bovve

Central Franconian

Alternative forms

• (Ripuarian) ovve (adverb), bovver (preposition)
• (Moselle Franconian) owe, owwe, oawe (adverb only)

Etymology

From Middle High German boven, northern variant of boben. Compare Dutch boven, Westphalian Low German buowen.

For “up” and “down”, Ripuarian has forms with and without b- alongside (bovve/ovve; bonge/onge); Moselle Franconian has only those without. For “inside” and “outside”, b- alternates with dr- in both dialect groups (e.g. benne/drenne; busse/drusse). Contemporary Kölsch for some reason prefers bovve, but unge, and drenne, drusse.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈbɔvə/, (less often) /ˈbovə/

Adverb

bovve

1. (Ripuarian) on top, up there, upstairs

   Less doch ens, wat do bovve steht! ― Just read what it says up there!

   Es de Mamm bovven em Schlofzemmer? ― Is Mum upstairs in the bedroom?

   • 1974, “Pänz Pänz Pänz”‎^[1]performed by Bläck Fööss:

     Spille mer em Park, en der Grünanlage, schmieße decke Stein en der Rhing eren.
     Jo, do bruche mir jar nit lang ze waade un et kütt vun bovve widder die Stemm:
     Pänz, Pänz, wo mer jeiht un steiht, nur Pänz, Pänz, Pänz!

     When we play in the park, in the “green facility” [German officialese term], throwing big stones into the Rhine,
     Then we needn’t wait long before from above we hear that voice again:
     Children, children, wherever you stand and go, nothing but children, children, children!

Usage notes

• Refers to a stationary position. For “upwards” one says erop, huh, or noh bovve.

Preposition

bovve (+ dative)

1. (Ripuarian) above

   De Lamp hängk bovve dem Desch. ― The lamp hangs above the table.

Usage notes

• Üvver is the normal choice; bovve slightly stresses the distance in between (like German oberhalb).