GLOSSARY
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THIS Glossary was prepared entirely by Mr. Nicholas Trübner.
I am not aware that he had any assistance in writing it. I mention
this because I have never met with any person who was so equally
familiar with obscure and obsolete old German facetious literature
(as the text indicates), and at the same time with Americanisms.
I should say that in all of the later ballads, or at least in
fully one half of all in the book, the author was indebted to
him for ideas, suggestions, and emendations, and that the work
would never have been what it is - sit verbo venia - but
for him. Mr. Trübner was a poet, even in English, as his
translation from Scheffel's poems indicates. A very few words
have been added to explain the poems in the ballads which appear
for the first time in this edition.
CHARLES G. LELAND.
Abenddämmerung, (Ger.) - Evening dim light; twilight.
Abendgold, (Ger.) - Evening gold.
Abendroth, (Ger.) - Evening red.
Abendsonnenschein, (Ger.) - Evening sunshine.
Abbordez-moi vodre mére, (German-French) - Bring
me your mayor.
Ach weh, (Ger.) - Oh, woe.
Allatag, (Ger. dial.) - Every day.
Alla weil - All the while; always.
Allegader - All together.
Alles wird ewig zu eins, (Ger.) - And all for ever becomes
one.
Alter Schwed', (old Swede) - A familiar phrase like "old
fellow."
Anamile, (Amer.) - Animal.
Annerthalb Yar, Anderthalb Jahr, (Ger.) - Year and a half.
Anti Word: Antwort - Answer.
Antworded, (Ger.) - Answered.
Apple-tod, (Amer.) - Apple toddy. Spirit distilled from
cider.
Arbeiterhalle - Working-man's hall.
Arminius, (Herman.) - The Duke of the Cheruskans, and destroyer
of the Roman legions under Varus, in the Teutoburg Forest.
Armlos - Unarmed.
Aroom, Herum - Around.
Arrière pensée, (Fr.) - A reserved thought
or intention.
Aufgespannt, (Ger.) - Stretched, bent.
Augen, (Ger.) - Eyes.
Augenblick, (Ger.) - Twinkling of an eye.
Aus, (Ger.) - Out.
Bach, (Ger.) - Book.
Baender-box - Band-box.
Baldface corn, (Amer.) - Plain maize whisky.
Barell-hell pars - Parallel-bars; a part of the gymnastic
apparatus.
Barrick, (Pennsylvania Ger. for Berg) - Mountain.
Bauern, (Ger.) - Peasants.
Be-ghostet, (Ger. Begeistert) - Inspired.
Begifted, - Beschenkt - Gifted.
Begreifen, (Ger.) - Understand.
Beheaded, Behauptet, (Ger.) - Asserted.
Bei Leib und Leben, (Ger.) - By my body and soul.
Bekannt, Beknown - Known.
Bellin, (Ger. Bellen) - To bark.
Bemarket, (Ger.-Eng.) - Remarked.
Be-mark, (Ger. Bemarken) - Observe.
Bemarks, (Ger. Bemerkungen) - Remarks.
Bemerkbàr, (Ger.) - Observable. Should be noticed.
Bemoost, (Ger.) - Mossgrown, in student's language,
ein bemoostes Haupt, an old student.
Bender, (Amer.) - A spree; a frolic. To "go on a
bender" - to go on a spree.
Be-raised - Raised, with the augment, literal for Ger.
erhoben.
Berauscht, (Ger.) - Intoxicated.
Besoffen, (Ger.) - Drunk.
Bestimmung des Menschen - Vocation of Man, title of one
of Fichte's works.
Betaubend, (Ger.) - Enchanting.
Bewises, (Ger. Beweist, from Beweisen) -
Proves.
Bibliothek - Library.
Bienenkorb, (Ger.) - Beehive.
Birra gazzosa, (Italian) - Aerated, gaseous beer.
Bischof, (Ger.) - Bishop.
Bix Büchse, (box) - Rifle. Bess in Brown Bess is the
equivalent of the German Büchse, (Brown being merely an alliterative
epithet;) French, buse tube; Flemish, buis. (Still
found in blunderbuss, arquebuss.) See Blackley's "Word Gossip."
Blaetter, (Ger.) - Leaves.
Blei - Lead.
Blitz, (Ger.) - Lightning.
Blitzen, (Ger.) - Lightning.
Blokes, (English) - Men.
Bock - A strong kind of German beer.
Boemisch - Bohemian.
Boerenvolk, (Flem.) - Peasants.
Bole Jack road - Near Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
Bool - Bull.
Bornirtheit - Limitedness of capacity.
Bouleverse - Boulevard.
Bountiee, (Amer.) - Bounty-money paid during the war as
a premium to soldiers. To jump the bounty, was to secure the then
run away. "This is the song of Billy Jones, Who jumped the
boun-ti-ee." - American Ballad of 1846.
Bowery - A street at New York, inhabited principally by
Germans.
Branntewein, (Ger.) - Spirits.
Brandy smash, (Amer.) - A plain half-glass mint julep of
only sugar,ice, spirits, and mint. A regular julep is larger,
contains more ingredients.
Brav, (Ger.) - Good.
Breit, (Ger.) - Broad.
Bring it down to dots - Reduce it to figures.
Brisner - Prisoner.
Broosh-pinder - Brushbinder, (Ger. Buerstenbinder.)
- Brushmaker. The brushmakers are supposed, probably on account
of their throat-parching business, to be always thirsty.
