FW: Re: OT query: "Elise"--slang in German?

[Cohen, Gerald Leonard]

Tom Kysilko forwarded to me the message he received from his daughter (Many thanks to both), and with his permission I now share it with ads-l.

Gerald Cohen

> ----- Forwarded message from Janna Kysilko
> Hi Kate and Dad,
>
> Well, here's what Wikipedia says:
>
> "Beethoven scholars and critics are not entirely
> certain who "Elise" was. The most popular theory
> is that Beethoven originally titled his work "Für
> Therese", Therese being Therese von Malfatti, the
> daughter of a
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vienna>Viennese
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_doctor>medical
> doctor, and at the time the focus of Beethoven's
> attention. When the work was published after
> Beethoven's death, it is thought that his
> famously illegible
> <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handwriting>handwriting
> was misinterpreted as "Für Elise". According to
> some scholars, however, Beethoven had
> intentionally entitled the work "Für Elise." The
> name 'Elise' at that time was a common nickname
> for attractive young women, and Beethoven often
> used pet names for females he was particularly
> close to (in this case, Therese). Although this
> theory seems reasonable, there are no credible
> sources indicating that Beethoven refered specifically to Therese as 'Elise.'
>
> We can only speculate upon whether it was
> Beethovens intentions to write the piece on the
> letters in the name of his beloved. The famous
> melody starts with the tones E - Eb - E, which in
> german languages equivalents E - Es - E, the
> "tuneable" letters in the name ThErESE or EliSE."
> [end of Wiki quotation]
>
> New Grove['s Dictionary of Music and Musicians]
>  is pretty silent on the whole issue,
> but under the entry in Beethoven's works, there
> is the following remark: "lost autograph possibly
> inscribed > '> Für Therese> '>  i.e. Therese Malfatti."
>
> I have never heard of Elise as a pet name (nor
> has LEO [native Viennese friend of hers]),
> but it does suggest that this was a
> historical usage.  Perhaps from "Elle" plus a diminutive?
>
> Liebe Grüsse aus Wien!
> ~Janna
>

------------------------------------------------------------
The American Dialect Society - http://www.americandialect.org