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Some time ago, we had a discussion on the connotations that can go with right and left. zmjezhd's mention of Low Franconian made me realize that very often, if I see low-something, I think lesser, not as good; and that if I see high-something, I'll think lofty, better. Am I the only one who does this, and if not, how did high and low come to carry these overtones of better/not so good?
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I hasten to add the the low in Low Franconian, Low German, etc., is in reference, not to these languages stature or prestige, but to their situation in the Low Countries (Netherlands, Niederland) as opposed to the highlands: cf. Upper and Lower Lusatia, Lower Saxony, etc. Sometimes, instead of flat plains (or steppes) and high mountains, it's just a reference to north and south.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Doesn't it all depend on the -something that comes after 'high'
or 'low'?
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Doesn't it all depend on the -something that comes after 'high' or 'low'?Yes, high times are distinct and different from High Martian.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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Depends on what one considers high times.
Martian adjective of Mars? Why not Marsian?
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Why not Marsian?
The planet's name is from Roman god of war, Mars, the oblique form of which is Mart-, as in Martian, martial (arts), and round-aboutly March.
And the adjectival form of Venus is Venereal, though many baulk and write or say Venusian. What about a war between the Martians and the Venereans?
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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They would probably band together and whip Uranus.
Last edited by TEd Remington; 04/20/07 06:30 PM.
TEd
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I hasten to add the the low in Low Franconian, Low German, etc., is in reference, not to these languages stature or prestige, but to their situation in the Low Countries (Netherlands, Niederland) as opposed to the highlands: cf. Upper and Lower Lusatia, Lower Saxony, etc. Sometimes, instead of flat plains (or steppes) and high mountains, it's just a reference to north and south. Apparently we posted to Jackie at approx. the same moment. And from a different understanding. That's interesting. Do you mean by this that Hoch-Deutsch was spoken in the northern parts and Nieder-Deutsch in the south of Germany? I know the term Neder-Duits, but never really knew the facts. I only have no idea from where Mars comes in , but fortunately TEd wheeled an interstellar war off. (poor Uranus).
Last edited by BranShea; 04/20/07 07:29 PM.
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Do you mean by this that Hoch-Deutsch was spoken in the northern parts and Nieder-Deutsch in the south of Germany?No, I meant that Low German was spoken in the flat lowlands in the North (Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern) and High German in the mountainous areas (Central and Southern Germany). Technically, there are some German dialects called Central German (or Mitteldeutsch) in a sort of buffer between Niederdetusch and Hochdeutsch. Kölsch and Bönnsch are Central German (Franconian) dialects, spoken in Cologne and Bonn respectively. They share some characteristics with Dutch and Low German: e.g., Kölsch hä ~ High German er 'he', Appel ~ Apfel 'apple', et ~ es 'it', wat ~ was 'what', etc.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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and whip Uranus
Uranus is from the Greek god Ουρανος (Ouranos), which is also the Greek word for 'sky' from the PIE root *wer- 'higher place', cf. Old English wer-nægl 'abscess, blain; ulcer', Middle Irish farr 'pole, post, stanchion', Welsh gwar 'neck, nape' (< *wṛsā-).
Latin ānus 'ring; anus' is from PIE *āno- 'ring', only two cognates are Armenian anur 'necklace; ring' and Old Irish āinne 'ring; anus' (< *ānīnjo-). Not to be confused with the 4th declension anus 'old woman, hag' from PIE *an- 'male or female ancestors' (onomatopoeic), cf. New High German Ahn '(great) grand-father'.
I'll pass over the German for 'necklace' (Halsband) or the rings around Saturn (or Kronos, i.e., Uranus' son) Saturnringe in silence.
Ceci n'est pas un seing.
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