02 June 2012

Forum # 23 (apr. 25 - mei 16, 2012)


Posted 25 April 2012 - 03:55 PM
Two photographs of the original that have not been posted here yet.
Posted 27 April 2012 - 06:09 AM
View PostKnul, on 26 April 2012 - 11:48 PM, said:
You should have a look at my renewed website: www.rodinbook.nl .
Looks much better, well done.
I saw something you might want to reconsider.

"Neem nimmer kniebuigende van uw naaste dank aan, deze behoort aan Wralda's geest."
=> never kneel when you accept thanks

What makes more sense: that the one who thanks kneels, or the one who receives thanks?
It's the one that thanks who kneels, not the one who accepts it.

Therefore I think it should be:
"Neem nimmer kniebuigende-dank van uw naaste aan, ..."
=> never accept "kneeling thanks"
=> be modest in accepting thanks from your friends when you have helped them, don't let them kneel or otherwise exaggerate

Posted 28 April 2012 - 08:54 PM
View PostKnul, on 27 April 2012 - 09:59 PM, said:
I am not sure. The idea is, that one should only bow for Wralda, not for anyone else. s. Letterkundige Verlustingen p. 363http://books.google....uigend"&f=false .
Does one ever kneel when accepting thanks?
That just doesn't make sense IMO.

Your translation says (paraphrased):
"Never kneel when you accept thanks from your friends. They should thank Wralda."

It think that what was ment is this:
"Never let your friends kneel for you out of gratitude. Let them rather thank Wralda."

There is normal "thanks", and there is "kneebending-thanks" or "kneeling-thanks".
You don't want your friends to kneel for you in gratitude, that's embarrassing.
Let them rather thank God and help you next time.
You're not gonna kneel for them either, are you?

Posted 28 April 2012 - 09:37 PM
From "Frieslands Oudheid" (Friesland's antiquity) by H. Halbertsma (2000), p.33-34 (my improvised translation):

Suetonius writes [...] that Drusus returned to Rome in 11 BC, urged by Augustus [...]. But Augustus' plan, the conquest of total Germania up to the Elbe, had not succeeded yet, so Drusus moved down the Rhine once more in 9 BC, for the fourth time. At this last occasion, he marched through the area of the Chatti and Suebi to that of the Cherusci, in the basin of the mid-Weser. After having crossed this river, he only returned after having reached the Elbe. According to Cassius Dio, he would have made a U-turn, after a Latin speaking, Germanic woman of superhuman dimensions had prophesied his early death. Still deeply in Germanic territory, he broke his fibula when falling from his horse, his blood got poisoned as a result, causing his death 30 days later [...] on the 14th of September in the year 9 BC. Said Suetonius.

Tall, educated women that make prophecies.
Where have we read that before?

Posted 29 April 2012 - 09:46 AM
View PostKnul, on 29 April 2012 - 12:37 AM, said:
Halbertsma zegt hiervan: ‘De knieval als uitdrukking der overmachtige indruk van verbrijzeling en vernedering voor de troon van de oneindige, was het enige gebaar dat de Doopsgezinden maakten.'
Compare: Revelation 19:10

And I fell at his feet to worship him. 
And he said unto me, 
See thou do it not: 
I am thy fellow servant, 
and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: 
worship God: 
for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
(King James Bible (Cambridge Ed.))

Posted 29 April 2012 - 10:00 AM
View PostVan Gorp, on 28 April 2012 - 10:58 PM, said:
This reminds me of an episode of Simon Stevin's TSamespraeck between Ian and Pieter -> E V E R E D E N H E Y T.
Simon Stevin saw the Duytsch language as most appropriate for science because of the "Duidelijkheid" (Direct Significance) of the words used.
One syllable words are more common in Dietsch than in Latin/Greek.
By this and their clear understanding, he and others claim Dietsch to be older and more authentic.
I agree, this is a very good point.
Thank you for the text and your translation, Van Gorp.

Posted 02 May 2012 - 06:44 PM
The English Wiki page about the OLB starts like this (my underlinings):
The Oera Linda Book is a 19th century manuscript written in Old Frisian. It purports to cover historical, mythological, and religious themes of remote antiquity, compiled between 2194 BC and AD 803.

The second underlined part will give any new reader the impression that it is very unlikely that the manuscript is authentic, but it is incorrect:
The manuscript is supposed to have been compiled in the 6th century BCE, with some parts added later (ca. 300 BCE and ca. 'year zero'), and two copyist letters from 803 CE and 1256 CE.
So the timespan in which it would have been compiled is ca. 600 years, NOT 3000 years as suggested on Wikipedia.

The first sentence, that it "is a 19th century manuscript" is also dubious, as is proven with the following:

Jensma (2004) p.16 about OLB's reception history (my translation and underlining):
"It was the beginning of a discussion that has not ended up until today. In this debate the same questions keep coming back.Is the book authentic or not? If it is not authentic, is it a forgery or a mystification? Who is the author? What is his motive? Although many through the years have thought to have found the solution, up until now no-one has succeeded in demonstrating convincingly enough how things really are, that the case can be considered to be solved."

Original text:
"Het was het begin van een discussie die tot op de dag van vandaag wordt gevoerd. In dat debat duiken steeds weer dezelfde vragen op. Is het boek echt of niet? Als het niet echt is, is het dan een vervalsing of een mystificatie? Wie is de auteur? Wat is zijn motief? Hoewel er velen in de loop van de tijd hebben gedacht dat ze dé [sic] oplossing hadden gevonden, is er tot op heden niemand in geslaagd om op een zo overtuigende wijze te laten zien hoe de zaak dan werkelijk in elkaar heeft gestoken, dat de zaak als opgelost kan worden beschouwd."

