Eumel
A eumel is colloquially the term for something strange, a person or a thing. It is often understood as an unsympathetic person, an idiot or a misshapen object. The Duden describes the term as an outdated youth language , whereby the meaning as sociable, personable person is also mentioned. There is also the verb eumeln for activities that should usually characterize a eumel or as a term for partying, having fun or exchanging tenderness or being intimate. The term can, but does not have to have a negative connotation , the exact meaning depends on the context of the situation or the formulation, possibly also on the tone of voice (e.g. reproachful or affectionate) in direct speech.
etymology
There is no evidence for an etymological derivation . Whether z. B. Ancient Greek Εὐμενίδες Eumenides ("the well-meaning, the benevolent", Eumenide as a veiled term for Erinye , i.e. furies ) or Latin Mulus ( mule ) are associated with it, is therefore unclear.
The origin of today's use is also unclear. There might be doubts as to whether the youth language actually "invented" the term. A document from the year 1629 can be found for Tyrol and Vorarlberg and mentions “servants and boys in the Eumel stable”. The editor declares Eumel in brackets in 1835 as a “mule” and in the footnote assumes an origin from the Latin and Italian word muli . In the meaning of silly person or booby, Eumel can be proven in 1843 and 1860 for the principality of Waldeck , apparently as an established term from popular tradition.
Use of terms
Although youth language has only recently been investigated (for example, inspired by Ulrich Plenzdorf 's play Die neue Leiden des Junge W. , which premiered in 1972 ), Eumel is already described as devilish in Fyodor Sologub's novel The Little Demon (German 1919, Russian between 1892 and 1902) , character following the protagonist . As a result, the term got numerous other different meanings.
In the 1970s, Eumel were cartoon characters in advertising films for Hoffmann's starch factories as "curtain pests" and thus found their way into the youth language of the GDR, according to the world . The title Eumel is also used to reinforce the criticism of a person. In 2009, for example , Uwe Boll, who was awarded the Golden Raspberry as the worst director , was mocked as the “Teutonic Eumel of world cinema”.
Since the Eumel is a term used in colloquial language, the description in renowned and / or edited media is sparse. Other sources describe the term differently, sometimes contradictingly. In the project of a high school class Eumel (or "Eumelchen") is a term of endearment construed. For the language noodle , a Eumel is an “indefinable container” or a person “who is a bit slow and chaotic but lovable”. Babylon describes it as a humorous, disrespectful expression for a person, but also for a pet or a thing, e.g. B. a heavy stone or a noticeable part of an unusually shaped object. "Eumel" replaces taboo terms , e.g. B. “ Penis ” in the film The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972). In the Ruhr area , Eumel is perceived as a stupid, but still quite amiable person and more harmless than a fool . Is translated into English as the word twerp ( guy , Knülch / Knilch ) or ninny (fool, simpleton )
- Some examples of Eumel as a person
- "The new cashier in the shop around the corner is a real Eumel." (For a strange person)
- "You Eumel forgot your key again." (For a forgetful)
- "You are my little Eumelchen." (As a caress)
- Some examples of Eumel as a thing
- "You can throw that into the Eumel there." (E.g. bucket)
- "I found a stone / a mushroom yesterday, was that a fat Eumel!" (For something that can be collected)
- “I saw something at the flea market; no idea what a Eumel that is. "(for something unknown)
Web links
- yourweb.de: Entry Eumel (collection of sources and links to texts with different interpretations and descriptions)
- Digital dictionary of the German language: Results for the search term "Eumel"
Individual evidence
- ↑ enzyklo.de: Eumel (see different meanings)
- ^ Eumel - definition in the Duden online dictionary
- ↑ eumeln (verb) - definition in the Duden online dictionary
- ↑ True - The German Spelling, Edition 2003, ISBN 3-577-10100-8
- ^ Muli - entry in Duden
- ^ Tiroler Landesmuseum Ferdinandeum (Innsbruck): New magazine of the Ferdinandeum for Tyrol and Vorarlberg. Volumes 1-4. Wagner, 1835. Online (Original: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, digitized version of September 30, 2008) at Google Books , p. 32; there literally: "The word Eumel seems to be derived from the Latin and Italian words muli."
- ^ Johann Mathias Firmenich (ed.): Germaniens Völkerstimmen: Collection d. German Dialect in poems, sagas, fairy tales, folk songs, etc. , Volume 1, Berlin 1843, p. 327. Online at Google Books
- ↑ Louis Friedrich Christian Curtze: Folk traditions from the principality of Waldeck: fairy tales, legends, folk rhymes, riddles, proverbs, superstition, customs and the like. Customs, along with e. Idioticon. Speyer, 1860. Online (Original: Bayerische Staatsbibliothek, digitized version of Sept. 30, 2008) at Google Books , Idiotikon p. 462
- ↑ a b Online translator Babylon.com: Eumel Translation ( Memento of the original from February 22, 2015 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link has been inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ Rolf Schneider: Voll krass, the germ - From Eumel to the face bucket: The youth language in the GDR. Die Welt, April 3, 2010
- ↑ "Golden Raspberry" - German is the worst director in the world. Welt online, February 22, 2009
- ↑ assoziations-blaster.de: associations of blaster users with the keyword »Eumel«
- ^ Gymnasium Wasserburg: Youth Language 2012 - A glossary compiled in the 2011/2012 school year by class 9e
- ↑ Sprachnudel.de: entry Eumel
- ↑ redensarten-index.de: Entry on Eumel
- ↑ "I just want to quickly show her my Eumel" - quoted in Wolf Donner: Dynamite in tissue paper. Settlement with the upper class. Zeit Online, May 4, 1973 (accessed August 27, 2016)
- ↑ ruhrgebietsssprache.de: Eumel
- ↑ dict.leo.org: Eumel , cf. Back translation to babylon.com: twerp ( memento of the original from July 14, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
- ↑ de.bab.la: ninny , cf. Back translation to babylon.com: ninny ( memento of the original from July 14, 2014 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.