Brummed - growled - (Ger. Brummen).
Brücke, (Ger.) - Bridge.
Bugs - In America all insects, especially Coleoptera.
Bummer, (Amer.) - A fellow haunting low taverns; applied
during the late civil war in the United States to hangers-on of
the army. Probably a corruption of the German
bummler(loafer).
Bumming - From Bummer.
Bushwhackers - Guerillas.
Bust his shell - Broke his head.
Butterbrod, (Ger.) - Buttered bread.
By-Nearly; Beinahe - Almost, nearly.
Came - Game.
Camine - Chimney-piece.
Canyon, (Span. Cañon) - A narrow passage
between high and precipitous banks, formed by mountains or tablelands,
often with a river running beneath. These occur in the great Western
prairies, New Mexico, and California.
Carmagnole - A wild street dance.
Carmosine, (Ger.) - Crimson. French, cramoisoi.
Carnadine - Incarnadine.
Change their lodge - Shift from one "society"
to another.
Chroc, Chrocus, Crocus - An Alemannic leader, who overran
Gaul, according to Gregory of Tours.
Chunk - A short thick piece of wood, or of anything else;
a chump. The word is provincial in England, and colloquial in
the United States.
Cinder - Suende; sin.
Clam - The popular name of a bivalvular shell-fish, the
Venus.
Clavier, (Ger.) - Piano.
Colle belle, (Ital.) - With the beauties.
Comedy - Committee.
Conradin - The last of the imperial house of the Hohenstaufen
- beheaded at Naples in 1268.
Coot - (To cut) a dash, (to come out a "swell,")
to dress extravagantly.
Corned, (Amer.) - Made drunk.
Coster - The inventor of the art of printing, according
to the Dutch.
Crate - Great.
Crecian pend - When Breitmann says "Dat pend of the
bow ish the Crecian pend," it is a rather eqivocal compliment.
"Grecian bend" has lately become a common newspaper
expression. Smuggling done by women is called a "Case of
Grecian bend." The present style of skirt, full at the back,
is favourable to it.
Crislies - Grisly, (bear.)
Da ist er! Schau! - There he is! look!
Damit, (Ger.) - Therewith.
Dampfschiff - Steamboat.
Deck - A pack of cards, piled one upon another.
Demperanceler, Temperenzler - Temperance man.
Dessauerinn - A woman from Dessau.
Deutschland - Germany.
Die Hexe - The witch.
Die wile as möhte leben - During all its life. Daz
wolde er immer dienen Die wile es möhte leben. - Kutrun.
XV. Aventiure, 756th verse.
Dink - he, they think; my dinks - my thoughts.
Dinked - he, they thought.
Dishtriputet - Instead of attributed.
Dissembulatin' - Dissembling.
Dissolfed - Instead of resolved.
D'lusion - Instead of allusion.
Donnered, (Ger.) - Thundered.
Donnerwetter, (Ger.) - Thunder and lightning.
Dooks - Ducks.
Doon - Tune.
Doonderblix - Thunder and lightning.
Dorn - A thorn. Dorn lieder - Thorn-songs.
Drawed he in - (literal rendering of the German Zog
er ein,)
Dreimal, (Ger.) - Three times.
Drocks - Drakes, dragons; (Ger. Drachen.)
Druckerei - Printing-office.
Dummehrlichkeit, (Ger.) - Honest simplicity.
Dunkelheit - Darkness.
Dursty, (Ger. Durstig) - Thirsty.
Earnsthaft, ernsthaft - Serious.
Eber, (Ger.) - Wild boar.
Eberschwein, (Ger.) - Wild boar.
Eckhartshausen - A German supernaturalist.
Eher, (Ger.) - Sooner. In the dialect it has the meaning
of "before."
Einander to sprechen mit, (Ger.) - To speak together.
Eins, zwei, drei - One, two, three.
Einsichen, to take up one's abode with. Eldern, (Ger. Eltern)
- Parents.
Elfenbein, (Ger.) - Ivory.
Emerich - King Emerich, hero of a German legend.
Emsig Gruebler, (Ger.) - Assiduous inquirer.
Engel, (Ger.) - Angel.
Engländrinn, (Ger.) - English woman.
Entlang, (Ger.) - Along.
Erfinder, (Ger.) - Inventor.
Erfounden, (Ger. Erfunden) - Invented.
Ergeben, (Ger.) - Resigned.
Error-dom, Irrthum - Error.
Erstaun, Erstaunished, erstaunt - Astonished.
Erstarrt, (Ger.) - Aghast.
Erwaitin', (Ger. Erwartend) - Awaiting, expecting.
Euchre, Eucre - Sort of game played with cards, very much
in vogue in the West.
Euchred - From Euchre, the game of cards.
Fackeltantz, (Ger.) - Torch dance.
Fancy craps or crabs - Fast horses.
Fanes, Wetterfahnen - Weathercocks.
Fass, (Ger.) - Barrel.
Fat - Printer's term.
Feldwebel, (Ger.) - A sergeant.
Feinslieb, (Ger.) - Fair or fine love.
Fenster - A window.
Fichte - A German philosopher.
Finster, (Ger.) - Dark, dismal.
Foal - Full.
Foll - To fall.
Foon - Fun.
Foors - First.
Fore-by - Literal translation of the German Vorbei.
Fore-lying - Literal translation of Vorliegend.
Foreschlag, (Ger. Vorschlag) - Proposal.
Foresetzen - To set, put (lay) before an audience.
