Boers Wars Part Trois!

[Arie Altena]

At 11:59 27-05-1997, Sojourner wrote:

>Hmmm... as they say in my kitchen nook, things are getting curiouser:

>
>Boor being related to Boer -- essentially the same.  Hmmm... now I'm even
>more curious because the source I was thinking of was James Michener's
>__Covenant__.  I'm very intereted now as to whether I am remembering this
>wrong or have the British, through their colonial ideas, somehow mangled
>this word?  Neigh-BOOR I understand, but the word uncouth or rude?
>

Okay, I'll play etymology: "Boer" in Dutch means "farmer". (and according
to my Dutch dictionary "Boer" is the word for Dutch-speaking colonist in
South Africa). But "boer" is also used in a negative way, for a uncouth,
rude, uncivilized person. "Boer" is probably derived from "buur" meaning
"neighbour". Look in a Dutch-English dictionary & you'll find it all. Btw:
"boer" in Dutch means also "belch"," burp" -but there seems to be no
connection there.

Arie