LL-L "Etymology" 2009.06.24 (02) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 24 June 2009 - Volume 02
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From: Jacqueline Bungenberg de Jong <Dutchmatters at comcast.net>
Subject: LL-L "Etymology" 2009.06.24 (01) [EN]

Ron, you mention:
Earlier Scots also has the *coff* or *coffe* for 'dishonest rogue', also
'hawker',

Does that have anything to do with Dutch “Schoft” (an amoral, lying lowlife)
German Schuft?

Rain in the forecast,….. please not today!
Jacqueline, Seattle, USA
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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>
Subject: Etymology

Thanks, Jacqueline.

I believe that Dutch *schoft* and German *Schuft* 'despicable man',
'rapscallion', 'scoundrel', 'villain', ultimately go back to Hebrew *šopheŧ*(
*shofet *שׁוֹפֵט) 'judge', probably imported via Yiddish and Rothwelsch
and/or Bargoens. I assume that it goes back to a secret jargon transmitter
like Rothwelsch because of the typical type of semantic shift expressing
disdain for the establishment and powers that be.

Hebrew *šopheŧ* (*shofet *שׁוֹפֵט) is stressed on the second (i.e. final)
syllable, this being the predominant stress pattern in that language. It is
typical for Hebrew loans in Yiddish and other Germanic languages to receive
Germanic (penultimate) stress and for the unstressed final syllable to
undergo some sort of vowel reduction. The shift Hebrew *shofét* > Yiddish **
shof(e)t*** * > *****shuft* is a predicable one.

Regards,
Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA

P.S.: Talking about disdain ... yesterday I saw a bumper sticker saying
"Politicians are like diapers. They need to be changed frequently ... for
the same reason."

•

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