LL-L 'Semantics' 2006.09.04 (03) [E]

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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
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L O W L A N D S - L * 04 September 2006 * Volume 03
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From: Luc Hellinckx [luc.hellinckx at gmail.com]
Subject: Etymology

Beste Karl-Heinz,

You wrote:

> > I wonder if LS stolt is closer to D stout or German stolz, brav in LS more E
> > brave or German/D brav/braaf.
> >
> > “Geil” is obviously also used in an agricultural context, we could also derive a
> > verb “geilen” In German this would be geilt-geilst-geilt-geilen-geilt-geilen. In
> > some German and Dutch varieties it would be „jeilt/jeild“. So I wonder, if the
> > English etymological equivalent is “yield”. What about that? Just a thought.

I think the "d" in yield gives it away; the German(ic) cognate should
also contain a dental sound, like "gelten" (~ Geld) in German for example.

Regarding "stout" and "brave", in English the meanings coincide into
something we would call "moedig", "dapper" in Dutch, "tapfer" in German.
The Dutch versions, "stout" and "braaf" are opposites however,
respectively "bad" and "good"; in German the meanings have also diverged
into "proud" and "good", but they are not opposites. I can't tell you
which side present day Low Saxon is on in this respect, but Middle Low
Saxon had "stolt" for "stolz" (G), not the negative moral qualification
it now has in Dutch.
Bear in mind though that morals do change, and what is once acceptable
may become objectionable a few centuries later (and vice versa). If you
take a look at the etymology of "proud" for example,

http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=proud

you can see that positive and negative senses of a word can get mixed up
(or not split, if you prefer). Again in English, "proud" can denote
somebody having moderate pride in something, but can also be said of
somebody displaying too much pride (being haughty). This is not the case
in Dutch (or Brabantish), where "fier" or "trots" bears little or no
negative judgment, whereas haughty people are "hoogmoedig" (D),
"hovaardig" (oevjäärig in Brabantish), "gruts" (B) (~ groots (D))...

Anyway, many emotions seem to revolve around the concept of "Mut" (G),
"moed" (D), and I found it interesting to read Wikipedia on this:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mut_%28Tugend%29

where you can find that the earlier meaning of "mutig" was along the
lines of "being in good spirits, hopeful" (quite unlike English
"moody"), but shifted to "Wagemut" during the World Wars. No doubt that
in the past, politics and religion have played a huge role in trying to
brand our emotions  ;-)  .

Kind greetings,

Luc Hellinckx

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

Hi, Luc!

> I can't tell you
> which side present day Low Saxon is on in this respect, 
> but Middle Low Saxon had "stolt" for "stolz" (G), not 
> the negative moral qualification it now has in Dutch.

In Northern Low Saxon of Germany:

stolt: proud, confident; grand, stately; portly; 
      lordly; overbearing; arrogant, uppety, haughty
      obstinate

moudig (modig): bold, courageous, brave, valiant

moud (Mood, Moot): boldness, courage, valor; mood, 
      disposition, penchant

kraascheyrd (kraascheert): bold, courageous, brave

kraasch (Kraasch): boldness, courage (< French _courage_)

Theoretically, LS should also have *_dapper_ for 'brave', related to Dutch
_dapper_ and German _tapfer_, also to English _dapper_ 'sharp(ly) dressed',
'snappy' (in reference to a male's clothing).  However, there's only _tapper_ in
the sense of 'brave', which I assume to be a phonologically adapted German loan. 

German uses _brav_ in the sense of 'well-behaved'.  This word does not occur in
Low Saxon dialects with which I'm familiar.  It's equivalents would be words like
_aardig_ (_oordig_, _orrig_), _goud_ (_good_), _wakker_ (_wacker_) and _fraam_
(which also means 'pious'; cf. German _fromm_).

Kumpelmenten,
Reinhard/Ron

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