Comments on: Toothbutter http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323 Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:37:47 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v= By: This Week’s Language Blog Roundup: Election, WOTY, and terrifying origins | Wordnik http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-290075 This Week’s Language Blog Roundup: Election, WOTY, and terrifying origins | Wordnik Fri, 16 Nov 2012 15:26:06 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-290075 [...] and at Language Log, discussed using syllepsis in headlines while Mark Liberman took a bite out of toothbutter. Johnson explored the tu-vous distinction and, inspired by our Diwali post on Indian-Anglo words, [...] [...] and at Language Log, discussed using syllepsis in headlines while Mark Liberman took a bite out of toothbutter. Johnson explored the tu-vous distinction and, inspired by our Diwali post on Indian-Anglo words, [...]

]]> By: kamo http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-289754 kamo Fri, 16 Nov 2012 02:18:30 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-289754 I am loving Language Log so hard right now. That is all. I am loving Language Log so hard right now. That is all.

]]> By: TonyK http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-289177 TonyK Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:18:02 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-289177 My first take on "toothbutter" was that it must be a Glasgow term for an unprincipled fighter. My first take on "toothbutter" was that it must be a Glasgow term for an unprincipled fighter.

]]> By: Sili http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-289039 Sili Wed, 14 Nov 2012 16:49:31 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-289039 <blockquote>The g in "snegl" is not silent — at least inasmuch as it contributes to the pronunciation; the sound of the word cannot possibly be written "snel". However, what the g contributes is not a consonantal sound.</blockquote>Come the Revolution it will be "snajl" in Reformed Danish. Incidentally, I only knew the word "smørtyv", but I had no real object to link it to until seeing the page linked upthread.

The g in "snegl" is not silent — at least inasmuch as it contributes to the pronunciation; the sound of the word cannot possibly be written "snel". However, what the g contributes is not a consonantal sound.

Come the Revolution it will be "snajl" in Reformed Danish.

Incidentally, I only knew the word "smørtyv", but I had no real object to link it to until seeing the page linked upthread.

]]> By: Boudica http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288611 Boudica Wed, 14 Nov 2012 03:07:14 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288611 Snegl...like Schnecken in German? Snegl…like Schnecken in German?

]]> By: Henning Makholm http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288587 Henning Makholm Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:51:11 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288587 @Bill W: The g in "snegl" is not silent -- at least inasmuch as it contributes to the pronunciation; the sound of the word cannot possibly be written "snel". However, what the g contributes is not a consonantal sound. Several generations ago it was some kind of laryngeal approximant, but in my generation it has fused completely with the vowel to produce a diphtong. The sound is more or less what could be written "snile" in English, except there's a <i>stød</i> intervening somewhere near the boundary between the /ai/ and the /l/. @Bill W: The g in "snegl" is not silent — at least inasmuch as it contributes to the pronunciation; the sound of the word cannot possibly be written "snel". However, what the g contributes is not a consonantal sound. Several generations ago it was some kind of laryngeal approximant, but in my generation it has fused completely with the vowel to produce a diphtong.

The sound is more or less what could be written "snile" in English, except there's a stød intervening somewhere near the boundary between the /ai/ and the /l/.

]]> By: Bill W http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288582 Bill W Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:34:02 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288582 "I was hoping it was something I could put on (or in) a bagel. Because, snegl bagel." Isn't the g in "snegl", like so many other Danish consonants, silent? "I was hoping it was something I could put on (or in) a bagel. Because, snegl bagel."

Isn't the g in "snegl", like so many other Danish consonants, silent?

]]> By: Garrett wollman http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288574 Garrett wollman Wed, 14 Nov 2012 01:12:55 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288574 Seeing this story made me mildly disappointed that the latest series of the BBC Radio 4 topical comedy quiz show "The News Quiz" ended a couple of weeks ago. (The host, for those who don't know, is a diminutive Danish woman, long resident in England, and most episodes include some sort of joke about either her height or her Danishness.) Seeing this story made me mildly disappointed that the latest series of the BBC Radio 4 topical comedy quiz show "The News Quiz" ended a couple of weeks ago. (The host, for those who don't know, is a diminutive Danish woman, long resident in England, and most episodes include some sort of joke about either her height or her Danishness.)

]]> By: Rod Johnson http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288545 Rod Johnson Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:30:27 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288545 I was hoping it was something I could put on (or in) a bagel. Because, snegl bagel. I was hoping it was something I could put on (or in) a bagel. Because, snegl bagel.

]]> By: Younger Danish Reader http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288440 Younger Danish Reader Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:08:25 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288440 Oh, and a 'snegl' is a cinnamon roll. Oh, and a 'snegl' is a cinnamon roll.

]]> By: Lugubert http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288434 Lugubert Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:00:52 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288434 @ Rod: I think you make sense. The Danish Wiki disambiguation page has for snegl 1) snail (the mollusc), 2) Archimedean screw or screwpump (probably other, similar, conveyors as well), and 3) a type of Danish pastry. Google pictures of "snegl bagværk" (snail bakery_products). I think you shouldn't be hungry when you try it... @ Rod: I think you make sense. The Danish Wiki disambiguation page has for snegl 1) snail (the mollusc), 2) Archimedean screw or screwpump (probably other, similar, conveyors as well), and 3) a type of Danish pastry.

Google pictures of "snegl bagværk" (snail bakery_products). I think you shouldn't be hungry when you try it…

]]> By: Younger Danish Reader http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288414 Younger Danish Reader Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:27:21 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288414 I take both 'tandsmør' and 'smørtyve' to be quite widely known in my own 20-odd age bracket, if perhaps in somewhat infrequent use. At least, I'd be surprised if someone did not recognise the expression. I take both 'tandsmør' and 'smørtyve' to be quite widely known in my own 20-odd age bracket, if perhaps in somewhat infrequent use. At least, I'd be surprised if someone did not recognise the expression.

]]> By: Rod Johnson http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288392 Rod Johnson Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:59:46 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288392 I don't know what snegle is but I want some. I don't know what snegle is but I want some.

]]> By: Sili http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288368 Sili Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:17:29 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288368 Of course relatively few people still use (pure) butter. It's far more common to use a product with 25%-50% vegetable oil, that can be spread on even soft bread directly from the fridge. It can't be called "butter"/"smør" of course, but as Owen Hargraves points out the cognativity allows for "smearable"/"smørbart". Of course relatively few people still use (pure) butter.

It's far more common to use a product with 25%-50% vegetable oil, that can be spread on even soft bread directly from the fridge.

It can't be called "butter"/"smør" of course, but as Owen Hargraves points out the cognativity allows for "smearable"/"smørbart".

]]> By: Orin Hargraves http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288346 Orin Hargraves Tue, 13 Nov 2012 17:40:45 +0000 http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=4323#comment-288346 Just to point out something fairly obvious but cool: the cognate status of smør with"smear" [(n.) in current senses deriv. of the v.; cf. obs. smear fat, grease, ointment, ME smere, OE smeoru, c. D smear, G Schmer, ON smjbr grease] and "schmear" (=a dab, as of cream cheese, spread on a roll, bagel, or the like.) Just to point out something fairly obvious but cool: the cognate status of smør with"smear" [(n.) in current senses deriv. of the v.; cf. obs. smear fat, grease, ointment, ME smere, OE smeoru, c. D smear, G Schmer, ON smjbr grease] and "schmear" (=a dab, as of cream cheese, spread on a roll, bagel, or the like.)

]]>