Foxen, (Ger. Fuchsen) - Foxes.
Frank-tiroir - Franc-tireur.
François Villon - An old French humorous poet, whom
Boileau speaks of as the first who began to write truly modern
French.
Frau, (Ger.) - Woman.
Freie, (Ger.) - Free.
Freischarlinger, (Ger. Freischaerler) - A member
of a Free Corps;
especially applied to those who belonged to the Free Corps formed
in Southern Germany during the Revolution in 1848.
Freischuetz, (Ger.) - Free shot, one who shoots with charmed
bullets, the name of Karl Maria Von Weber's celebrated opera.
Friederich Rothbart - Frederic Barbarossa, the great Emperor
of
Germany and one of the German legendary heroes. He is supposed
to sleep in the Kyffhauser in Thuringia, and to awaken one day,
when he will bring great glory over Germany.
Frolic - Frohlich, merry.
Froze to de ready - Held fast to the money.
Fullenden - Vollenden - To complete, perfect.
Fuss, (Ger.) - Foot.
Fust or Faust - The partner of Gutemberg, the inventor
of the art of printing.
Gambrinus - A mythical King of Brabant, supposed to have
been the inventor of beer.
Gandertate - Candidate.
Ganz, (Ger.) - Ganz.
Gans egál - Quite the same.
Ganz und gar, (Ger.) - Altogether, all over.
Garce, (French) - Wench.
Gass und Strass, (Ger.) - Lane and street.
Gast, (Ger.) - Guest.
Gasbalgs - Bladder of gas.
Gauer - Valleys.
Gaul darn - G-- ---n.
Gaul dern - A Yankee oath.
Gauner-sprache, (Ger.) - Thieves' language.
Ge-bildet - Built, with the German augment.
Ge-birt', (Ger. Geburt) - Birth.
Geborn - Born, with the augment.
Ge-brudert, (formed like ge-schwister,) - Brothers.
Geh hin mein Puch, (German of the 16th century).
Gehst nit mit rechten Dingen zu - Dost not do it by any
natural means; there is witchcraft in it.
Gekommene - Arrived(newly arrived).
Gekommen so, (Ger.) - Come thus.
Ge-kostet - Cost, with the German augment.)
Gesangverein, (Ger.) - Singing-society.
Ge-screech, Geschrei - Bawling, clamour.
Gesembled - Assembled, with the augment of the German preterite.
Geshmasht - Smashed, with German augment.
Gespickt, (Ger.) - Larded.
Gestohlen - Stolen.
Gestohlen und bekannt, (Ger.) - Stolen, and known.
Gesundheit, (Ger.) - Health.
Gewehr, (Ger.) - Musket.
Gewiss - Certainly.
Gift, (Ger.) - Poison.
Gilt - In the ordinary sense, and also in the same verse,
"gilt," implying the meaning of the German verb
"gelten," to be worth something, and also guilt.
Glamour - Ocular deception by magic.
Glee-wine, Glueh-wein - Hot-spiced wine.
Glucky, (Ger. Gluecklich) - Lucky.
Glueck, (Ger.) - Luck.
Goblum - For goblin.
Gool - Cool.
Gottallmachty, (Ger. Gottallmächtig) - God
Almighty.
Gottashe - Cottage.
Gotteshaus, (Ger.) - House of God.
Gott-full, gottvoll - Glorious, divine.
Gottsdonnerkreuzschockschwerenoth, (Ger.) - Another variety
of big swearing.
Gott's-doonder, (Ger. Gott's donner) - God's thunder.
See also
Gott's tausend, a thundering sort of oath, but never preceded
by lightning, for it is only used as a kind of expletive to express
great surprise, or to give great emphasis to words which, without
it, would seem to be capable of none.
Gottstausend, (Ger.) - An abbreviation of Gott's tausend
donnerwetter (God's thousand thunders), and therefore the
comparative of
Gott's doonder; with most of those who use it a meaningless
phrase.
Gott weiss, (Ger.) - God knows!
Go von - Go one, bet on him.
Grillers - Guerillas.
Grod, gerad - Straight.
Gros, (Ger.) - Great.
Guestfriendlich, gastfreundlich - Hospitable.
Gummi lasticum - India rubber.
Gutemberg - The inventor of the art of printing.
Guve - Southern slang for give. Guv, for give, is
also English slang as well as American.
Gyrotwistive - Snaky.
Hab' und Güter, (Ger.) - Property.
Hagel! Blitz! Kreuz Sakrament!(Ger.) - Another variety
of swearing.
Halberthier, for Halberdier - Halberthier means
half an animal.
Hand-shoe, (Ger. Handschuh) - Glove.
Hans Michel - A popular but not complimentary name for
Germany.
Hans Wurst - Merry Andrew; Zani; Jack Pudding - the latter
word being a literal translation of the German Hans Wurst; the
pudding in either case referring to the sausages, or the pretended
sausage, which the Merry Andrew always appeared to be swallowing
by the yard or fathom. See Blackley's "Word Gossip."
Harmlos, (Ger.) - Harmless.
Haul de pot - Take the stakes.
Hause - House.
Hegel - Name of the German philosopher.
Heine, Heinrich - German poet.
Heini von Steier - Heinrich von Ofterdingen.
Heldenbuch - Is the title of a collection of epic poems,
belonging to the cycle of the German Saga.
Heller Glorie schein - Bright gloriole.
Hereauf, hierauf - Thereupon.
