prat(t) (but not Siouan)

[Alan H. Hartley]

> I believe a lot of English nautical terminology is of "recent" Dutch
> origin (1500s on?).

That's right. I think nautical borrowings from Dutch occurred mostly in
the late Middle English to early Modern Eng. period (i.e., up till early
17c.) The borrowing accompanied the dominance of the Hanseatic trading
network in the Baltic and North Sea.

> his knowledge of
> both shipping and etymology in a professional sense is far ahead of mine

John is too kind. I (and the OED) owe much more (especially in the way
of ethnonym etymologies) to him and other Siouan list members than he to me!

Alan