Jensma in his study did not ask the question whether the manuscript is authentic or not, he simply assumed it is fake.
And his solution, that Haverschmidt, Verwijs and Over de Linden would have concocted it together, also didn't convince the experts, as I have showed earlier:

View PostOtharus, on 14 October 2010 - 04:49 PM, said:
Goffe Th. Jensma wrote a thesis about the OLB and is generally accepted to be the 'official authority' on the subject.
...
3. Whether the OLB is (partly) a genuine source or not was not one of his research questions, the focus was on who could have made it up and why.
4. At a public discussion on the occasion of his promotion, none of the speakers agreed with his conclusion that François Haverschmidt must have been the genius behind OLB. (see below)
...
ad 4
Source: Leeuwarder Courant, friday 10 december 2004
Dutch title of article: "Van het Oera Linda-boek, de Friese kip en de zeespiegel"

Translation of relevant fragment (by me):

"Although the speakers without exception praised Jensma's work, he had not been able to convince any of them of his truth that François Haverschmidt is the main author of the OLB."

Original fragment in Dutch:
"Hoewel de sprekers zonder uitzondering vol lof waren over het werk van Jensma, had hij niemand kunnen overtuigen van zijn waarheid dat François Haverschmidt de belangrijkste auteur van het Oera Linda-boek is."

Therefore, the Wiki-page needs to be revised, and made more neutral.
OLB is claimed but still not proven to be a 19th century manuscript.

I have said this before: if the paper would really be that young, it should be possible to prove that within one week. But they have been examining it for several years now, and still no clear answer! 

Posted 02 May 2012 - 09:01 PM
Another important fragment from "De Gemaskerde God" (The Masked God) by Goffe Jensma (2004), foreword page 5 (my translation, for original see scan).

The Oera Linda-book is one of the most intriguing mystifications in the western history of literature, because it is not sure if it is oneVery many sources are available to write the history of this book and its author, and it is fascinating that thosesources constantly keep contradicting each other in all possible waysTime and again they want to be reread and rearranged, and every time they try to upset the researcher again and drive him insaneFor almost one and a half century the book succeeds in doing that. Nobody knows for sure what exactly the book purports, let alone who wrote itSome see it as a confused story or a corny students joke, others believe in it as if it were a religious text and refuse to accept it as a mystification.


Conclusions:

It is not sure if the manuscript is a mystification, and it has driven many researchers insane.
This means it is not at all as obviously fake as is usually suggested, for example on Wikipedia!
Considering the huge scientific value it would have if it would be authentic, OLB deserves a serious examination.

If it would be fake, this should really be very easy to establish.
The fact that this appears to NOT be easy at all, can only mean one thing IMO.
It has to be authentic.

Several scholars would suffer a terrible loss of face now.

Posted 02 May 2012 - 09:58 PM

One more Demosthenic fragment from "De Gemaskerde God" (The Masked God) by Goffe Jensma (2004), page 17-18 (my translation, for original see scan).

A good example of a researcher with a dilemma, is professor W. Hellinga from Amsterdam. Initially this famous codicologist did not want to be pushed into the role of detective, and he had a different - possibly more prudent - point of view. The value of the OLB-affair, he believed, was 'in the debate between supporters and opponents of the document's authenticity. For that reflects a piece of culture- and science-history.'
But he got caught up in the case, so the detective in him pushed the prudent filologist aside. Together with his students he took the train to Leeuwarden in 1958, to unravel all collected sources in the library and archives. 'Professor Hellinga about to tackle the OLB-mystery with 18 students', was a headline in the Frisian newspaper. "Never before has someone approached this intriguing job with so much 'concentrated power' as prof.dr. W.Gs. Hellinga." All relevant sources were traced and examined. The quest failed miserably. Hellinga could or dared no longer suggest a solution. It is known from letters and reports of lectures, that he entertained suspicions in the direction of a certain Stadermann, an escaped German revolutionary, who had not been considered a possible candidate before. A three page article in a memorial book two years later was the end result. 'Renewal of the Oera-Linda Bôk study' it was titled. The investigation had changed nothing at all.The only difference was, that what two years earlier fermly had been termed 'investigation', was now played down as a 'pilot study by eightteen students'. Hellinga afterwards never again touched the subject.


Posted 05 May 2012 - 10:41 AM

Prof.dr. G.Th. Jensma (2004) Groningen University:
"The Oera Linda-book is one of the most intriguing mystifications in the western history of literature, because it is not sure if it is one." (1)

'Dbachmann' (2010), editor of the English Wikipedia-page about the OLB (in "talk"-section):
"I find it hard to believe that anyone took this as "genuine" even in the 1800s. I suppose there were cranks and fools then as now, but just as tend to disregard contemporary crackpots under WP:DUE, I find it difficult to believe that people who thought this was in any way "genuine" back in the 1870s carry any sort of weight. To anyone with half an education and half a brain this must have been as obvious back in 1870 as it is now."

prof.dr. W.Gs. Hellinga (ca.1958), University of Amsterdam:
"The value and meaning of the OLB-affair is in the debate between supporters and opponents of the document's authenticity. For that reflects a piece of culture- and science-history." (2) ~ ~ ~
Original quotes:
(1) "Het Oera Linda-boek is één van de meest intrigerende mystificaties uit de westerse literatuurgeschiedenis, want is het dat wel?"
(2) "De waarde en de betekenis van de Oera Linda-boek-affaire ligt in de strijd van de voor- en tegenstanders van de echtheid van het document. Daarin weerspiegelt zich namelijk een stuk cultuur- en wetenschapsgeschiedenis."
Posted 05 May 2012 - 10:52 AM
In my experience, the participants in a debate who use the strongest language to discredit their opponents, are usually not the ones that turn out to be right.


