Schmutz & Schmalz (1797)

[Dennis R. Preston]

>I am suspicious of this translation. I suspect, since everything
>else handed over to the landlord is from and of the chicken, that
>this "schmalz" is the same chicken fat we know and love all over
>Eastern Europe and not butter at all.

dInIs


>In a message dated 03/23/2002 7:28:09 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>Bapopik at AOL.COM writes:
>
>>  Pg. 116:  Every one occupying a whole farm, must annually present his
>>  landlord with two chickens, two capons, twelve eggs, half a _mass_ (about a
>>  pound) of _schmalz_ (butter that has been melted)...
>>   (OED has 1935 for "schmalz"--ed.)
>>
>>   Pg. 122:  ...schmalz (melted butter)...
>
>Interesting that in Yiddish "schmaltz" means "chicken fat", which is fleishig
>(meat), whereas the 1797 writer you quote, presumably a Gentile, uses
>"schmalz" for melted butter, which is milchig (dairy).
>
>It would appear that German "schmalz" and Yiddish "schmaltz" are NOT
>synonyms, as they have managed to come down on opposite sides of the
>meat/dairy mechitza.
>
>
>In a message dated 03/23/2002 9:03:04 PM Eastern Standard Time,
>Bapopik at AOL.COM writes:
>
>>  Pg. 123:  ...Neufchatel...
>>   (OED has 1865 for the cheese, but here it's a wine--ed.)
>
>Napoleon gave his major-general de logis (chief of staff) Marshal Berthier
>the title of "Prince de Neuchatel".  During the War of 1812 there was an
>American privateer named  "Prince de Neufchatel".  I do not know if
>"Neuchatel" and "Neufchatel" are the same name.
>
>To stay with the Yiddish theme above, the captain of the  "Prince de
>Neufchatel", John (Jean?) Ordronaux, was Jewish (French-born, naturalized
>American citizen.)
>
>                   - Jim Landau

--
Dennis R. Preston
Professor of Linguistics
Department of Linguistics and Languages
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Michigan State University
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