Herout, (Ger.) Heraus) - Out.
Herr Je, (Ger.) - An abbreviation of Herr Jesus
(O Lord!); generally only used by those who are fond of meaningless
exclamations.
Her-re-liche, herrliche - Superb, grand, noble.
Hertsen - Herzen; hearts.
Hertzhog, Herzog, (Ger.) - Duke.
Herzlich, (Ger.) - Hearty.
Herzbruder, (Ger.) - Heart's brother.
Hexerei - Witchery, sorcery.
Himmel, (Ger.) - Heaven.
Himmels-Potz-Pumpen-Herrgott - A mild sort of a German
imprecation, untranslatable.
Himmlisch' hoellisch' qual, (Ger.) - Heavenly-hellish pain.
Hip Herjé! - A common interjection.
Hobbiness - Happiness.
Hoellisch, (Ger.) - Hellish.
Honey fooglin', Honeyfuggle - Is believed to be
English slang. In America it means blarneying, deceiving.
Hoockle perry, persimmoned - "A huckle-berry
over my persimmon." Surpassed, out-done.
Hoof-irons, (Huf-eisen in Ger.) - Horse-shoe.
Hoofstad, (Flem.) - Capita.
Hop-sosa, (Ger.)int. - Hop; heyday!
Hundé - Dog.
Hundsfott, (Ger. Vulg.) - Mean scoundrel, hound.
Hunk, (Amer.) - Stout, solid, profitable. "To be all
hunk" means to come out of a speculation with advantage.
To be well off.
Hut, (Ger.) - Hat.
I Gili romaneskro - This song is written in the German
gipsy dialect. Eh! in third line of second verse, is the
German word ehe, "ere," or before. Kuribente
("in war,") is in the Slavonic and gipsy local
case,
or as Pott calls it (Die Zigeuner in Europa und Asien)
the Second Dative.
Ik leven, (Flem.) - I live.
Il diavolo in carnato, (Ital.) - The devil incarnate or
in carnation.
Immer - Ever.
In geburst - Burst.
In Sang und Klang dein Leben lang, (Ger.) - In music and
song all thy life long.
Ita dixit, (Latin) - So said.
Jeff - A game played by throwing up types, generally for
"refreshments."
Joss-stick - A name given to small reeds, covered with
the dust of odiferous woods, which the Chinese burn before their
idols.
Jungfernkranz, (Ger.) - Bridal garland.
Kaiser Karl - Charlemagne.
Kalt, (Ger.) - Cold.
Kanaster, (Ger.) - Canaster tobacco.
Kan ik. Ik kan, (Flem.) - I can.
Karfunkelstein, (Ger.) - Carbuncle.
Kartoffel, (Ger.) - Potato.
Kauder-Waelsch, (Ger.) - Gibberish.
Kellner, (Ger.) - Waiter.
Kermes - Annual Fair.
Kinder, (Ger.) - Children.
Kitin, a kitin - Flying or running rapidly.
Klein und gross - Small and great.
Kloster, (Ger.) - Cloister.
Knasterbart, (Ger.) - Literally, tobacco-beard; perhaps
denoting a good old fellow, fond of his pipe.
Kneiperei, (Ger.) - Revel.
Knock dem out de shpots - Knock the spots out of them;
astonish them.
König Etzel - King Attila.
Komm maidelein! Rothe waengelein, (Ger.) - Come maiden,
red cheeks.
Köng, (Ger. König) - Old Norse for king.
Kooken - Cake.
Kop, (Ger. Kopf) - Head.
Kreutzer - Frederick Creutzer, distinguished professor
in the University of Heidelberg, author of a great work on "Symbolik."
Krumm, (Ger.) - Crooked.
Kümmel, (Ger.) - Cumin brandy.
Kummel, kimmel, (Ger.) - Schnapps, dram. Hans, in
his tipsy enthusiasm, ejaculates, "Oh, mein Gott in Kimmel!"
instead of "im Himmel" (heaven), becoming guilty of
an unconscious alliteration, and confessing, according to the
proverb in vino veritas, where his God really abides; "whose
God is their belly."
Künster, (Ger.) - Sacristan.
Lanze, (Ger.) - Lance.
Lager, Lagerbeer, (Ger. Lagerbier, i.e.,
Stockbeer) - Sometimes in these poems abbreviated into
Lager. A kind of beer introduced into the American cities
by the Germans, and now much in vogue among all classes.
Lager Wirthschaft, (Ger.) - Beerhouse.
Laibgartner, (Ger.) - Liebgard; bodyguard. The Swiss in
blundering makes it "body-gardener."
Lam - To drub, beat soundly.
Larmen - The French word larmes, tears, made into
a German verb.
Lateinisch - Latin.
Laughen, lachen - Laughing.
Lavergne - A place between Nashville and Murfreesboro',
in the state of Tennessee.
Lebe hoch! - Hurrah!
Leben - Life; living.
Lebenlang, (Ger.) - Life-long.
Lev'st du nock? - Liv'st thou yet?
Libby - The notorious Confederate prison at Richmond, Va.
Liddle Pills - Little bills, Legislative enactments.
Lieblich, (Ger.) - Charming.
Liedeken, (Flem.) - Song.
Lieder, Lieds, (Ger.) - Songs.
Liederkranz, (Ger.) - Glee-union.
Liederlich, (Ger.) - Loose, reckless, dissolute.
Lighthood, (Ger. Lichtheit) - Light.
