The Book of Vagabonds and Beggars, with a Vocabulary of Their Language
History
The Book of Vagabonds and Beggars, with a Vocabulary of Their Language
Begging -- Germany; German language -- Slang; Wayfaring life -- Germany
_DOUL_ (_i. e._ DÖEL,—DAUL), a penny. The fourth part of a
BLECHLEIN, or kreuzer.
_DRITLING_, a shoe. From the _Old German_, TRITLING, a footstool, a
bench,—a diminutive of TRITT, _gradus_, _passus incessus_, _cursus
pedestris_. TRETTEN is _omnes pedum motus_, from the _Celtic_,
TRUD; _Ancient British_, TROED,—so that it seems very probable that
TRITLING, or DRITLING, may have meant a little treader, or shoe.
_DÜ EIN HAR_, FLEUCH.
_EMS_, good. The _German_, EMSIG, is assiduous; DIE EMSIGE BIENE,
the busy bee. It seems to come from the _Old German_, EMMAZZIG, for
UNMUAZIG, _occupatus et minime otiosus_. After the same fashion is
derived the _French_, A-MUSER.
_ERFERKEN_ (ERSECKEN?), RETSCHEN.
_ERLAT_, the master. The _Welch_, HERLOD, is a stripling, lad;
HERLODES, a damsel, girl. It is supposed that the word “harlot,”
which originally signified a bold stripling, is from this. Chaucer
says:—
A sturdie _harlot_—that was her hostes man,
He was a gentil _harlot_, and a kind.
If ERLAT is from the _German_, it would be from HERRLAUT, a
distinguished lord, a master.
_ERLATIN_, the mistress.
_FELING_, a grocery, or general store; a grocer’s wife.
_FETZEN_, or VETZEN, to work, to make. _Latin_, FACERE. The
_German_, FETZEN, signifies a piece, or slice.
_FLADER_, a bath-room, a barber’s shop.
_FLADER-FETZER_, a barber.
_FLADER-FETZERIN_, a barber’s wife.
_FLICK_, KNAB. _Hilpert_ refers to FLÜGGE, unfledged.
_FLOSS_, soup. From the _German_, _FLOSS_, a stream; FLOSSEN, to
flow.
_FLOSSART_, water.
_FLÖSSELT_, drowned. Previous to the time of Luther, beggars were
drowned when caught stealing. _Vide_ Gengenbach.
_FLÖSSLEN_, to make water.
_FLÖSSLING_, a fish. _German_, FLOSSE, a fin.
_FLUCKART_, poultry, birds. From the _German_, FLIEGEN, to fly;
literally, “fly-hard,” or “fast-flyer.”
_FUNKART_, fire. _German_, FUNKE, a spark.
_FUNKARTHOLE_, an earthenware stove.
_FÜNKELN_, to boil, cook, roast.
_GACKENSCHERR_, a chicken. _German_, GACKERN, to cackle; SCHARREN,
to scratch.
_GALCH_, a parson, priest. The _Old German_, GALL, is _castratus_;
the same with GELDE,—whence GOL, GEL, sterile. The _German_,
KELCH, is a chalice, the communion cup. GALCH may be, however,
simply an extension of GALLE.
_GALCHENBOSS_, a parsonage.
_GALLE_, a parson. _Hebrew_, KÁHAL, a priest.
_GALLEN_, a town.
_GANHART_, the devil.
_GATZAM_, a child. _Hebrew_, GATAM, said to be derived from an
_Arabic_ word, signifying any one puny or thin. Or from the
_German_, KÄTZCHEN, a little cat, a kitten.
_GEBICKEN_, to catch.
_GENFEN_, or JENFEN, to steal.
_GFAR_, a village. _Hebrew_, CHÁFÁR, a village, hamlet.
_GIEL_, the mouth.
_GITZLIN_, a morsel of bread.
_GLATHART_, a table. _German_, GLATT, smooth.
_GLENZ_, a field.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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