Cunning
The Schlausmen or Slausmen , a mixture of Yiddish and Low German with local z. Sometimes big differences, was the secret language of the Sauerland traveling traders . The practical sense of the language was that outsiders could not hear or understand the conversations of the traders.
Sentence examples
Two scythe dealers are talking when the pastor comes by: “Come on! Awer stäikum, Schäiz! Ment sly dibbled! Because roigel! Thu takes care of de Gallak and de Gauzegallak here, dei briuket usem Schmius nitte put together. "
Translated: "But hush, boy! Only cunningly spoken! Because look! This is where the pastor and the half-pastor (sexton) come from; they don't need to understand our speech. "
Word examples
| term | meaning |
|---|---|
| Masematte | Merchant |
| Baukert | mayor |
| Jack | Trade license |
| Uskes | Public house |
| Krüwwe | Box of goods |
| Riäpp | Scythe box |
| Poscher | penny |
| Mailocher | Valleys |
| Goie | woman |
| Rüspes | straw |
literature
- Robert Jütte: Linguistic sociological and lexicological investigations into a special language. Steiner Franz Verlag, 1998.
- Robert Jütte: Schlausmen - Glossary of the special language used by scythe dealers in the Hochsauerland. (Digitized version)
- Stephanie Petzold: Rotwelsch - and a Rotwelsch dialect. Grin Verlag, 2009.
- Jutta Middelberg: Romanisms in German Rotwelsch dialects. Secret Languages Verlag, 2001.