For the adult species, we use both VARKEN and ZWIJN. don't know which one is older, but used as an insult, they're much the same. Used as the name of an animal, they're also alike, though ther's a local difference in which one is used more.
But "big" is definately a young one. Much the same difference as lamb/sheep, or calf/cow.
My wife's parents will almost never say varken, and pronounce zwijn with a sharp [i] (as in english beer). My birth region is merele 200km north-east of hers, and you hear normally varken. |
