In this episode, we explore two important developments in North America. First, we examine the legendary story of the Pilgrims’ arrival in New England in 1620 and the establishment of the Plymouth Colony. Secondly, we examine the creation of the Dutch settlement in modern-day New York and New Jersey, and we explore how Dutch influenced early American English. We also examine several important developments in England in the early 1620s.
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There is a movie about Squanto. Probably has many inaccuracies but it was good at the time.
https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0111271/
It’s on Disney+
I really enjoyed this episode! I’ve lived in the Hudson Valley my whole life and have sat on many a front stoop. I’m a descendant of a Dutch merchant who originally settled in the Albany area, so the history you discussed really resonated with me.
And maybe this is a little selfish of me but I hope you continue this podcast pretty much forever!
Here are two pictures of maps of Manhattan island from the past. Take accuracy with a grain of salt but they are beautiful & informative.
1.Bien & Johnston’s 1878 Map of Manhattan Island during the Revolutionary War
https://www.geographicus.com/P/AntiqueMap/NewYorkCity-johnsonbien-1878
2. From Wikipedia
The Castello Plan, a 1660 map of New Amsterdam (the top right corner is roughly north) in Lower Manhattan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan#/media/File:Stad_Amsterdam_in_Nieuw_Nederland_(City_Amsterdam_in_New_Netherland)_Castello_Plan_1660.jpg
3. Also From Wikipedia
Redraft of the Castello Plan (drawn in 1916) showing the Dutch city of New Amsterdam at Manhattan’s southern tip in 1660
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Manhattan#/media/File:Castelloplan.jpg
On a different note, as a proud (half-) Irishman, I note the similarity between the Irish (-Gaelic) word for the female third person pronoun (sí — pronounced she) and the equivalent in English. In almost no etymology do I find the old Celtic word given as a possible root of the English word.
Instead, Dutch is often credited with the etymology (zie). And this may also be true.
While I won’t deny the Dutch proximity to London and their importance in commerce & intellectual exchange, it does not surprise me that the academic English establishment would rather Dutch than Irish ancestry for such a core word in the language. Anti-Irish sentiment in England has not completely vanished.
My grandfather, an immigrant from Eastern Europe at age 10, but grew up entirely in New York City after that, used “sliding pond” instead of sliding board, which confused me slightly as a child when he took me to the park. Thanks for the reminder!
Fascinating episode. It seems that “dope” in the sense of a “dipping sauce” (is that the same as a dip?) is ultimately related to the English words “dip” and “deep” via its Germanic roots. When I was growing up in the south of England (back in the 60s) we had “bedspreads” over our blankets. They seem to be less common since continental quilts and duvets arrived. I hadn’t realised it was an American term originally. As for “bush” isn’t it the case that the narrow meaning of a small tree or shrub developed from the original sense of scrub or woodland? I believe to “ambush” was originally to lurk in the bushes (rather than behind a single bush!) in order to attack someone secretly. Looking forward to many more episodes!
As usual, another wonderful episode.
Like other commenters I hope you continue the podcast forever! Would LOVE to hear an expanded series on the first 15 – 20 fascinating episodes, when you thought you’d complete all in 1 year, so condensed them.
Here you are 13 years later, and my husband and I have been with you since the 1st in 2012.
I’ve always heard, re. this ep., that Toronto is the most linguistically diverse city in the world, (U.N. documentation I believe) with over 240 languages. However this is probably a changing stat. I live in Europe and we have nothing like either here, not even Paris or London.
Thanks again. What a tremendous body of scholarship you are offering to the world!