Posted 09 May 2012 - 09:59 PM
[131/28] THA LÉKA ÀND BRÉKA THÉR THA BROK.MANNA MITHBROCHT HÀVE

Could this word be related to the tribe-name "Bructeri"?
~ ~ ~
Bructeri
Germanic tribe; uncertain etymology of the name; they were divided into the ‘small’ and the ‘large’ B. (Str. 7,1,3f.; Ptol. 2,11,6f.; 9) and settled between IJssel, Lippe and the upper reaches of the Ems, or rather between the upper reaches of the Ems and the Weser. Defeated by Drusus in 12 BC, they took part in the fight against Varus, and, with their seer Veleda, were involved in the Batavian revolt. After AD 98, they were decimated by the Chamavi and Angrivarii and driven…

http://referencework...ructeri-e220530

Posted 10 May 2012 - 06:19 PM
View PostAbramelin, on 10 May 2012 - 10:19 AM, said:
Veleda was a völva (priestess and prophet) of the Germanic tribe of the Bructeri 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veleda
Veleda in Ottema's introduction (1876):
... de prototype van de Romeinsche Vestadienst en de Vestaalsche maagden.
Men denke hierbij aan Velleda (Welda) en Aurinia bij Tacitus Germ. 8 Hist. IV. 61. 65. V. 22. 24. Annal. I. 51 en Gauna de opvolgster van Velleda bij Dio Cassius fragm. 49.
Van de burgt van Velleda spreekt Tacitus als eene edita turris; Verg. hier bl. 146.

In Sandbach's translation:
... the prototype of the Roman Vestal Virgins.
We are reminded here of Velleda (Welda) and Aurinia in Tacitus ("Germania," 8. Hist., iv. 61, 65; v. 22, 24. "Annals," L 54), and of Gauna, the successor of Velleda, in Dio Cassius (Fragments, 49). Tacitus speaks of the town of Velleda as "edita turris," page 146.


Quote
brook (n.)
"small stream," O.E. broc "flowing stream, torrest," of obscure origin, probably from P.Gmc. *broka- which yielded words in German (Bruch) and Dutch (broek) that have a sense of "marsh." In Sussex and Kent, it means "water-meadow," and in plural, "low, marshy ground."

Westfrisian villages with "broek": Lutjebroek, Grootebroek, Hensbroek, Broek op Langedijk.

Posted 10 May 2012 - 06:37 PM
View PostAbramelin, on 10 May 2012 - 12:03 PM, said:
...their king, or visible Uald.
...
Uald is of Germanic origin.
The OLB version of this word is WELD.
A few examples:

VNDER.ET WELD THES MAGÍ
THAT.ER WELDIG SKOLDE WERTHA VR.ET ÉLLE LÁND
THRVCH THÀT WELD SYNRA WÉPNE
WELDIGE LYDA
OVIR ELLA WILDE HJU WELDA
ÀT WELD THAT FON JO UT.GONG
ÉVIN FRY BILYVA FON VNFRYA WELD
... etcetera.

So Weleda could have ment something like "powerful"?
Cornelis Over de Linden knew more about this word.


Posted 10 May 2012 - 08:15 PM
Kanttekeningen bij het OERA LINDA BOEK, by G.J. van der Meij (1978):

Nu, de Grave weet dit reeds in 1806 (1 I, p. 178) zij 't in verband met de geschiedenis der Brackmannen, welk volk uit de omgeving van Antwerpen, zich in de voortijd zou hebben bevonden aan de oevers van de Gangas (1 1, p. 1 70) en daar gekomen was vanuit Europa!’

Les Brackmannes sont forcés de convexer quilt sent eux-mémes étrangers au fords du Gange. Brackman keut donc d ire domme du Bracklant. La Brabant a porti autrefois Ie nom de Propontis el c'esl de la qua la mar grecque de Marmora a recu son nom de Propontide domme I'HeI Inspant de Hel Ie symbool de Hol land soaur de Phryxus (/a friseert.

Les Brackmannes étoient des long cautie d'études dans IeS gans qui s'excercoient dans les écoles et sent obligés de faire un colleges de leur université a Bénares (p. 173).

Niet alleen dat de Grave de Europese cultuur eerst naar India laat gaan en vandaar weer terug ziet keren naar Europa, welke denkbeelden 't OLB heeft overgenomen of zelfstandig heeft bedacht, de episode over de Brackmannen doet ons op onze qui-vive zijn wanneer 't OLB eveneens over de Brokmanna spreekt (p. 178).

In onze toelichting (haast. I I I) wezen wij de vertaling van Ottema als Brokmannen af. Wij zagen hierin 't woord’brukmen-gebruiken'' dat heel wel in de tekst van 't verhaal past. Maar misschien is de auteur ook wel geinspireerd geweest door de naam Brakmannen - de gareerden uit een vroeg tijdperk die naar Europa waren teruggekeerd (met hun leken en gebreken), plus het feit dat Strabo hen als een in India levende volksstam vermeldt.

De fantasieen gaan voort. De Engelsen zouden volgens de Grave in Benares nog een oud handschrift hebben ontdekt, waarin het Europese vaderland der Brakmannen (p. 176/1 78) zou zijn beschreven, terwijl hij er nogmaals op zinspeelt dat evenals nu onze zending en missie - voorheen toch ook wel Europese cultuurdragers naar Aziè kunnen zijn gegaan.

(from Knul's website)

Posted 11 May 2012 - 06:21 PM
View PostAbramelin, on 11 May 2012 - 01:45 PM, said:
Much of the explanations of these names are based on socalled 'folk etymology', or translating a foreign or simply unfamiliar word with something from your own language.
It would be interesting to know if there are other languages in which so many plausible 'folk etymologies' are possible.


Quote
And another thing: from Tacitus I understand the Sicambri were not living at the coasts.
So, either someone fabricated an etymology to explain Sicambri, or the Sekampar or not the same as the Sicambri.
That reasoning is flawed.

It is very well possible that the name originally meant Sea-warriors and that the tribe moved more inland later, keeping the name.

Just think of family names, for example:
People that are called "Van Dijk" don't have to live on or near a dike.
People with the name "De Boer" don't have to be farmers.

Posted 12 May 2012 - 10:50 AM
View PostAbramelin, on 12 May 2012 - 08:27 AM, said:
It's strange, then, that the OLB uses a word that can only mean 'leech' or 'blood sucker' :

... fol blodsûgar, pogga aend feniniga snâka...
This quote [079/07] is from the eastern wall of Fryasburch.
It was supposedly written '1005 years after Aldland sank' (ca. 1200 BCE).

