LL-L 'Etymology' 2006.10.27 (01) [E/LS]

[Lowlands-L]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 27 October 2006 * Volume 01
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From: 'jonny' [jonny.meibohm at arcor.de]
Subject: LL-L 'Lexicon' 2006.10.26 (05) [LS/German]

Beste Utz,

Du schreevst:

> kiek maal bi Harte rin: fletig
>
> Sass seggt to 'fließend Wasser': fleten Water.
Ick gloyv, beid' Woyr meynt eyder 'fließen(d)' as 'flüssig' (s. auch 'Fleet':
Abfluss f. Oberflächen-Wasser).

Dat enkelde Wourd, dat woll in siin oul'n, oorsprongligen Sinn 'flüssig' meynt,
is doch 'floytig'. Man- vandoog hett dat eyn anner, speziellen Bedüüden kreygen:
'unsolide', 'schlampig (hergestellt)', eben: 'nicht fest'(=flüssig... kiek!!).


Best' Greutens

Johannes "Jonny" Meibohm

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From: R. F. Hahn [sassisch at yahoo.com]
Subject: Etymology

Moyn, Jonny!

I believe you're generally right, but I think this takes some tweaking.

It seems to me that _vleytig_ (_fletig_) for (adjectival) 'liquid', 'fluid' is
logical in that the Low Saxon cognate of German _Fluss_ 'run (of liquids)',
'river' (related to _fließen_ 'to flow' = Low Saxon _vleyten_ (_fleten_)) does
not have a rounded vowel: _vleyt_ (_Fleet_) '(city) canal', 'open water channel'
(the equivalent of _gracht_ in the Netherlands).  

Hamburg German has borrowed the Low Saxon word to distinguish this special city
feature from German _Fluss_. The Low Saxon word for 'river' is _stroom_ (_Stroom_).

> Dat enkelde Wourd, dat woll in siin oul'n, oorsprongligen Sinn 'flüssig' meynt, 
> is doch 'floytig'. Man- vandoog hett dat eyn anner, speziellen Bedüüden kreygen: 
> 'unsolide', 'schlampig (hergestellt)', eben: 'nicht fest'(=flüssig... kiek!!).

This _vloytig_ (_flötig_) appears to be the cognate of German _flötzig_ with the
same meaning: 'sloppy', 'slovenly', 'sleazy', 'slutty'.

In this connection there are interesting subtleties in Old German:

flōzēn ~ flōzōn ~ fliozan : to flow, to run (of liquid), to sway -- intransitive
     *Old Saxon: flōtian ~ flōtōn ~ fliotan
     *Old English: flotian, fléotan
     *Old Low Franconian: flietan

flōzen (1) : to cause to flow or run -- transitive
     *Old Saxon: flōtian

flōzen (2) : to be overbearing/arrogant, to let oneself go -- intransitive

flōzlīh(ho) :  overbearing, arrogant, wanton, elated, silly, foolish

fluzzīg : liquid, fluid (adjectival)
     *Old Saxon: fluti (nominal & adjectival)
     * Old English: fléotig 'swift', 'fast'

Old Saxon:

fliot : river, canal

Roland, I think it was you who in this connection brought up 'diligent' (German
_fleißig_, Dutch _vlijtig_, West Flemish _vlietig_, Low Saxon _vlytig_
(_flietig_).  Here a few data to that:

Old Saxon:

flīt : diligence, zeal
flītan : to busy oneself, to make an effort to compete
flītlīk : diligent, zealous

Old German:

flīz : diligence, zeal
flīzan ~ flīzen : to busy oneself, to make an effort to compete
flīzīg ~ flīzlīh : diligent, zealous, busy
flīzlīhho : diligent, zealous, striving, curious
flīza : complaint, argument
flīzantī : struggle, fight

Old English:

flīte : diligence, zeal, competition, struggle
flītan : to strive, to compete, to struggle, to fight
flit : argument, discord

Kumpelmenten,
Reinhard/Ron


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