LL-L 'Etymology' 2006.12.03 (01) [E]

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L O W L A N D S - L * 03 December 2006 * Volume 01
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From: Kevin Caldwell [kevin.caldwell1963 at verizon.net]
Subject: Phrases

> Growing up in a American /German neighborhod, I heard many English/German
phrases
> that included both English and German words.  My parents, Grandparents,
Uncles,
> Aunts...etc spoke German amongst themselves but only English to the
children.  Too
> bad... :-(( ...but that's the way it was.  A phrase I heard included the
word
> "hornschwagel".
>
> I'm spelling it the best I can since I've never seen it written.  It means
that you
> have been cheated (hornschwageled) in, perhaps, a business deal.  That is,
you received
> less than what you bargained for.  Does anyone else know of this word?  Is
it an
> Anglicized word from German?  Was dinks du?
> 
> Bryan E. Schulz

I know the word in English as "hornswoggle", meaning to cheat, swindle,
fool, confuse, deceive, or bamboozle. It's usually used in passive voice
("I've been hornswoggled!"). Merriam-Webster lists its origin as unknown.

Kevin Caldwell

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From: Jacqueline Bungenberg de Jong [Dutchmatters at comcast.net]
Subject: LL-L 'Etymology' 2006.12.02 (02) [E]

Bryan Schulz was curious about the word "hornschwagel" that was being used
by his older relatives. He thought it might be a German word, but I do not
think that that is true. Bryan, I think that like so many people that live
with more than one language they adopt words of the "other language" which
are more to the point than their own. "Hornswoggle" is an English word that
means "to have been had" (Horns of the bull and swaggle from an old English
word meaning to sway). That same word becomes "swag" a knapsack of sort like
"The Swagman" carries in the Australian song called "Dancing Mathilda".
Being a bilingual person myself, I know how difficult it is to keep both
languages pure. It is easier for me, who knows what is English and what is
Dutch than for the next generation which might not know.
Don't loose whatever German you have. It is precious. Jacqueline    

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