The quote with VAMPIRA is from Minno's notes [035/13].
Minno was a contemporary of Nyhellénja a.k.a. Minerva.
She lived in the 6th century 'after Aldland sank' (ca. 1600 BCE).

OLB has many examples of different words with the same meaning.

BLODSUGAR is literally blood-sucker, the word VAMPIRA is unsure.
It would make sense though, if PIRA means 'worm' (dutch: pier).

Therefore, it is not at all strange that in OLB both VAMPIRA and BLODSUGAR are used as names for what we term "leach" (dutch: bloedzuiger).

Posted 13 May 2012 - 12:53 PM
View PostVan Gorp, on 13 May 2012 - 06:42 AM, said:
"Vampires had existed in folklore and legend for hundreds of years, back to ancient times."

But I also wondered where the word itself then originated.
That quote is interesting, but I wonder who said it, and on what base.
Anyway, it more than likely that the concept is much older than any known record of it.
Abe, I'd like to analyze your Vampire argument.

I think this is basically your drift:
It is obvious that a vampire as we know it was meant, 
which proves OLB must be fake, 
because that concept is a 19th century one.

Here's my drift:
1. Whether VAMPÍRA is translated with "leech" or with "vampire", in both cases it makes sense.
2. The etymology of "vampire" (dutch: vampier) is unknown. That suggests it is a very old word. Let us agree that language is much older than the oldest record of it. Since "pier" means worm, a plausible interpretation is, that "vampier" (a creature that sucks blood) originally meant a bloodsucking worm or leech (dutch: bloedzuiger => bloodsucker).
3. Even if whoever wrote that fragment had a vampire in mind of the type that we know from 19th century literature, that does not mean that the OLB has to be of later date. The word and concept may be thousands of years old.
4. Conclusion: this argument does not prove that OLB has to be a hoax.


Posted 16 May 2012 - 03:26 PM
View PostAbramelin, on 16 May 2012 - 03:17 PM, said:
I posted a long time ago that it could very well be that he wrote the OLB (or most of it) for his own pleasure and entertainment with no intention at all to have it published.
In that case, why would he never have spoken about it to his friends, family, colleagues?
If he had, it would have come out.
I think we can agree it is not something anyone could make in a rainy afternoon.
Quote
You know as well as I do that time is never a problem when you do what you love to do most.
In his case: collecting antiquities and publishing (and having his name printed with it)
As he said, what he would have loved most, is finish that dictionary.
Appearantly, he didn't have time enough for that.

THÀT BISÁWD VS


Posted 16 May 2012 - 05:32 PM
[124/04] Ljudgért's diary, ca. 300 BCE
THÀT BISÁWD.VS

This word appears only once in the OLB.
First the various translations.
So far, only Jensma's differs from the 1876 ones.

[1876 Ottema p.169]
Dat verbaasde ons

[1876 Sandbach]
This astounded us 

[2006 Jensma]
Dat ontstelde ons (that startled us)

Overwijn (1951), De Heer (2008) and Knul (2012): as Ottema
Raubenheimer (2011): as Sandbach
Wirth (1933) partly paraphrased Ljudgért's diary instead of fully translating it, because he doubted its authenticity.

Footnote Jensma about BISÁWD (my translation):
"unclear, possibly from Newfrisian 'besauwe' (= startle, disconcert, alarm)"
in his words: (= ontstellen, verschrikken)

Found in the dictionaries:

Teutonic ~ Kiliaan 1599


Frisian ~ Halbertsma 1874

(partly paraphrased:)
BISAUWJE, sàuwje ~ confundi animo, impallescere eventu (to be confused, to turn pale)
Hi (bi-)sàuwde fen di thongerslach ~ impallescebat fulminis ictu
Ho Friez nea moed besauwe ~ quomodo Frisii numquam animum despondebat
By di tynge fen hjar soans déad bisàuwde di mem ~ nuntio mortis filii audito mater decidebat (anime defectione)
It ding is bisàuwe ~ res in nihilum interiit
Westfrisian:
beseeuwen ~ pavere (to be very scared, to tremble with fear)
beseeuwd ~ pavidus, pauper et afflictus
Post captam Brielam dux Alba beseeuwde ~ impallescebat, confundebatur

Frisian ~ Dijkstra 1900


BISAUWE, bisauje ~ ontstellen, bezwijken
By de tynge fen hjar soans dea bisaude de mem
't is om to bisauwen
Ho Fries nea moed bisauwe
 ~ hoe den Fries de moed nooit begaf
Yen oer 't ien of 't oar bisauwe/ der fen bisauwe ~ verbaasd/ ontzet zijn, versteld staan
Hwet dy jonge al yn'e mûle nimme doar, dêr moat ik my oer bisauwe
Ik krij dêr in rekken fen'e dokter, dêr bisau ik fen, zoo hoog is die


Westfrisian (North-Holland) ~ Pannekeet 1984


BESEÊUWE ~ [verouder(en)d]
1. verschrikken, verbleken
2. flauwvallen, bezwijmen
3. bedaren, tot zichzelf komen
Het woord wordt wel gezien als een afleiding van zee, waarbij wordt verwezen naar een oud woord 'verzeeuwd' = zeeziek, ongesteld.
Aannemelijker lijkt mij verwantschap met 'beseffen'.
Zie voor de etymologie het Nederlands Etymologisch Woordenboek (Jan de Vries) onder beseffen.

~ ~ ~

Dr. Jan Pannekeet (he was teacher Dutch in Alkmaar NH) is the only one, as far as I know, who made this connection with 'beseffen'.

The word 'beseffen' (modern meanings: realize, be aware, grasp, be conscious) must be very old, judging by the many different menings and old sources.
See (and tick "subbetekenissen" and "citaten":

http://gtb.inl.nl/iW...modern=beseffen
http://gtb.inl.nl/iW...modern=beseffen
http://gtb.inl.nl/iW...modern=beseffen

http://www.etymologi...fwoord/beseffen

Significant is the link with the French "savoir" (to know)

If we now go back to the OLB version: BISÁWD or BISAVVD (A and Á are often interchangeable and so are W and VV), or even BISAVD (VV often changes into V), we can indeed see the root SAV, from French "savoir".

