Cookies

[James A. Landau]

In a message dated 3/1/2003 7:20:30 PM Eastern Standard Time, Bapopik at AOL.COM
writes:

> [for "cookie"] Merriam-Webster and other sources have 1703, from the Dutch
> "koekje," or "little cake."    <snip>
>
> A COPIUS ENGLISH AND NETHERDUYTCH DICTIONARIE
> by Henry Hexham
> Rotterdam: Aernovt Leers
> 1648
>
> _een Koeck_, A Cake.
> _een koecksken_, A little Cake.
> <etc.>

This raises (like yeast) a thought:  What is called a "cookie" in the US is
called a "biscuit" by the British (I don't know about the Canadians), whereas
in the US "biscuit" means either "a small quick bread..." (MWCD10) or
seabiscuit/hardtack.

Why?  And why the unusual singular ending "-ie"?

It's been pointed out on ADS-L that in the 16th and 18th Centuries the
British and Dutch fought a few wars and had a long-standing commercial
rivalry, leading to the British using "Dutch" as a disparaging or perjorative
term.  I suppose you could call this the "Gook Syndrome".

On the other hand, traditionally in the US the Dutch are thought of in much
friendlier fashion as those people from New Amsterdam.

It seems an obvious guess that "cookie" entered American English via New
Amsterdam, bypassing British English.  Does anyone know if this be true?

Are there other terms that entered English from Dutch via New Amsterdam?  The
only one I can think of is "Santa Claus", whom I think the British call
"Father Christmas".  Well, there is the made-up "Rip van Winkle".

MWCD10 suggests a reason for the spelling: "cookie" is derived from Dutch "
koekje" and the "-ie" is an Anglicization of Dutch "-je".

                      - Jim Landau

PS Is the nickname "Peg-leg Pete" due to Peter Stuyvesant, who did have a
pegleg?