LL-L "Semantics" 2011.11.20 (02) [EN]

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 L O W L A N D S - L - 20 November 2011 - Volume 02
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From: Ed Alexander edsells at cogeco.ca
 <mrdreyer at lantic.net>
 Subject: LL-L "Semantics" 2011.11.20 (01) [EN]

At 05:40 PM 20/11/2011, Mark or Ruth wrote:

I have difficulty with the word 'dear'*=*'valuable' being originally
associated with 'deer'='animal'.


I submit that in fact they were not associated originally, and come from
separate IE roots.

>From the Online Etymological Dictionary:

*DEER*  O.E. deor "animal, beast," from P.Gmc. *deuzam, the general
Germanic word for "animal" (as opposed to man), but often restricted to
"wild animal" (cf. O.Fris. diar, Du. dier, O.N. dyr, O.H.G. tior, Ger. Tier
"animal," Goth. dius "wild animal," also cf.
reindeer<http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=reindeer&allowed_in_frame=0>),
from PIE *dheusom "creature that breathes," from *dheu- (1) "cloud, breath"
(cf. Lith. dusti "gasp," dvesti "gasp, perish;" O.C.S. dychati "breathe;"
cf. L. animal from anima "breath"), from base *dheu-. Sense specialization
to a specific animal began in O.E. (usual O.E. for what we now call a deer
was heorot; see
hart<http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?term=hart&allowed_in_frame=0>),
common by 15c., now complete. Probably via hunting, deer being the favorite
animal of the chase (cf. Skt. mrga- "wild animal," used especially for
"deer"). Deer-lick is first attested 1778, in an American context.

*DEAR *O.E. deore "precious, valuable, costly, loved, beloved," from P.Gmc.
*deurjaz (cf. O.S. diuri, O.N. dyrr, O.Fris. diore, M.Du. dure, Du. duur,
O.H.G. tiuri, Ger. teuer), ultimate origin unknown. Used interjectorily
since 1690s. As a polite introductory word to letters, it is attested from
mid-15c. As a noun, from late 14c., perhaps short for dear one, etc.

Ed Alexander, on Manitoulin Island, where the annual deer hunt starts on
Monday.

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From: Hellinckx Luc luc.hellinckx at gmail.com
  Subject: LL-L "Semantics"

Beste Mark,

You wrote:

 As for "Lob" & "Preis": English "praise" & "prize" (now this is getting
interesting) with which I associate with Afrikaans "lof" & "prys", my
Kritzinger, Steyn, Schoonees & Cronje (Afrikaanse Woordeboek. Vertalend,
Afrikaans : Engels) has this to offer. 'Lof' = praise, eulogy,
commendation, laudation. 'Prys' = price, value, cost, charge, award,
premium, prize, praise &c.

The first, 'lof', may be a tribute but it is not a commodity. The second,
'prys', may be, but is it a synonym altogether? Not inevitably.

We still offer Lof & Prys to God.


Or to merchandise.

As is the case in the Brabantish expression: "loven en bieden" (loven en
bieëen ~ love and bid). It's an old one (attested in 1380 already), used to
describe the haggling between seller and byer. A seller will usually praise
his ware (loven is not coincidentally cognate with "to love" (E)), while
the potential byer may make an offer (a bid).

I have a feeling that words like "cheap", "love", "praise" and "dear" were
rather market-terms, before they were religiously/morally reinterpreted.

"Free" on the other hand looks like a more original word-complex that was
connected with what we label "love" these days. Note:

   - vrijen (D): to make love
   - friend (E): ami-go (Spanish)
   - fri: Old Saxon for "woman"
   - Frieden (G): peace
   - Freyja: goddess of love

Kind greetings,

Luc Hellinckx, Halle, Belgium


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