Gäuhochfläche

17:47 Jun 23, 2013 

i'm casting the net a bit wider in order to add those knowledgeable of Geography.

19:27 Jun 21, 2013 

Phil is correct about me not knowing how to / being able to apply the Umlaut on the website: A-Umlaut is in fact just a convenient convention for writing the vowels ae.

16:40 Jun 21, 2013 

"The term Gau (in Alemannic German: Gäu) was originally used to refer to open, treeless water meadows. Today the term Gäu landscapes (Gäulandschaften) is mainly used to refer to the open terraces of the Swabian-Franconian Scarplands and so includes the areas of open, fertile arable fields."
However, as I say in my introduction, MY "Gäuhochfläche" is in Lower Franconia near Würzburg, this is not near the "Swabian-Franconian Scarplands".
Thus I would say we really need a new word for the "baumarme Landschaft im sueddeutschen Sprachraum, typischerweise mit fruchtbare Boeden, deren intensive Nutzung zum Pflanzenbau urspruengliche Waelder verdraengt hat". (Thank you, stehletheo!)

16:35 Jun 21, 2013 

I see, thanks! I thought perhaps it was like changing Würzburg into Wuerzburg for speakers of English. I am wondering if an English speaker would be able to pronounce either "Gäu" or "Gaeu" or whether a completely different word would be better.

15:39 Jun 21, 2013 

The only reason for writing Gaeu instead of Gäu is not knowing how to do umlauts on your keyboard.

13:19 Jun 21, 2013 

In the nature of things, any references are likely to be translations of German texts, so it is just possible that the original translator is not an expert. Miriam and Helen, do you agree with the translations used in your sources?
Another thing that slightly worries me is the problem of the umlaut in a short word consisting mainly of vowels: Would an international audience - i.e. a Brazilian reading an informative text about my breeding station or a German scientist forced to speak English to colleagues - readily understand "Gäu Plateau" - or "Gaeu Plateau"???

10:44 Jun 21, 2013 

Thank you, colleagues! I'm beginning to understand what is meant. So it is the same word as Gau as in Gauleiter? That might explain why it is not used any more!

10:30 Jun 21, 2013 

Wikipedia: a) Gaeu: Waldfreie und fruchtbare Kulturlandschaften (hauptsaechlich Sueddeutschland - meine Eintragung); b) Gaeulandschaft: Ebene, baumarme Landschaft im sueddeutschen Sprachraum, typischerweise mit fruchtbare Boeden, deren intensive Nutzung zum Pflanzenbau urspruengliche Waelder verdraengt hat.

10:24 Jun 21, 2013 

„Gau“ (bzw. alemannisch „Gäu“) kommt aus dem Mittelhochdeutschen und war ein Terminus für „gutes Ackerland“.

09:51 Jun 21, 2013 

is sometimes used as a generic term for "area" or "region". It is a term no longer much in use and probably mostly known in Southern Germany. It usually describes an agriculturally used, rural area - as opposed to an urban area or a wilderness.
Wiki only gives a little bit of info. Here's some extra:
http://www.historisches-lexikon-bayerns.de/artikel/artikel_4...