The American word "crooner" derelicts from the Dutch word "kreuner", which means "moaner" (kreunen: to moan).

Interesting in my opinion is that the word crooner became popular in NY during the thirties with the increasing popularity of singers like Frank
Sinatra and Bill Crosby at a time when the influence of the Dutch language in New York had disappeared almost completely.

So why had it become a popular word so much later in time?

I understood that Dutch was spoken in NY-state until the second half of the nineteenth century, mostly in remote villages of Dutch origin or elsewhere in family circles.

I can understand that, being Dutch, the hardworking, no nonsense protestants of those days had little affection for a male singer of sentimental songs and found them "moaners", actually not real men, men
from another planet, good with women, that sort...

Anyhow, crooners must already have been living in NY in those days that Dutch was still spoken in NY and around, more than a hundred years before.

If someone is willing to tell me more about this word and/or historical facts concerning the Dutch language in New York in general, please enlighten me.

Frank Dordregter
frankdordregter404@wxs.nl