English meaning of some Dutch words
Bill
Hi
I'm interested in the colonial history of the New Netherlands.
Recently I've noticed a number of Dutch Language terms with commonplace
explanations
in English, and for various reasons I'm wondering if these terms are
correct translations of the Dutch.
For example, modern Governors Island (off the tip of Manhatten) was
originally called Nutt Eylandt, or Nutten Island. The usual
explanation of the name is that there were many nut trees on the island
when the Dutch explorers first landed. For an English speaker this is
makes perfect sense...but when I check a Dutch dictionary I find that
the English word "nut" is translated as "noot" not "Nutt" or "Nutten".
Going the otherway, I find that the Dutch word "nut" means something
like "use" and assume "nutten" means something like "utility"
This latter definition seems to fit the use he Dutch explorers made of
"Nutten
Eylandt"---basically as a convenient place to gather furs for shipment
back to Europe.
Another term that I see frequently in place names is "Wick" or
Wijck"---usually at the end of a settlement name, but occassionaly its
given as a separate word just before a settlement name.
I've not been able to find a translation for it in the Dutch
dictionaries I've looked at.
I'd appreciate getting comments on the meaning of either "Nutten" (or
"nut"), and "Wick".
Thanks
Bill
J
> Hi
>
> I'm interested in the colonial history of the New Netherlands.
> Recently I've noticed a number of Dutch Language terms with commonplace
> explanations
> in English, and for various reasons I'm wondering if these terms are
> correct translations of the Dutch.
>
> For example, modern Governors Island (off the tip of Manhatten) was
> originally called Nutt Eylandt, or Nutten Island. The usual
> explanation of the name is that there were many nut trees on the island
> when the Dutch explorers first landed. For an English speaker this is
> makes perfect sense...but when I check a Dutch dictionary I find that
> the English word "nut" is translated as "noot" not "Nutt" or "Nutten".
> Going the otherway, I find that the Dutch word "nut" means something
> like "use" and assume "nutten" means something like "utility"
It is true that the Dutch word for nut was always "noot" (with oo
pronounced as the o in "close"), or "not(te)" in Middle Dutch, never
"nut", as far as I know.
However, isn't it possible that "Nutt Eylandt" is already a partial
translation, or partially anglicized form of "No(o)ten Eylandt"?
In Google, I get only two (identical) hits for "Nutten Eylandt", and 32
for "Nooten Eylandt", which seems to support the meaning "nuts".
> This latter definition seems to fit the use he Dutch explorers made of
> "Nutten
> Eylandt"---basically as a convenient place to gather furs for shipment
> back to Europe.
"Nut", both in modern and older Dutch, means use, usefulness. It doesn't
have a plural form, so "Nutten" would be unlikely with this meaning. And
it wasn't customary for the Dutch to colonize islands that were not
nuttig (useful), so why call this particular island "Nutt"? ;-)
> Another term that I see frequently in place names is "Wick" or
> Wijck"---usually at the end of a settlement name, but occassionaly its
> given as a separate word just before a settlement name.
> I've not been able to find a translation for it in the Dutch
> dictionaries I've looked at.
"Wij(c)k" is a very old Dutch word, derived from Latin "vicus", meaning
town, village, (city) district. In modern Dutch the latter meaning, city
district, quarter, has survived. It occurs in town names like Steenwijk,
Bleiswijk, etc., but also just by itself. The eastern part of the city
of Maastricht is called Wyck, there is a town named Wijk bij Duurstede, etc.
iMark
> Another term that I see frequently in place names is "Wick" or
> Wijck"---usually at the end of a settlement name, but occassionaly its
> given as a separate word just before a settlement name.
> I've not been able to find a translation for it in the Dutch
> dictionaries I've looked at.
>
> I'd appreciate getting comments on the meaning of either "Nutten" (or
> "nut"), and "Wick".
>
I don't know the explanation for Nutt or Nutten. But ' Wijck/Wick' is
'wijk' in modern Dutch and simply is the equivalent of 'borough' in
English.
It is still in use after a 'settlement name', not before. Example:
Meerwijk, Boerhaavewijk and some other 'wijken' in Haarlem.
iMark
Bill
With regard to "Nooten Eylandt", I believe you are correct that the
Dutch probably wrote it Nooten.
Vingbloons 1637 map of Manhatten shows it with this version. The term
Nutten and Nutt Island seems to be restricted to English maps, and a
transcription of Nooten.
With regard to the comment "it wasn't customary for the Dutch to
colonize islands that were not
nuttig (useful),", Nooten Island, as it were presumably took its name
prior to 1624 when Dutch settlement actually began. Until that time it
served as the main headquarters for the Dutch traders---ie, it wasn't a
settlement per se, but a utilitarian sort of place. Hence "nut Island"
could be a plausible name. Nonetheless, Nooten Eylandt seems to be
what it was called, so it probably was named after "all the nuts" found
there.
With regard to "wick"---villlage or town would indeed make the most
sense in a placename. The fact that it is old Dutch explains why I
couldn't find it in modern online dictionaries. Most instances of its
use in New Netherlands context have it at the end of the word (as in
the patroonship Rensselaerswyck near Albany NY.
The one instance that I've seen it used at the front end is on
Vingbloom's 1637 map where it appears on a lable in western Long Island
as "wick Quawanck", where it refers to an Indian settlement.
At any rate, I thank you for taking the time to explain those terms.
Your comments were very helpful.
Thanks
Bill
J. J. Lodder
> With regard to "wick"---villlage or town would indeed make the most
> sense in a placename. The fact that it is old Dutch explains why I
> couldn't find it in modern online dictionaries. Most instances of its
> use in New Netherlands context have it at the end of the word (as in
> the patroonship Rensselaerswyck near Albany NY.
> The one instance that I've seen it used at the front end is on
> Vingbloom's 1637 map where it appears on a lable in western Long Island
> as "wick Quawanck", where it refers to an Indian settlement.
However, not all 'wick'-s in English have a Dutch origin.
There is 'Brunswick' for example,
which comes from German Braunschweig.
(with ultimately the same latin root)
Jan
Norbert Pandora
news:1h8wyey.13q...@de-ster.xs4all.nl...
Not only Brunswick orv Braunschweig
Schleswig also, see Schleswig-Holstein
Groeten,
Norbert