Re: strange word in Dutch language

--- On Tue, 11/18/08, Erik Smit <cuergomamotorist@...> wrote:

> From: Erik Smit <cuergomamotorist@...>
> Subject: [tied] strange word in Dutch language
> To: cybalist@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Tuesday, November 18, 2008, 5:23 PM
> Beautiful is in the Dutch language "mooi". In
> German beautiful is
> schoen and in Flemish "schoon".
>
> The word "mooi"is a typical word from the north
> of the Netherlands.
> It is used in German coast countries like Oldenburg,
> Sleeswijk-
> Holstein till the Danish border. It does not exist in the
> Scandina-
> vian language. It is not related to any language with
> exception
> of the Baltic-Slavic word "muitd" means washed.
> Who can give
> more information about the origin of the Dutch word
> "mooi"?

Doesn't Dutch schoon means "clean", i.e. "washed"? If so, you've stumbled across an interesting chiasmus.
But aren't many words for "beaufiful" like those for "small" in that they lend themselves to odd, expressive or convolutive formations?
e.g. English cute < ?; pretty < ? prat "trick", i.e. "crafty, witty"
Spanish linda < ? Gmc lind- "limit"? hermosa < Latin forma "shape" < ? metathesis via Etruscan of Greek morphe?; and so on