The English have a long naval tradition of themselves haven't they? So why borrow everything? Normally you borrow something that's better or new righ? Can someone explain this please?
Why did English loan nearly all it's naval terms from Dutch?
Could you be more specific with examples. With the exception of "avast ye!" (hold fast) in West country pirate talk, I can't think of any other examples.
Dutch seems to have contributed nautical terms to a lot of European languages either directly or indirectly. Afterall, the Dutch were the foremost sailors and whalers of the latter Middle Ages. See also the web page below:
http://www.ku.edu/~dutch/
Historically speaking, England's naval tradition is still relatively short dating only from the time of Henry the Eight whose flagship, the "Mary Rose" was sunk during a naval battle with the French in 1536. Prior to that time, the English did not have much of a fleet. In Anglo-Saxon times, everytime the English tried to build a navy, the Vikings would come down from the North and destroy it.
http://www.ku.edu/~dutch/
Historically speaking, England's naval tradition is still relatively short dating only from the time of Henry the Eight whose flagship, the "Mary Rose" was sunk during a naval battle with the French in 1536. Prior to that time, the English did not have much of a fleet. In Anglo-Saxon times, everytime the English tried to build a navy, the Vikings would come down from the North and destroy it.
Examples,
Freebooter, vrijbuiter.
hoist, hijsen.
keel, kiel.
keelhaul, kielhalen.
knapsack, knapzak.
maelstrom, maalstroom.
deck, dek
deep, diep
dock, dok
yacht, jacht
skipper, schipper
freight, vracht
furlough, verlof
mast, mast
And much more.
I think brennus gave a good explanation.
Freebooter, vrijbuiter.
hoist, hijsen.
keel, kiel.
keelhaul, kielhalen.
knapsack, knapzak.
maelstrom, maalstroom.
deck, dek
deep, diep
dock, dok
yacht, jacht
skipper, schipper
freight, vracht
furlough, verlof
mast, mast
And much more.
I think brennus gave a good explanation.
<<English words of Dutch origin include deck, yacht, easel, freight. furlough, brandy, cookie, cruller, waffle, maelstrom, isinglass, and Santa Claus.>>
Isn't maelstrom a Latin word?
Isn't maelstrom a Latin word?
Nope, very little Latin naval words exist in Germanic language. I can't think of any other than 'anchor'.
"Historically speaking, England's naval tradition is still relatively short dating only from the time of Henry the Eight whose flagship, "
Isn't that true of everyone? How many countries today had a large naval fleet before the time of Henry VIII? Even the Romans didn't have a large navy.
Isn't that true of everyone? How many countries today had a large naval fleet before the time of Henry VIII? Even the Romans didn't have a large navy.
Some of those "Dutch" words aren't Dutch. A lot of them 9probably most) are native to English.
"Mast" comes from the Old English "maest."
"Deep" is from the Old English "deop."
"Hoist" comes from Middle English "hysse."
"Keel" comes from Old Norwegian "kjölr".
"Boat" comes from Old English "bat" meaning, of course, "boat".
"Sea" comes from Old English "sæ" meaning "sheet of water, sea, lake."
"Ship" comes from Old English "scip" meaning "ship, boat".
"Starboard" comes from Old English "steorbord", meaning literally "side on which a vessel was steered".
"Maelstrom" (as does the Dutch "maalstroom") comes from the Danish "malstrøm" meaning "grinding-stream".
"Mast" comes from the Old English "maest."
"Deep" is from the Old English "deop."
"Hoist" comes from Middle English "hysse."
"Keel" comes from Old Norwegian "kjölr".
"Boat" comes from Old English "bat" meaning, of course, "boat".
"Sea" comes from Old English "sæ" meaning "sheet of water, sea, lake."
"Ship" comes from Old English "scip" meaning "ship, boat".
"Starboard" comes from Old English "steorbord", meaning literally "side on which a vessel was steered".
"Maelstrom" (as does the Dutch "maalstroom") comes from the Danish "malstrøm" meaning "grinding-stream".
=>"Mast" comes from the Old English "maest."
"Deep" is from the Old English "deop."
"Hoist" comes from Middle English "hysse."
"Keel" comes from Old Norwegian "kjölr".
"Boat" comes from Old English "bat" meaning, of course, "boat".
"Sea" comes from Old English "sæ" meaning "sheet of water, sea, lake."