Like spiders down their webs - Breitmann's soldiers are
supposed to have been expert turners or gymnasts.)
Loafer, (Amer.) - A term which, considered as the German
pronunciation of lover, is a close translation of rom,
since this latter means both a gipsy and a husband.
Los, los gehen, (Ger.) - To go at a thing, at somebody.
Loosty, (Ger. Lustig) - Jolly, merry.
Loudet, (Lauten in Ger.) - To make sound.
L'Ubbriacone, (Ital.) - Drunkard.
Luftballon, (Ger.) - Air-balloon.
Lump, (Ger.) - Ragamuffin.
Lumpenglocke - An abusive term applied to bells, especially
to those which are rung to give notice that the beer-houses must
close.
Madel, (Ger.) - Girl.
Maedchen, (Ger.) - Girl, maiden.
Markgraefler - A pleasant light wine grown in the Grand
Duchy of Baden.
Marmorbild - Marble statue.
Maskenzug, (Ger.) - Procession of masked persons.
Massenversammlung, (Ger.) - Mass meeting.
Mein Freund - My friend.
Mein Sohn - My son.
Meine Seel', (Ger.) - By my soul.
Meisjes, (Flem.) - Girls.
Middleolter(Mittelälter) - The Middle Ages.
Mijn lief gesellen, (Flem.) - My dear comrades.
Mineted - Minded.
Minnesinger - Poet of love. A name given to German lyric
poets, who flourished from the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries.
Mist-hauf, (Ger.) - Dung-hill.
Mit hoontin knife, &c.:-
"With her white hands so lovely,
She dug the Count his grave.
From her dark eyes sad weeping,
The holy water she gave."
- Old German Ballad.
Mitout - Without.
Mitternight, Mitternacht - Midnight.
Mitternocht, Mitternacht - Midnight.
Mohr, ein schwarzer, (Ger.) - A blackamoor.
Moleschott - Author of a celebrated work on physiology.
Mondenlight - Moonlight.
Mondenschein, (Ger.) - Moonlight.
Morgan - John Morgan, a notorious Confederate guerilla
during the late war in America.
Morgen-het-ache - Morning headache.
Moskopolite, (Amer.) - Cosmopolite. Mossyhead is the German
student phrase for an old student.
Mud-sill - The longitudinal timber laid upon the ground
to form the foundation for a railway. Hence figuratively applied
by the labour-despising Southern gentry to the labouring classes
as the substratum of society.
Murmulte - Murmured.
Mutter, (Ger.) - Mother.
Naturalizationisds - The officers, &c., who give the
rights of native citizens to foreigners.
Nibelungen Lied - The lay of the Nibelungen; the great
German national epos.
Nieuw Jarsie - New Jersey, in America, famous inter
alia for its sandy beaches and high surf.
Nig - Nigger.
Nirwana - The Brahminical absorption into God.
Nix, (Ger. Nichts) - Nothing.
Nix cum raus - That I had not come out.
No sardine - Not a narrow-minded, small-hearted fellow.
Norate - To speak in an oration.
Noth, (Ger.) - Need, dire extremity. Das war des Breitmann's
Noth, -That was Breitmann's sore trial. Imitated from the last
line of the Nibelungen Lied.
Nun - Now.
Nun endlich, (Ger.) - Now at last.
O'Brady - An Irish giant.
Ochsen, (Ger.) - Oxen; stupid fellows. As a verb it also
is used familiarly to mean hard study.
Odenwald - A thickly-wooded district in South Germany.
Oder - Other. See Preface.
Oltra tramontane; ultra tramontane - Applied to
the non-Italian Catholic party.
On-belongs - Literal translation of Zugehört.
On de snap - All at once.
On-did to on-do - Literal translation of the German
anthun; to donn, to put on.
Onfang, (Ger. Anfang) - Beginning.
Oonendly - Unendlich.
Oonshpeakbarly, (Ger. unaussprechbarlich) - Inexpressibly.
Oop-geclearéd, (Ger. Aufgeklaert) - Enlightened.
Ooprighty, (Ger. Aufrichtig) - Upright.
Oopright-hood, (Ger. Aufrichtigkeit) - Uprightness.
Oop-sproong - For aufsprung.
Opple-yack - Apple-jack. Spirit distilled from cider.
Orgel-ton, (Ger.) - Organ sound.
Orkester - Orchestra.
Out-ge-poke-te - Out-poked.
Out-signed, (Ger. ausgezeichnete) - Distinguished,
signal.
Out-sprach - Outspoke.
Over again - Uebrigen.
Paardeken, (Flemish) - Palfrey.
Pabst, Der Pabst lebt, &c. - "The Pope
he leads a happy life," &c., beginning of a popular German
song.
Palact, (Ger. Pallast) - Palace.
Péké - Belgian rye whisky.
Peeps - People. "Hard on the American peeps"
- a phrase for anything exacting or severely pressing.
Pelznickel, Nick, Nickel - St. Nicolas, muffled
in fur, is one of the few riders in the army of the saints, but,
unlike St. George and St. Martin, he oftener rides a donkey than
a horse, more especially in that part of the German land which
can boast
of having given birth to the illustrious Hans. St. Nicolas is
supposed, on the night preceding his name-day, the sixth of December,
to pass over the house-tops on his long-eared steed, and having
baskets suspended on either side filled with sweets and playthings,
and to drop down through the chimneys presents for those children
who have been good during the year, but birch-rods for those who
have been naughty, would not go to bed
early, or objected to being washed, &c. In the expectation
of his coming, the children put, on the eve of St. Nicolas' day,
either a shoe, or a stocking, or a little basket, into the
chimney-piece of their parents' bedroom. We may remark, by the
way, that St. Nicolas is the Christian successor of the heathen
Nikudr, of ancient German mythology. Pesser, besser,
(Ger.) - Better.
