LL-L "Etymology" 2007.04.27 (02) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  27 April 2007 - Volume 02

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From: Jonny Meibohm <altkehdinger at freenet.de>
Subject: LL-L "Language maintenance" 2007.04.25 (04) [F]

Beste Lowlanners,

Henno schreyv:

> Ik soe "deen" *sizze* en net "daan"

I'm wondering about the word *'sizze'*, which I guess to be cognate with E:
'to seize'.

Mr. Harper writes in his OED (in accordance with "Ask Oxford"):

*quote:*
1265, from O.Fr. (=Old French[added by J.M.]) seisir "to put in possession
of, to take possession of," from L.L. sacire (since 700 A.D.[added by J.M.])
, generally held to be from a Gmc. source, perhaps from Frankish
*sakjan"lay claim to" (cf. Goth.
sokjan, O.E. secan "to seek;" ...), or from P.Gmc. *satjan "to place" (see set
(v.)). Originally a legal term in ref. to feudal property holdings or
offices. Meaning "to grip with the hands or teeth" is from c.1300; that of
"to take possession by force or capture" (of a city, etc.) is from 1338.
Fig. use, with ref. to death, disease, fear, etc. is from c.1381. Meaning
"to grasp with the mind" is attested from 1855. Of engines or other
mechanisms, attested from 1878.
*unquote*

So this word came from its Germanic roots via Latin after a short rest in
France into English?
And how did it reach Frisland? As an early Anglicism?

Or is it me being on the wrong track?

Allerbest!

Jonny Meibohm

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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Jonny, W. Frisian sizze has nothing to do with "seize."  It's the cognate of
Low Saxon seggen, Dutch zeggen, Afrikaans sê, Limburgish zèkge,
English sayand Scots
say.

When looking at Frisian data, and at W. Frisian data in particular, you need
to bear in mind that under certain conditions velars became palatalized and
under special conditions fricativized as well; e.g.,

LFries = Dutch = LSax  = Eng

gjien = geen = keyn = (no(ne))
fregje = vragen = vragen = (to ask)

fiskje = vissen = vischen = to fish

krieje = kriegen = krygen = (to get)

sizze = zeggen = seggen = to say
lizze = leggen = leggen = to lay

tsiis = kaas = keys' = cheese

Reinhard/Ron
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