Re: Why does that streak of blood, rip the petal of your cheek?

From: Frank van Bortel <frank.van.bortel_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 22 Jul 2005 19:24:39 +0200
Message-ID: <dbr9ou$k0c$1@news5.zwoll1.ov.home.nl>

Noons wrote:
> Frank van Bortel wrote:
>
>

>>According to the Wikipedia link, it could be related to the
>>Ducth "kever", or beetle. I don't believe it for a bit.

>
>
> Ah yes, the Wikipedia. I've shied away from it after
> a few glaring errors recently. Have you checked
> relational db? Deranged...

No. But it is maintained by volunteers, which does not necessarily mean it's correct. They may be, but no more or less than any scientist, or authority. (Rule 10: Thou shalt not take gurus' advice for granted.)

>

>>Of course, the Dutch have been around in South Afrika for
>>quite some years, and understanding Afrikaans is quite easy.

>
>
> Hmmm, I thought the Spanish and Portuguese had actually
> "found" ZA all the way back in 1480? Probably been around
> there a lot longer than the Dutch...
>

No - found, yes. Stay - no. The Dutch did, founding the Cape Colony, as resort and refilling station for the travels from Holland to Indonesia and (later) Japan and China.

>

>>I'll go for the "kaffir" or "kaffer", the latter still being
>>vulgar in Dutch (~"stupid"), having it's origin in Arabic or Hebrew.

>
>
> Got a funny feeling "cafre" like "kaffer" will also be Arabic,
> but it'll be like paddling upstream to get a Porto or Castillan
> to admit Arab roots about anything... ;)
>

Too bad - I guess we'd be in a better world if West Europeans hadn't kicked the Muslims out of Spain back in the dark ages.

-- 
Regards,
Frank van Bortel

Received on Fri Jul 22 2005 - 12:24:39 CDT