"Ship" comes from Old English "scip" meaning "ship, boat".
"Starboard" comes from Old English "steorbord", meaning literally "side on which a vessel was steered".
"Maelstrom" (as does the Dutch "maalstroom") comes from the Danish "malstrøm" meaning "grinding-stream". <=
Not really Adam.
"hoist" komes from Dutch.So does maelstrom,and mast. Then you gave words that I didn't list such as boat and starboard.Please be honest in your post.I know it's hard for you but try.
"Deep" is from the Old English "deop."
"Hoist" comes from Middle English "hysse."
"Keel" comes from Old Norwegian "kjölr".
"Boat" comes from Old English "bat" meaning, of course, "boat".
"Sea" comes from Old English "sæ" meaning "sheet of water, sea, lake."
"Ship" comes from Old English "scip" meaning "ship, boat".
"Starboard" comes from Old English "steorbord", meaning literally "side on which a vessel was steered".
"Maelstrom" (as does the Dutch "maalstroom") comes from the Danish "malstrøm" meaning "grinding-stream". <=
Not really Adam.
"hoist" komes from Dutch.So does maelstrom,and mast. Then you gave words that I didn't list such as boat and starboard.Please be honest in your post.I know it's hard for you but try.
Wow Sander kept a cool face on that! Well done Sander.
I think Adam and Sander should meet up and enjoy a pint together.
I think Adam and Sander should meet up and enjoy a pint together.
<<"Boat" comes from Old English "bat" meaning, of course, "boat".
"Sea" comes from Old English "sæ" meaning "sheet of water, sea, lake."
"Ship" comes from Old English "scip" meaning "ship, boat".
"Starboard" comes from Old English "steorbord", meaning literally "side on which a vessel was steered".>>
I think I might also choose a whole load of other words not derived from Dutch. For what purpose? God only knows!!
"Sea" comes from Old English "sæ" meaning "sheet of water, sea, lake."
"Ship" comes from Old English "scip" meaning "ship, boat".
"Starboard" comes from Old English "steorbord", meaning literally "side on which a vessel was steered".>>
I think I might also choose a whole load of other words not derived from Dutch. For what purpose? God only knows!!
Re: "Even the Romans didn't have a large navy"
Oh yes they did and Pompey used it effectively in the 1st century B.C. to clean up a major pirate problem in the Mediterranean starting at Gibraltar; while piracy still survived in a few spots afterwards - in the Adriatic, Aegean and Red Seas - it would never again threaten to drain the life blood out of the Roman economy.
Oh yes they did and Pompey used it effectively in the 1st century B.C. to clean up a major pirate problem in the Mediterranean starting at Gibraltar; while piracy still survived in a few spots afterwards - in the Adriatic, Aegean and Red Seas - it would never again threaten to drain the life blood out of the Roman economy.
"hoist" komes from Dutch.So does maelstrom,and mast. Then you gave words that I didn't list such as boat and starboard.Please be honest in your post.I know it's hard for you but try."
Why don't YOU be honest in your posts?
"Maelstrom" doesn't come from Dutch. It comes from the Danish word "malstrøm" meaning "grinding-stream". Like the English, the Dutch word "maalstroom" also comes from the Danish, and the English word looks more like the original Danish than the Dutch word does.
"Mast" does come from the Old English "maest." The Anglo-Saxons, seafarers themselves, used the phrase "lecgan þone mæst" meaning literally "lower the mast."
Why don't YOU be honest in your posts?
"Maelstrom" doesn't come from Dutch. It comes from the Danish word "malstrøm" meaning "grinding-stream". Like the English, the Dutch word "maalstroom" also comes from the Danish, and the English word looks more like the original Danish than the Dutch word does.
"Mast" does come from the Old English "maest." The Anglo-Saxons, seafarers themselves, used the phrase "lecgan þone mæst" meaning literally "lower the mast."
"Oh yes they did and Pompey used it effectively in the 1st century B.C. to clean up a major pirate problem in the Mediterranean starting at Gibraltar; while piracy still survived in a few spots afterwards - in the Adriatic, Aegean and Red Seas - it would never again threaten to drain the life blood out of the Roman economy. "
No, they didn't. They were notoriously bad sailors. They even had difficulty crossing the English Channel. Most of them often suffered from seasickness.
No, they didn't. They were notoriously bad sailors. They even had difficulty crossing the English Channel. Most of them often suffered from seasickness.