraverit, L. Ecg. P. iii. 
10; Th. ii. 186, 7. Be Euan his gemæccan by Eve his wife, Gen. 4, 1 : 28, 1 
: Homl. Th. ii. 498, 26. He onféng hys gemæccean accepit conjugem suam, Mt. 
Bos. 1, 24. [O. H. Ger. gi-mahha conjux.] Cf. ge-maca.

This second variant gave us 'match'

David Barrow 

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