LL-L "Etymology" 2007.10.09 (05) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L  -  08 October 2007 - Volume 05
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: Andrys Onsman <Andrys.Onsman at calt.monash.edu.au>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2007.10.09 (02) [E]

> OK, Reinhard,
> knaster = tobacco.
> But where did you get this word?
>
> vr.gr <http://vr.gr/>.
> Theo Homan

OK, but surely "maars" for backside is more Geordie than Lower Saxon? As
in "Kiss maars"?

Andrys

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

That shouldn't be brushed aside as impossible, Andrys, what with North
German trade with Newcastle and all.

However, the consensus seems to be that it came from the time when the
language still had it's old dative form, thus an dem -> an 'em > am 'on the'
(masculine) vs modern an den -> an'n -- hence am Aars > 'm Aars > Maars.
Since long /a/ is pronounced "o"-like (especially in Lower Elbe dialects),
the word tends to be written Mors.

Being highly cultured, refined and genteel people, we have incorporated this
word in a greeting ritual between Hamburgers meeting elsewhere:

A: Hummel, Hummel!
B: Mors, Mors!

It goes back to a 19th-century Hamburg water seller nicknamed "Hummel"
(although his real name was Johann Wilhelm Bentz -- go figure!). This Hummel
could be a right old Knasterbaard, especially when street urchins teased
him, jumping about him shouting "Hummel! Hummel!" which he would answer with
"Mors! Mors!"

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron

•

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