Pestain - Stain, with the augment.
Pfaelzer - A man from the Rhenish Palatinate.
Pfeil, (Ger.) - Arrow.
Philosopede - Velocipede.
Pickel-haube, (Ger.) - The spiked helmet worn by Prussian
soldiers.
Pie the forms - Break and scatter the forms of types -
the greatest disaster conceivable to a true typo.
Pig-sticker - Bowie-knife.
Pile-out, (Amer.) - Hurry out.
Pimeby - By and by.
"Plain" - Water plain, i.e., unmixed.
Plue goats - Blue coats, soldiers.
Plug-muss - Fight for a fire-plug. American fireman's language.
Pokal, (Poculum) - Goblet.
Poker - A favourite game of cards among Western gamblers.
Poonkin - Pumpkin.
Pop-slets - Bob-sleds. A very rough kind of sledge.
Potzblitz, (Ger.) - int., The deuce.
Potztausend! Was ist das? - Zounds! What is that?
Poulderie - Poultry.
Poussiren - To court.
Pretzel, (Ger.) - A kind of fancy bread, twist or the like.
Prezackly - Pre(cisely), exactly.
Protocollirt, protocolliren - To register, record.
Pully, i.e., Bully - An Americanism, adjective.
Fine, capital. A slang word, used in the same manner as the English
used the word crack; as, "a bully
horse," "a bully picture."
Pumpernickel - A heavy, hard sort of rye-bread, made in
Westphalia.
Put der Konig troo - To put through, (Amer.), to qualify,
to imitate.
Pye - To buy.
Rapp(Rappe) - A black horse.
Raushlin', rauschend - Rustling.
Reb - An abbreviation of rebel.
Redakteur - Editor.
Red cock - Or make de red cock crow. Einem den rothen
Hahn aufs Dach setzen. A German proverb signifying to set fire
to a house.
Rede, (Ger.) - Speech.
Red-Waelsch, Roth-Waelsch, (Ger.) - Thieves' language.
Reiten gaen, (Flemish) - Go riding.
Reiter, (Ger.) - Rider.
Reiver - Robber.
Reue, (Ger.) - Repentance.
Rheingraf, (Ger.) - Count of the Rhine districts.
Rheinweinbechers Klang - The Rhine wine goblet's sound.
Richter, (Jean Paul Fr.) - A distinguished German author.
Ridersmann, (Reitersmann in Ger.) - Rider.
Ring - A political clique or cabal.
Ringe, (Ger.) - Rings.
Ritter, (Ger.) - Knight.
Roland - One of the paladins of Charlemagne.
Rolette - Roulette.
Rollin' locks - Rolling logs, mutually aiding (used only
in politics.)
Rosen, (Ger.) - Roses.
Rouse, (Ger. Heraus) - Out; come out.
Sachsen - Saxonia, Saxony.
Sacrin - Consecrating.
Sagen Cyclus - Cycle of legends.
Sass, Sassy, Sassin' - Sauce, saucy, &c.
Sauerkraut, (Ger.) - Pickled cabbage.
Saw it - Understood it.
Scatterin, Scotterin - Scattering.
Schatz - Sweetheart.
Schauer, (Ger.) - Awe.
Schenk aus, (Ger.) - Pour out.
Schenket ein, (Ger.) - Pour in (fill the glasses).
Schimmel, (Ger.) - Grey horse.
Schimpft und flucht gar laesterlich, (Ger.) - Swears and
blasphemes abominably.
Schinken, (Ger.) - Ham.
Schläger, (Ger.) - A kind of sword or broadsword;
a rapier used by students for duelling or fighting matches.
Schlesierwein, (Ger.) - Wine grown in Silesia, proverbially
sour.
Schlimmer, (Ger.) - Worse.
Schlog him ober de kop - Knocked him on the head.
Schloss, (Ger.) - Castle.
Schmutz, (Ger.) - Dirt.
Schnapps, (Ger.) - Dram.
Schnitz - Pennsylvania German word for cut and dried fruit.
Schnitz, schnitzen, (Ger.) - To chop, chip, snip.
Schönheitsidéal, (Ger.) - The ideal of beauty.
Schopenhauer - A celebrated German "philosophical
physiologist."
Schoppen, (Ger.) - A liquid measure, chopin, pint.
Schrocken(Erschrocken) - Frightened.
Schwaben - Suabia.
Schwan, (Ger.) - Swan.
Schweinblatt - (Swine) Dirty paper.
Schweitzer kase, (Ger.) - Swiss cheese.
Schwer, (Ger.) - Heavy.
Schwig, Swig, verb. - To drink by large draughts.
Schwigs, Swig, n. - A large draught.
Schweinpig, (Ger.) - Swinepig.
Scoop - Take in, get.
Scorched - Escorted. A negro malapropism.
Scrouged, (Amer.) - Pressed, jammed.
Seelen-Ideal - Soul's ideal.
Sefen-lefen - Seven or eleven(minutes).
Seins, (Ger.) - The Being.
Selbstanschauungsvermögen, (Ger.) - Capacity for self-inspection.
