LL-L "Idiomatica" 2007.05.30 (04) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  30 May 2007 - Volume 04

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From: Mark Dreyer <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
Subject: LL-L "Idiomatica" 2007.05.30 (02) [D/E]

 Dear Ronald, Jonny, Hugo, Diederik, Reuben & All:

Subject: LL-L "Idiomatica"

(Referring to the subject quoted below). Just my little gobbet to throw in
the stew; In Afrikaans we say of one who 'died in the field of slaughter'
"Hy het in die slag gebly", as well as referring to other (less drastic)
matters we wish to describe in the same sense. A more conventional usage of
'bly' follows, "Hy het op die plaas gebly", either 'He lived on the farm' or
'He remained on the farm' depending on context: Remain or Dwell.

By the way, is there (there must surely be) another Lowlands language using
a word like "sneuwel" as in 'Hy is op Spioenkop gesneuwel' - He died in
battle on Spioenkop.

 Reuben replies:

My understanding of the term 'doot bliewen' means to die. It appears to
have originated among the north coastal Low Saxons of Germany, many
of whom engaged in fishing and general seafaring. Some who engaged
in seafaring failed to return. In such case family members referred to
occurence as 'opp See bläwen.' This simply meant that the missing person
had died at sea. Apparently, this later developed into 'doot blieven.'

Yrs,
Mark
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