Smear

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Schmierfink is a commonly used term of abuse , that can certainly prove since the 19th century.

Since the end of the Middle Ages , "finch" has been used as a supposedly dirty bird that picks in horse droppings (dirt, filth, and dung finch), as a derogatory word and as a mockery for an "unsound, unregulated human being" and has been used since the middle Used in the 16th century to denote tramps, among other things . In Switzerland in the 19th century, “smart, bad, funny and malicious people” were referred to as “finches”, and the “finch” is still used there today for a rag and scoundrel .

The verb "lubricate" in the compound lubricant has two clearly derogatory aspects: In the sense of the moral and ethical, it denotes an immoral and immoral person. In the sense of writing, a child who writes improperly, or who dirties himself or objects is defamed. Added to this is the name given to people, public buildings or facilities with obscene or from the time of National Socialism and the SED - dictatorship smear originating slogans.

Word meaning and aspects

According to Heinz Küpper , the word lubricant has been used since around 1800 to denote a dirty person or someone who makes dirt. It can be lexically proven, among other things, for 1833 in the Oeconomic Encyclopedia by Johann Georg Krünitz , in which the lubricant appears in a list of ridiculous names without further explanation, and with the Brothers Grimm , who use the word under the Lemma lubricant in their German dictionary as Mention a name for a dirty person. From around 1870 it can also designate a bad painter.

Word aspect of greasing for moral offenses

Since around 1800 the meaning of the word has also been expanded to include a man who “feels comfortable in moral filth”; this moral aspect of the finch is documented as early as the middle of the 16th century in the carnival games of Hans Sachs , who used the term “finch line” for the early modern equivalent of street line.

The use of the word lubricant for an anonymous author of obscene letters or pornographers from around 1960 onwards also has a moral connotation .

Word aspect of smear as writing

From around 1850 the word expanded in meaning by being able to designate a scandal journalist, unscrupulous newspaper writer or malicious critic, generally one who publishes in a defamatory or repugnant manner. The swear word "smear press" is derived from this for journalism without care (smear also refers to smeared printer's ink as a sign of cheap and fast printing).

The derogatory secondary aspect of the verb "smear" in the sense of defile comes into play in the modern use of the smear as a term for children who dirty and smear themselves or write improperly. Those who "smear inflammatory (especially in public toilets) obscene remarks on walls or doors" are also referred to as smearers. "

From 1959, the word can also be identified as a designation of a color assassin or a person who uses political slogans or symbols - especially those from the time of National Socialism - on churches, places of honor and graves.

literature

Lexicons

  • Smear. In: Duden. The large dictionary of the German language. Volume 8, Mannheim et al. 1999, p. 3399.
  • lubricate. In: Etymological Dictionary of German. Developed by a collective of authors from the Central Institute for Linguistics under the direction of Wolfgang Pfeifer, Berlin 1989, p. 1548.
  • Smear. In: Knaur's large dictionary of the German language. The big Störig. Developed by Ursula Hermann, Munich 1985, pp. 852–853.
  • Smear. In: Heinz Küpper: Dictionary of German colloquial language. 1st edition, 6th reprint. Klett, Stuttgart / Munich / Düsseldorf / Leipzig 1997.
  • Finch. In: Kurt Meyer: Swiss dictionary. That's what we say in Switzerland. Frauenfeld 2006, p. 121.
  • Herbert Pfeiffer: The big swear dictionary. Over 10,000 words of abuse, mockery and teasing to designate people. Munich 1999.
  • Fink I In: Schweizerisches Idiotikon. Dictionary of the Swiss German language, collected at the event of the Antiquarian Society in Zurich with the help of all circles of the Swiss people, published with the support of the federal government and the cantons. Started by Friedrich Staub and Ludwig Tobler and continued under the direction of Albert Bachmann et al., Volume 1, Frauenfeld 1881, Sp. 867–868 ( digital.idiotikon.ch ).

Articles and books

  • Hugo Cohn: Animal names as swear words (= scientific supplement to the annual report of the Thirteenth Municipal Realschule in Berlin. Easter 1910), Berlin 1910.
  • Alfred Götze: The names of the finches. In: Journal for German Word Research. Volume 8, 1906/07, pp. 100-112.

Web links

Wiktionary: Schmelzfink  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ However, without reference to the source, there is also information that the word has been known since the 16th century; see Etymological Dictionary of German , developed by a collective of authors from the Central Institute for Linguistics under the direction of Wolfgang Pfeifer, Berlin 1989, p. 1548, Lemma schmieren .
  2. ↑ Duden. Etymology: dictionary of origin of the German language. Mannheim. 1989, sv Fink
  3. ↑ a b Alfred Götze: The names of the finches. In: Journal for German Word Research. Volume 8, 1906/07, pp. 100-112.
  4. ^ Fink I. In: Schweizerisches Idiotikon. Dictionary of the Swiss German language, collected at the event of the Antiquarian Society in Zurich with the help of all circles of the Swiss people, published with the support of the federal government and the cantons. Started by Friedrich Staub and Ludwig Tobler and continued under the direction of Albert Bachmann et al . Volume 1, Frauenfeld 1881, Sp. 867–868.
  5. ↑ Finch. In: Kurt Meyer: Swiss dictionary. That's what we say in Switzerland. Frauenfeld 2006, p. 121.
  6. ↑ a b c d e f g Lemma lubricant. In: Heinz Küpper: Dictionary of German colloquial language. 1st edition, 6th reprint. Klett, Stuttgart / Munich / Düsseldorf / Leipzig 1997.
  7. ^ Johann Georg Krünitz: Economic Encyclopaedie or General System of Land, House and State Economy. In alphabetical order; .... Volume 159, Berlin 1833 ( Google Books ).
  8. ↑ Grease Fink. In: Jacob Grimm , Wilhelm Grimm (Hrsg.): German dictionary . tape 15 : Schiefeln – Soul - (IX). S. Hirzel, Leipzig 1899, Sp. 1087 ( woerterbuchnetz.de ).
  9. ↑ a b c grease fink. In: Duden. The large dictionary of the German language. Volume 8, Mannheim et al. 1999, p. 3399.
  10. ↑ Grease Fink. In: Knaur's large dictionary of the German language. The big Störig. Developed by Ursula Hermann, Munich 1985, pp. 852–853.