Selfe, (Ger.) Selbe) - Same.
Serenity - A transparency.
Shanty - A board cabin. Slang, for house.
Shapel - Chapel is an old word for a printing-office.
Sharman, Sherman - German.
Shings - Jingo; by jingo.
Shpicket - Spigot; a pin or peg to stop a small hole in
a cask of liquor.
Shipsy - Gipsy.
Shlide - Slide. "Let it slide," vulgar for "let
it go."
Shlide, (Amer.) - Depart.
Shlished, geschlitzt - Slit.
Shlop over - Go too far and upset or spill. Applied to
men who venture too far in a success.
Shlopped - Slopped.
Shmysed, (Ger. Schmissen, from Schmeissen)
- Threw him out of doors.
Shnow-wice, (Ger. Schnee-weis) - Snow-white.
Shoopider - Jupiter.
Shooting-stick - A shooting-stick is used for closing up
the form of types.
Show-spiel, Schauspiel - Play, piece.
Shpoons - Spoons, plunder.
Shtuhl, (Ger. Stuhl) - Stool, chair.
Silbern, (Ger.) - Silver.
Sinn, (Ger.) - Meaning.
Six mals - Six times.
Skeeted - Went fast, skated(?)
Skool - Skull.
Skyugle, (Amer.) - "Skyugle" is a word which
had a short run during 1864. It meant many things, but chiefly
to disappear or to make disappear. Thus, a deserter "skyugled,"
and sometimes he "skyugled" a coat or watch.
Slanganderin' - Foolishly slandering.
Slasher gaffs - Spurs for cocks, with cutting edges.
Slibovitz - A Bohemian schnapps.
Slumgoozlin' - Slum or sham guzzling, humbug.
Slumgullion - A Mississippi term for a legislator.
So mit, (Ger.) - Thus with.
Solidaten, (Ger. Soldaten) - Soldiers.
Sonntag, (Ger.) - Sunday.
Soplin - A sapling, young tree.
Sottelet, (Ger. Gesattelt) - Saddled.
Sound upon the goose - Bartlett, in his Dictionary of Americanisms,
states that this phrase originated in the Kansas troubles, and
signified true to the cause of slavery. But this is erroneous,
as the phrase was common during the native American campaign,
and originated at Harrisburg, as described by Mr. Leland.
Souse und Brouse, (Ger. Saus und Braus) - Revelry
and rioting.
Speck, (Ger.) - Bacon.
Spiel, (Ger.) - Play.
Spielman, (Ger.) - Musician.
Splodderin' - Splattering.
Spook, (Ger. Spuk) - A ghost.
Sporn, (Ger.) - Spur.
Sports - Sporting men.
Squander, (Amer.) - Wander. Used in this sense in "The
Big Bear of Arkansas."
Staub, (Ger.) - Dust.
Stein, (Ger.) - Stone.
Stille, (Ger.) - Stillness.
Stim, (Ger. Stimme) - Voice.
Stohr - Store.
Stone fence, (Amer.) - Rye whisky. "I went in and
got a horn Of old stone fence." - Jim Crow, 1832.
Straaten, (Flem.) - Streets.
Stracks - Straight ahead, or onwards.
Straight flush - In poker, all the cards of one suit.
Strassen, (Ger.) - Streets.
Strauss - Name of the celebrated Viennese valse player
and composer.
Strumpf, (Ger.) - Stocking.
Stunden, (Ger.) - Leagues. About four and a half English
miles.
Sturm und Drang, (Ger.) - Literally Storm and Violence.
Sturm und Drang periode, signifying a particular period
of German literature.
Sweynheim and Pannartz - The first printers at Rome.
Takes - Allotments of copy to each printer.
Tantz, (Ger.) - Dance.
Tantzen, (Ger.) - To dance.
Tarnal - Eternal.
Taub, Taube, (Ger.) - Dove.
Taugenix, Taugenichts - Good-for-nothing fellow.
Teufelsjagersmann - Devil's huntsman.
Theil, (Ger.) - Part.
Thoom - Thumb.
Thrip, (Southern Amer.) - Threepence.
Thusnelda - The wife of Arminius, (Hermann,) the Duke of
the Cheruskans and conqueror of Varus. Tie a dog loose. Losbinden
Tiger - An American term for a gambling table.
Tixey - "I wish I was in Dixie." The origin of
this song is rather curious. Although now thoroughly adopted as
a Southern song, and "Dixie's Land" understood to mean
the Southern States of America, it was, about a century ago, the
estate of one Dixie, on Manhattan Island, who treated his slaves
well; and it was their lament, on being deported
south, that is now known as "I wish I was in Dixie."
Todt, (Ger.) - Dead.
Todtengrips, Todtengerippe - Skeleton.
Tofe - Dove.
To House, (Ger. zu Hause) - At home.
Tortled - To tortle, to move off. From turtle.
Touch the dirt - Touch the road.
Treppe - Stairs.
Treu, (Ger.) - Faithful, true.
Throw him with ecks - Pelt him with eggs.
Turchin - Colonel Turchin's men ravaged the town of Huntsville
(Ala.) during the civil war.
Turkas - Turquoise.
Turner, (Ger.) - Gymnast.
Turner Verein, (Ger. Turnverein) - Gymnastic Society.
Tyfel, Teufel - Devil.
Tyfeled, Verteufelt - Devilish.
Tyfelfest - From Teufel, here in the sense of "best"
or "worst."
Tyfel-shnake, Teufelsschnaken - Devilries.
