LL-L "Etymology" 2011.04.10 (03) [EN]

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L O W L A N D S - L - 10 April 2011 - Volume 03
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From: Jacqueline Bungenberg de Jong <Dutchmatters at comcast.net>

Subject: LL-L "Literature" 2011.04.09 (01) [NDS]



To all the “clinkingclangers” In LL



Do not forget the “Clink” , a slang word for jail. Probably akin to Dutch
“klink”, a door handle. Stores used to have a bell behind the door which
would “clang” or  if you will “jingle” when you lifted the doorhandle.



Met vriendelijke groeten,

Jacqueline BdJ

Seattle, WA. USA



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From: R. F. Hahn <sassisch at yahoo.com>

Subject: Etymology



Thanks, Jacqueline, and great to hear from you, neighbor!



English “clink” in the sense of ‘prison’ is attested since 1770 and is
supposed to go back to 16th-century “to *the Clynke* on Clink Street in
Southwark, on the estate of the bishops of Winchester, which was perhaps so
called from the sound made by chains or metal locks (see clink (v.)). *To
kiss the clink* "to be imprisoned" is from 1580s, and the word and the
prison name might be cognate derivatives of the sound.”



The verb “clink”: “late 14c., echoic (cf. Du. klinken, O.H.G. klingan, Ger.
klingen). Related: *Clinked; clinking*. The noun in the sound sense is from
c.1400.”



<http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=clink&searchmode=none>



I am wondering if this is an English-internal development or if Middle Dutch
or Middle Saxon influence played a lexical role. My educated guess is that
“to kiss the clink” is an English idiomatic impression.



Dutch: *klink* ‘door-handle’
Low Saxon: *Klink* ‘door-handle’

German: *Klinke* ‘door-handle’

 By the way, idiomatic in both German and Low Saxon of Germany: *Klinken
putzen* (“to polish door-handles”) ‘to go door to door (usually in the sense
of wanting to sell something)”.



Regards,

Reinhard/Ron
Seattle, USA



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