Re: Anan?

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Comments:
: : Gayle and Ilse,

: : Interesting perspectives there. I never thought of Hawkeye/Natty as having had a Dutch background. That's something to think about. I think Ilse's take on the word "anan" is probable. In Latin "an" is used to introduce the second part of a double question (whether ... or); "an non" is used in a direct double question ( whether ... or not). In French "anon" is used like "fool" (lit. ass's foal). Annoner is to mumble. Dutch spellings of words (Ilse, correct me if I'm wrong) that had 'o' in English form, often substituted 'a'. An example; Mohican was written "Mahican" by the Dutch in America. If you did the same with 'anon', you'd have 'anan'. So, Natty may have been saying; " I don't understand you, fool!".............. plausible?????

: Elaine,

: Yes plausible to me. The Dutch use more words that are partly derived from Latin words. A word, as example, that I thought of when pondering anan and its meaning was anoniem: anonymous. It has the same message: not knowing something. I don't know about the a and o, but I'm certainly no expert in the field of Dutch language evolution, and, indeed the Dutch have always referred to Mahicans in the historical documents.

: The name Bumppo could have Dutch or German roots. Both languages belong in the same germanic language "tribe".

: Ilse


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