LL-L "Language varieties" 2007.09.09 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L List]

L O W L A N D S - L  -  09 September 2007 - Volume 01
Song Contest: lowlands-l.net/contest/ (- 31 Dec. 2007)
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From: Paul Finlow-Bates <wolf_thunder51 at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2007.09.08 (01) [E]

From: Elsie Zinsser < ezinsser at icon.co.za>
Subject: LL-L "Language varieties" 2007.09.07 (08) [E]

Hi all,

I agree, Paul, but you are forgetting the fact that the first speakers of
proto-Afrikaans
were not European visitors but indigenous Khoi people and slaves from
Indonesia and
Guam (with surnames such as Badrodien), trying to communicate using the
linguistic
and dialectic mix of the new visitors/rulers and resulting in a massive
simplified tongue.

I think it was Edith Raidt who suggested that Afrikaans first developed
amongst women
and children!

By 1700, current characteristics (such as the double negative, dropping of
verb ending –en
as in 'belas' instead of 'belasten', and 'die' replacing 'de' and 'het')
were already established,
so the influence of French and German was doubtful, but for the surnames of
the new arrivals.

Regards,
Elsie Zinsser
 Baie dankie vir die inligting Elsie.

That seems amazingly early! less than 60 years after Jan van Riebeeck's
first colony, and it raises a couple of questions:  Does this show just how
fast linguistic change can occur, or is it evidence of Dutch or other
Lowlands presence in southern Africa before the "official" date?

Paul Finlow-Bates
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