All this is too perfect and brilliant to have been created just for fun.








Posted 16 May 2012 - 07:50 PM
View PostAbramelin, on 16 May 2012 - 06:44 PM, said:
I think the closest Dutch word to BISÁWD is 'bezwijken' or 'to succumb'.
... you'll notice - and I think even understandable for those who can't read Dutch - that all forms in Old nordic languages have a -K- at the end, not a -D- or a -T- .
No, (be-) zwijken is a totally different word.
It appears in OLB too.

THA MODELÁSA SKILUN ÀMMAR SWIKA VNDER HJAR ÀJN LÉD.

The D at the end of BISAWD is because it is past tense.

BAD <= BALD => BAL

Posted on UM-forum, 14 May 2012 - 05:01 PM
Outsmarting dr. Jensma and oldschool-etymology

English "BAD" <== Fryan "BALD" ==> Dutch "BAL(D)"

1) [124/04] Ljudgért's diary, ca. 300 BCE
THÀT BISÁWD.VS ÀND LIKT VS BALTO
[O+S p.169]
Dat verbaasde ons, en leek ons raar [slecht] toe
This astounded us, and seemed most extraordinary [bad to us]

2) [145/20]
VMBÉNE FOLGSTERE TO KJASANE THÉR TVÍVELIK WÉRE
THÉR HETH HJU BALD IN SJAN

[O+S p.197]
om een opvolgster te kiezen die twijfelachtig was
daar heeft zij kwaad ingezien
to choose a [successor that was] doubtful one
she thought would be very bad

3) [146/17]
ÀFRE GRÁTE FLOD ...
WÉRON FÉLO JUTTAR ÀND LÉTNE MITH EBBE UT.A BALDA JEFTA KWADE SÉ FORED

[O+S p.199]
Na de groote vloed ...
waren vele Jutten en Letten met de ebbe uit de Balda of kwade zee gevoerd
After the great flood ...
Jutlanders [Juttar] and Letlanders [Létne] [were driven] out of the Baltic, or bad sea


4) [162/14]
THISSA LOGHA SKIL ALLE BALDA FORSTA VRTÉRA
ÀND ALLE SKIN.FRÁNA ÀND SMÚGRIGA PRESTERA

[O+S p.119]
Deze vlam zal alle slechte vorsten verteeren
en alle schijnvrome en smerige priesters
that flame will destroy all bad princes
and [all] hypocritical [and] dirty priests


5) [203/26]
HJU ... TÁG SELVA A LINGEN THENE BALDA.SÉ
[O+S p.203]
zij ... toog zelve langs de Baltische zee
she ... went herself along the Baltic Sea

6) [208/05]
ALINGEN THÉRE KÁD FON THA BALDA.SÉ
[O+S p.251]
langs de kusten van de Baltische zee
along the coasts of the Baltic Sea

Footnotes Jensma (translated)

At fragment 1):
"from Hettema (1832) dictionary: 'Bael'; Ottema erroneously translated it as 'raar' (strange)"

At fragment 3):
"Baldic Sea - unclear etymology; Oldfrisian 'bald' = soon, and not 'bad'. This might be derived from the English 'bad' (?)."

Various Oldfrisian dictionaries

Wiarda (1786):
Bael ~ böse, ungerecht (bad, evil, unjust)

Hettema (1832):
Bael, bal, baal ~ kwaad, boos (bad, evil)

Richthofen (1840) only has 'bald(e)' in the meaning bold, daring, strong-spirited, swift; not in the meaning bad or evil

Hettema (1874) has left out bael, bal that he had in his 1832 edition, but he listed baelmond~ malus tutor (bad guardian or teacher). He also listed balde ~ terstond (immediately).

Halbertsma (1874):
Bal, baal ~ malus (bad, evil);
also several combinations, like bal-dedich (wanton, rebelious)

==>> conclusion: nowhere BALD with D in the meaning bad, evil

In WNT (Dictionary of Dutch Language) from 1895:

BAL ~ bnw.; thans in de algemeene taal geheel verouderd, maar gewestelijk nog bekend, ook in den vorm balt en in de afleiding balsch; het beteekent dan boos, driftig, of onrustig, of ook schuw (van vogels gezegd): aldus in het Friesch en in Noordhollandsche dialecten (zie halbertsma, Lexic. Fris. 166, bouman 5, boekenoogen 30 ). In het Westvlaamsch wordt gezegd ”mijne ooren slaan bal van al dat getier”, en de bo (de bo 76 [1873]) verklaart het met fr. assourdi. Het grondwoord ook hiervan is misschien de bekende stam balwo-: ags. bealu, slecht, enz.
Thans nog in de Samenst. afl. Baloorig, balsturig (zie die woorden).
Samenst. Baldaad (zie ald.).


In the same, under BALDAAD:

ook wel BALDDAAD gespeld (verg. BALDADIG) —, znw. vr., mv. baldaden. Eene samenst. met Bal (IV), en thans alleen nog bewaard in de afleiding baldadig; geen van die beide woorden zijn tot nog toe in het Mnl. aangewezen, maar wel het afgeleide baeldadicheit (zie eene plaats uit Wal. bij verdam 1, 512). Baldaad heeft misschien van den Oudgermaanschen tijd af bij ons bestaan: ohd. palotât, osaks. baludâd, ags. bealud᫦d (schade 38 a); noch in het Mndd. noch in het Mhd. schijnt het zeer gebruikelijk te zijn geweest. Doch het is ook niet onmogelijk dat het bij ons in de 16de en de 17de eeuw opnieuw uit baldadig is afgeleid. Thans verouderd.
http://gtb.inl.nl/iW...mmodern=baldaad

Now, a quick look at what Wiktionary says about the etymology of the English "BAD":

Middle English bad, badde (“wicked, evil, depraved”), probably a shortening of Old English bæddel (“hermaphrodite”) (cf. English much, wench, from Old English myċel, wenċel), from bǣdan (“to defile”), from Proto-Germanic *bad- (cf. Old High German pad (“hermaphrodite”)), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰoidʰ- (cf. Welsh baedd (“wild boar”), Latin foedus (“foul, filthy”), foedō (“to defile, pollute”)).
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/bad

What an incredible nonsense!

