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Help[Opinions] Re: Suki / Sukie
in reply to a message by Azula
18th century nursery rhyme: Polly, put the kettle on (x 3), we'll all have tea. Sukey, take it off again (x 3), they've all gone away!
From which we see that Polly and Sukey were nns (for Mary and Susan) and might have referred to housemaids; and that 'tea' was then pronounced 'tay' to rhyme with 'away'. Sukey (Sukie, Suky, Suki) didn't last as a nn for Susan in English, but it is still possible in Afrikaans and maybe Dutch.
From which we see that Polly and Sukey were nns (for Mary and Susan) and might have referred to housemaids; and that 'tea' was then pronounced 'tay' to rhyme with 'away'. Sukey (Sukie, Suky, Suki) didn't last as a nn for Susan in English, but it is still possible in Afrikaans and maybe Dutch.
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