Tyfel-strikes, Teufels-streiche - Devil-strokes.
Tyfelwards - Devilwards.
Uber Stein and Schwein, (Ger.) - Over stone and swine.
Ueberschwengliche, (Ger.) - Transcendental, elevated.
Uhr, (Ger.) - Clock, watch, hour, time. Used for "hour"
in the ballad.
Uhu, (Ger.) - Owl.
Uliverus - Oliver, another of the twelve Paladins of Charlemagne,
who fell at Roncesvalles (a Roland for an Oliver).
Und lauter guter Ding, (Ger.) - And of thoroughly good
cheer.
Un-windoong, (Ger. Entwicklung?) - Unravelling.
Unvolkommene technik - Unfinished style or method.
Urbummellied, (Ger. vulg.) - Arch-loafer's song.
Urlied, (Ger.) - The song of yore.
Van't klein komt men tot't groote, (Dutch) - Great things
have small beginnings. (Concordia res parvä crescunt - Legend
on the Dutch ducats; or "Magna molimur parvi.")
Varus - The Roman commander in Germany, conquered by Arminius.
Veilchen, (Ger.) - Violets.
Vercieren, (Flem.) - Adorn; exalt.
Verdammt, (Ger.) - D---d.
Verfluchter, (Ger.) - Accursed.
Verloren, (Ger.) - Forlorn.
Verstay, Verstehen - Understand.
Versteh, Verstehen, (Ger.) - To understand.
Vertyfeln, Verteufeln - To botch.
Villiam - William Street at New York, inhabited by many
Germans.
Vivat! - The same as vive! in French. Hurrah!
Vlaemsche - Flemish.
Von - One. See Preface.
Voonderly, (Ger. Wunderlich) - Wondrous, curious.
Vorüber, (Ger.) - Past.
Wachsen, (Ger.) - Waxen.
Wachsen, (Ger.) - To grow.
"Komm'ich in's galante Sachsen
Wo die schöne Maedchen wachsen."
- Old German Song.
Waechter, (Ger.) - Watchman.
Waelder, (Ger.) - Woods.
Wahlverwandtschaft, (Ger.) - Elective affinity, sympathy
of souls.
Wahrsagt, (Ger. Wahrsagen) - To foretell, soothsay.
Waidmannsheil, (Ger.) - Huntsman's weal.
Wald, (Ger.) - Wood.
Wallowin - Walloon.
Wälschen, (Ger.) - Of the Latin race.
Wappenshield(Waffenschild) - Coat of arms.
Ward all zu Steine, (Ger.) - Became all stone.
Ward zu Wind, (Ger.) - Became a wind.
Wechselbalg, (Ger.) - (formerly a popular superstitious
belief), a changeling, brat, urchin.
Weihnachtsbaum, (Ger.) - Christmas tree.
Weihnachtslied, (Ger.) - Christmas song.
Weingarts, Weingärten, (Ger.) - Vineyards.
Weingeist, (Ger.) - Vinous, ardent spirit.
Wein-handle, (Ger. Weinhandel or
Weinhandlung) - Wine-trade, wine-shop.
Weinnachtstraum - Lit. Winenight's dream, for "Weihnacht,"
Christmas dream.
Wellen und Wogen, (Ger.) - Waves and billows.
Welshhen - Turkey hen.
Werda?(Ger.) - Who's there?
Werden, das Werden - The becoming to be.
Wete (Wette) - Bet.
We'uns, you'ns - We and you. A common vulgarism
through the Southern States. "'Tis sad that we'uns from you'ns
parts When you'ns hev stolen we'uns' hearts.
Wie gehts, (Ger.) - How goes it? How are you?
Wie Milch und Blut - Like milk and blood.
Wild und Weh, (Ger.) - Wild and woebegone.
Wilde Jagd - Wild hunt.
Willkomm, (Ger.) - Welcome.
Windsbraut, (Ger. poet) - Storm, hurricane, gust of wind.
Wird, (Ger.) - Becomes.
Wise-hood, (Ger. Weisheit) - Wisdom.
Wised, (Ger. Wusste, from wissen) - Knew.
Witz, (Ger.) - A sally.
Wo bist du?(Ger.) - Where art?
Woe-moody, (Ger. Wehmüthig) - Moanful, doleful.
Wohl, (Ger.) - Well!
Wohlauf, (Ger.) - Well, come on, cheer up.
Wolfsschlucht, (Ger.) - Wolf's glen.
Wonnevol, (Ger. Wonnevoll) - Blissful.
Woon, (Ger. Wunde) - Wound.
Word-blay - Word-play, pun, quibble.
Wunderschéen(Wunderschön) - Very beautiful.
Wurst - A German student word for indifference.
Wurst, (Ger.) - Sausage.
Yaeger, (Ger.) - Huntsman.
Yaegersmann, Jaegersmann - Huntsman.
Yager, (Jager, Ger.) - Hunter.
Yar, (Ger. Jahr) - Year.
Yartausend, Jahrtausend - A thousand years.
Yellow pine - Mulatto.
Yonge maegden, (Flem.) - Young girls. "I lost a maiden
in that hour." - Byron.
Yoompers - Jumpers. Rude sledges.
Yungling, Jüngling, (Ger.) - Youth.
Zapfet aus, (Ger.) - Tap the barrel.
Zigeuner - Gipsy.
Zimmer, (Ger.) - Room.
Zukunftig, (Ger.) - In future.