And now, Wikipedia about the Etymology of the Baltic Sea:

While Tacitus called it Mare Suebicum[2] after the Germanic people of the Suebi, the first to name it also as the Baltic Sea (Mare Balticum) was eleventh century German chronicler Adam of Bremen. The origin of the latter name is speculative. It might be connected to the Germanic word belt, a name used for two of the Danish straits, the Belts, while others claim it to be derived from Latin balteus (belt).[3] However it should be noted that the name of the Belts might be connected to Danish bælte, which also means belt.
http://en.wikipedia....wiki/Baltic_Sea

In other words, they don't have a clue.
~ ~ ~

In short:
Old-frisian/ Old-dutch "Bael" or "Bal" from the dictionaries is a bastardisation from BALD, which is also the origin of the English "bad", and indeed provides a plausible etymology for the Baltic Sea.
######

Etymologicum Teutonicae Linguae (1599) ~ Cornelis Kiliaan (1528-1607)


Bal. vetus holl. Malus, inutilis.
bal-daed. vetus. Malefactum, maleficium.
bal-daedigh. vetus holl fland. J. boos. Malus, maleficus.
bal-daedigh. rectius bald-daedigh. Audax.
Bald. vetus J. boude. Audax.
bald-daedigh. Audax, temerarius, praeceps.


Note:
'Vetus' means that even in 1599 the terms were considered oldfashioned.
'Audax' (Latin) can have a positive (1) as well as a negative (2) meaning:
1) bold, daring, audacious
2) reckless, brutal, rash

~ ~ ~

Pieter Hooft (1581-1647)

"Ha! dat zoo maghtigh een' meenighte (men maakt'er onlanx tweehondertduizent mannen af) smaak hebbende van 't bloedt en den buit, met heillooze Godvergeetenheit en helsche raazerye bezeeten, verwoedt door 't wroeghen haars gewissen, en 't verwachten der weederwraak, in deeze slaap, (als 't zoo heeten moet) yet anders dan versche vloekverwantschappen,balddaadt en landt bederf droomen zoude, zal my niemandt diets maaken." ~ Nederlandsche Historien p.153 (1642-1647)

"De Hartogh, ongewoon zoodaane ranken te dulden, vond nochtans niet naaders, dan hun eenigh geldt toe te schikken; met toezeg van voldoening, en vergiffenis der balddaadigheit." ~ Idem p.216

"Maar hy, wel darrende bestaan zyn' Majesteit te verkloeken, en de zelve eens voor al van haaren toeleg te versteeken, vond middel om zich van daar t'ontsteelen; ging tot Alva een' pleghtigh huwelyk, met zyn' nichte, dochter van Don Garsia de Toledo, voltrekken; en keerde daarnaa in zyn' gevankenis. Welke balddaadt te hoove oovergebraght zynde, en dat zy door aanraaden van zynen vaader gepleeght was; bande de Koning den Hartogh zelf in Uzeda, en hield hem daar, tot dat het oorlogh van Portugal opquam." ~ Idem p.342

"D'Ommelanders toonden zich gesmydigh; de Groningers gansch onrekkelyk: der wyze, dat de gezanten, naa 't spillen aller reedenen, tot het uyterst van hunnen last koomen moesten, en hun te verstaan gaaven, dat, 't en waar zy zich voeghden, de gemelde Staaten doen zouden 't geen zy noode deeden. 'T welk echter geen' vrucht, dan groote verbittering, baarde. Vorders bleef het tot Gent by den verhaalden oploop niet; maar de beroerte dier stadt deed heel Vlaandre schokken; mits d'aanstichters, geprikkelt +van 't gewisse zulk eener balddaadt, veyligheit in 't getal zochten, en de gebuursteeden ook aan hunne koorde te kryghen." ~ Idem p.547

"Hiermeede gaan zy af, lichten de sleutels der kerke van den Koster, en preeken daar noch voor middagh. Deezer maate was 't, dat alstoen de bandt der eenigheit kraakte en kracht leed, door de balddaad en reukeloosheit der geenen, die, geblinddoekt van eyghe liefde en goeddunkenheit, eer lange, 't gansche Landt, en zich zelve in den uitersten last braghten."~ Idem p.589

"Ende naa 't raamen van zeekren voet op 't stuk van Ruiskeveldt, tot behaaghen der gemaghtighden, als de regeerders meinden dat de zaamening te scheiden hadde, beginnen straatsteenen en geweer te wanken, met schreeuwen, dat deez de tydt was om voor 't geloof te vechten, en dat zy, wel zeeven teeghens een', nu zien wilden wie hen dwingen zouw. Onder andre balddaadigheden, werd den Amptman een' byl naa 't hooft geworpen. En 't stond'er geschooren om op een' grouwzaame bloedtstorting uit te koomen; mits de bezettelingen en Onroomsche poorters ook toeliepen, brandende om in den hoop te slaan." ~ Idem p.791

"Een' andren zwaay naamen de dingen tot Gent; daar Jan van Imbyze, hebbende 't zelfste voorneemen als de Prins van Chimay, dan 't zelfste ontzigh niet, nocht ook de stoffe eeven leenigh om ze naa zynen zin te kneeden, nochtans met geen' gelyke behendigheit te werke ging; maar in 't brouwen van verraadt, door ooverdwaalsche balddaadt en zyn' eighe reukeloosheit, verraaden werd." ~ Idem p.895

"Want het krysvolk houdende bezetting in die oorden, dreef, dat al de ingezeetenen, hier door, ten zwaarde ende vuure waaren oovergegeeven; zulx de soldaat met hun, naar zyn welbehaaghen, moght omspringen. Waar op bystere balddaadt, ooverlast, en kneeveling volghde, tot zwaare steurnis der Ridderschap en steeden van Ooveryssel, die, derhalven, hunne gemaghtighden, aan den Raadt van Staate ter oostzyde der Maaze, schikten, om te vertoonen dat zoodaanigh een besluit, en 't geene daar uit sproot, onchristelyk was; en te verzoeken, dat men van 't aangevangen werk afliete." ~ Idem p.949

Note: in earlier works (1626, 1627, 1635), Hooft spelled the word with one D

~ ~ ~

Jacobus Kok (?-1788)

"Dit staal eener zo verregaande balddaadigheid ging gepaard met een gerugt, dat deeze Grafplaats geheel zou vernield worden; dat, op den volgenden avond, eene bende Graauws, ten getale van driehonderd, ter voltooijing dier Grafschennisse, zou opdaagen." ~ Bijvoegzels op het Vaderlandsch Woordenboek (1748)

~ ~ ~

"Reizen van Jonas Hanway" (1755), vertaling uit het Engels door Izaak & Johannes Enschede en  Jan Bosch, stadsdrukkers resp. boekverkoper te Haarlem

"... hoe komt het dan, [...] dat de eerlykste man, en braefste krygsgebieder in een leger, verpligt is om zyn ampt te verlaten, wanneer hy geweigerd heeft in een tweegevegt te treden, al is hy daertoe uitgedaegd door een persoon, wiens domme onbezonnendheit hem koen maekt, of liever stout en balddaedig, en die dus eene strenge straf verdiende omdat hy de rust der maetschappye stoort?" (p.375)
and:
"... de geschiedenis van een Engelsch edelman, karsversch uit Parys gekomen, klagende over de balddadigheit der lakkaejen in London; en wenschende dat eenige derzelve van agter de koets hunner heeren geworpen wierden. Zyn vader, een meester van de groote wetenschap der vryheit, bestrafte hem door aentemerken, dat, schoon veele dezer knegts waerlyk zeer balddaedig waren, zulks een natuurlyk uitwerksel was van de vryheit op gemeene goederen; en dat de gemelde remedie erger dan de quael zou zyn: want hetzelfde gezag, 't welk de knegts om dusdanig misdryf van agter de koets wierp, den meester vanuit de koets mogt werpen. In tegenstelling van dit voorbeeld der misbruikte vryheit, stel ik debalddaedigheit der lakkaejen onder willekeurige magt: gelyk te Paris, daer de knegts deel aen 't gezag hunner heeren hebben; daer luiden van hoogen rang en ampte hun willekeurig gezag meedeelen aen hunne dienstboden; en daer de lakkaejen mogelyk veel erger zyn dan in London." (p.416)

~ ~ ~

Nederduitsch Taalkundig Woordenboek (1801) ~ Pieter Weiland (1754-1842)


Note 1): unchanged in 1826 edition
Note 2): under "Moeskoppen" (verb):
"Moeskoppen [...] Stroopen, vrijbuiten, het land afloopen. Men gebruikt het woord van balddadig krijgsvolk, dat de boeren knevelt."

~ ~ ~

Uitlegkundig Woordenboek op de Werken van Pieter Kz. Hooft (1825) ~ Het Koninklijk-Nederlandsche Instituut van Wetenschappen, Letterkunde en Schoone Kunsten


Note:
"Intusschen vindt men op vele plaatsen balddaad geschreven, waar, volgens de voorgedragene onderscheiding, baldaadbeter zou voegen. [...] Eene enkele reis ook ontmoet men baldaad, waar men balddaad zou wachten. [...] In 't gemeen komt balddaad veel menigvuldiger voor dan baldaad."

~ ~ ~

"De laatste Heiden in Overijssel. ~ Men verklaarde van regeringswege de vagebonden vogelvrij. Dit was onder anderen in Overijssel het geval met de zoogenaamde Zigeuners of Heidens. Het is bekend dat de laatste Zigeuner in Overijssel in het laatste gedeelte der vorige eeuw, een oud onschuldig man, balddadig doodgeschoten werd door een boerenzoon." ~ De Navorscher (1862)

~ ~ ~

Franck's Etymologisch Woordenboek der Nederlandsche Taal (1912, 2e druk, naar bron 1892) ~ N. van Wijk

"baldadig [...] Balddadig is niet anders dan een verkeerde spelling, reeds in de 16e eeuw uitgedacht door etymologen, die het woord met het bij boud besproken adjectief combineerden."

~ ~ ~

Keur van Nederlandsche woordafleidingen (1911) ~ T. Pluim

"Balddadig is feitelijk ’t zelfde woord als ’t voorgaande [baldadig], maar men hield het eerste lid voor bald, boud. Dit bald komt afzonderlijk in onze taal niet voor, wel in ’t Duitsch, en bet. koen, stoutmoedig, dapper, snel (thans in de laatste bet. in ’t Hgd.). Het Oudnoorsche baldr bet. vorst (voor wien dapperheid een eerste vereischte is, dus de dappere bij uitstek), vandaar de godennaam Balder. Ook in Boudewijn (Baldewin) komt het woord nog voor: de moedige vriend."

~ ~ ~

Beknopt etymologisch woordenboek der Nederlandsche taal (1925) ~ J. Vercoullie

"balddadig - hetzelfde als baldadig, in een kunstmatige spelling door bijgedachte aan *bald = boud."

~ ~ ~

Nederlands Etymologisch Woordenboek (1971) ~ J. de Vries 

"baldadig [...] De reeds in de 16de eeuw opgekomen spelling balddadig berust op geleerde verbinding met het onder boudbesproken woord."

~ ~ ~

Een glossarium van zeventiende-eeuws Nederlands (1975) ~ H.D. Tjeenk Willink

"balddaad, slechte, snode, onrechtvaardige handeling"

~ ~ ~

Posted 15 May 2012 - 03:01 PM
Just something fascinating I ran into.

The then lord of the manor, Gilbert de Clare, gave the site in about 1142 to the medieval military monastic order of the Knights Templar, who were seeking ways of financing their role as guardians of the pilgrimage to the Holy Land. They built a town first recorded as "Baudac", later Baldac" (which led to modern day Baldock) - this was the medieval French name for Baghdad which was then the centre of the Muslim world;
http://www.baldockto...of-baldock.aspx


Posted 16 May 2012 - 01:03 PM
View PostOtharus, on 14 May 2012 - 05:01 PM, said:
English "BAD" <== Fryan "BALD" ==> Dutch "BAL(D)"

View PostOtharus, on 15 May 2012 - 02:25 PM, said:
"In 't gemeen komt balddaad veel menigvuldiger voor dan baldaad.
(In general, 'bald-deed' is much more common than 'bal-deed')

To continue my study of the word BAL(D) as used in OLB, I will first return to the six fragments, of which four are helpful.

1) [124/04] Ljudgért's diary about the journey from India to Fryasland, written ca. 290 BCE
THÀT BISÁWD.VS ÀND LIKT VS BAL TO
Dat beseften wij, en leek ons boud/ slecht?
We 'besaw' (sensed) that and it appeared bold/ bad? to us.

2) [145/20] Koneréd's notes about Friso, written ca. 250 BCE
VMBÉNE FOLGSTERE TO KJASANE THÉR TVÍVELIK WÉRE THÉR HETH HJU BALD IN SJAN
om een opvolgster te kiezen die twijfelachtig was, daar heeft zij 'boud' (kwaad, risico?) in gezien
to choose a successor that was doubtful, she thought would be bad/ bold?

3) [146/17] as 2)
ÀFRE GRÁTE FLOD ... WÉRON FÉLO JUTTAR ÀND LÉTNE MITH EBBE UT.A BALDA JEFTA KWADE SÉ FORED
Na de grote vloed ... waren vele Juttar en Létne met eb uit de Balda of kwade zee gevoerd
After the great flood ... many Juttar and Létne were driven out of the Balda or bad/ angry sea with ebb

4) [162/14] Gosa's advice, written ca. 270 BCE
THISSA LOGHA SKIL ALLE BALDA FORSTA VRTÉRA ÀND ALLE SKIN.FRÁNA ÀND SMÚGRIGA PRESTERA
Deze vlam zal alle boude/ slechte? vorsten verteeren en alle schijnvrome en smerige priesters
that flame will consume all bold/ bad? kings and all hypocritical and filthy priests

Fragments 5) [203/26] and 6) [208/05] are both from an unnamed author who writes about Black Adel (ca. 50 BCE?). Both fragments have BALDA.SÉ (Balda, Baltic or Bold Sea), but are not helpful in finding out the meaning of BALD.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This word can be discussed from two perspectives:

1) Assuming OLB is a 19th C. fabrication

From the dictionaries, only BAL, BAEL, BAAL was known to mean BAD or evil. Etymologists thought that the 16th century spelling "bald-daad" (meaning bold or evil deed) was erroneous.

Halbertsma had not included the spelling BALD in his Magnum Opus, the Lexicon Frisicum that was posthumously published in 1874 (see photo).


It makes the Halbertsma theory less credible.
Could Verwijs have come with this idea? I would leave that question to those who know more of his work than I do. My subjective opinion is that it is highly unlikely. OLB contains so many challenging and plausible etymologies, that if someone would have been so brilliant as to create all this, why would he have stayed anonymous? This is a question of psychology, and therefore hard to answer scientifically. One case like this may not mean much, but the many similar cases all put together make a strong case against the hoax-approach IMO. For now, I'll just add this one to the list.

2) Assuming OLB is a 13th C. Oldfrisian manuscript (or copy therof)

If BALD would indeed be a more original form of BAL, BAEL, BAAL (meaning bad, evil), it would explain the 16th C. spelling "bald-dadig", which has been argued to be wrong by etymologists for a few hundred years now. It might also explain the origin of the English 'bad'. And it could indeed offer an etymology for the Baltic Sea. It may have been a dangerous sea to sail. So either the sea could be seen as bad/ evil, or the ones who go there can be seen als bald. A link with the modern 'bald' would  be possible, as well as with the Nordic Baldr.

Like many OLB-suggested etymologies, it fits like a jigsaw puzzle peace in one of the many gaps in oldschool etymology.
 

######


Posted 16 May 2012 - 02:54 PM

View PostAbramelin, on 16 May 2012 - 02:18 PM, said:
Because one word, BALD, doesn't show up in Halbertsma's dictionary doesn't mean he didn't know about it. He may have left it out by mistake, and had he lived long enough, he would have added it in a second edition.

You should also not forget he hadn't even half finished the book.

The point is, that there are too many examples of this, to still fit the Halbertsma theory.

Also, early in his life he had said that it was his ultimate dream to make a dictionary (see biography on Knulhis site).
We can agree that if anyone would have made the OLB it would have been a hell of a job.
Why would he spend so much time on creating something to keep it a total secret and for which he would never be credited, while he could also have spent that time fulfilling his dream and finish that dictionary?
He just did not have time to do the things he wanted to do.
Why then, would he 'waste' so much time on this masterpiece and never even enjoy the fruits of it?

I know, it's only psychology.
Therefore, I will return to what I am good at. 





Posted 16 May 2012 - 04:59 PM
View PostAbramelin, on 16 May 2012 - 03:31 PM, said:
Did he know of the word BALD? Yes:
Korte middelnederlandsche spraakkunst - Eelco Verwijs / 1867
http://books.google....balorig&f=false
He mentions BALD, on page 29 (or page 21 according to the scan numbering).

What he says there is that 'boud' evolved out of 'bald'.
That is common knowledge.

But that 'bald' would be the original version of 'bal, bael, baal' (meaning bad, evil) would have been revolutionary in the 19th century (I think it still is).

######

For the record, this is what the Baltic or East-Sea is called in various languages:



Note that the Finnish version means East Sea, while it's west for them.

Their Estonian neighbors say West Sea (in their language).