Date:    Sat, 14 Feb 1998 18:07:46 -0600
<br>From:    Samuel Jones  smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]FACSTAFF.WISC.EDU 
<br>Subject: Re: "nudeln", "knudeln", & "canoodle"
<br>
<br>To Dennis Preston & Karen Lubell -
<br>
<br>Hi, again!
<br>
<br>Further digging, in what remains of my gray matter, has revealed--but NOT
<br>to be found in any
<br>standard German dictionary!--that in slang, and in everday usage and
<br>parlance, there exists a spoken-if-not-written verb "knudeln" which means
<br>"to hug (closely/tightly), to cuddle,
<br>to get very close to."   It is used frequently within familes, and often by
<br>older folks & relatives,
<br>with younger children or with special family members/loved ones.
<br>
<br> Example: "Kind, komm her. Lass Dich knudeln."
<br>("Child, come here. Let [me] cuddle you [close]" or "Child, come here. Let
<br>yourself be cuddled."
<br>
<br>There is also in German --to be found in most standard German dictionaries,
<br>along with "nudeln,"
<br>--the verb "schmusen." This verb, as well, is often translated as "to
<br>cuddle;"  however "schmusen"
<br>is not getting quite so close to someone as is"knudeln," which often causes
<br>the child to wiggle, squirm, and attempt to twist itself free from the
<br>grasp of the apparently offensive adult.  "Schmusen" will be found in most
<br>standard German dictionaries with the English translation  "to canoodle."
<br>(see  Collins GermanDictionary,
<br>1980, p. 579,  column 1).
<br>
<br>Sorry it took me so long to determine and to realize that "ca-" is the
<br>German "k" with which so many German words begin - Knabe (the English word
<br>"knave"), Knecht (English "knight"), Knockwurst (always delicious with
<br>Wisconsin beer!), Knie (English "knee") - und so weiter.  Ergo, the "ca-"
<br>is, I guess, NOT an augmentative prefix, but simply the initial German "k"
<br>given a life of its own by the addition in English of a full vowel sound
<br>before the following syllable.  Nu, Mensch! Even a blind hand finds an
<br>occasional acorn beneath an oak tree!
<br>
<br>Thanks for the refernce to Fred's paper. I will see what I can find there.
<br>But I am quite positive that what I have given here is authentic and can be
<br>relied upon to be accurate.
<br> (If it isn't Welsh, it's ALWAYS bound to be simpler!)
<br>
<br>Sam Ioanedd (aka Jones)
<br>
<br>______________________________________________________
<br>
<br>
<br> The Ca- (Ka-) 'augmentative' prefix (which may or may not be there in
<br> 'canoodle') is the subject of a paper by Fred Cassidy in AmerSpch, as I
<br> recall (but my recaller is not in as good shape as it used to be).
<br> 
<br> dInIs
<br> 
<br> 
<br> 
<br> s Hi!
<br>  
<br>  With "chum," I  know that I cannot help;  but with "canoodle," maybe.
<br>  
<br>  I suspect that "canoodle" may be derived from a GERMAN dialectical usage of
<br>  the verb
<br>  "nudeln," which means "to cuddle."   "Nudeln" can also mean, in dialect,
<br>  "umarmen,"
<br>  or "to embrace" or "to hug."
<br>  
<br>  As for the "ca" in "canoodle," I've not a clue, although it may just be a
<br>  jumping-off, bounce, or
<br>  pick-up syllable to add additional weight or emphasis to the "noo" syllable.
<br>  But NOT as in   "NU? I can help you?",  since THAT "Nu" is Russian,
<br>  although this Slavic "Nu" is prominent in Yiddish, as well.
<br>  How did I get from Minsk to Pinsk with a "nu?"
<br>  
<br>  Shmuel
<br>  
<br>  
<br>  
<br>   I'm looking into two etymologies: the slang "canoodle" (to kiss, hug,
<br>   fondle) as well as the fishing term "chum" (cut-up fish that is used as a
<br>   lure).  Sources so far have said origin "unknown" or "obscure."  Anyone have
<br>   any ideas?
<br>   Karen Lubell
<br>   Researcher
<br>   William Safire's "On Language"
<br>   The New York Times
<br>  
<br>  
<br>  _______________________________
<br>  DR. SAMUEL M. JONES
<br>  Professor Emertitus
<br>  Music & Latin American Studies
<br>  University of Wisconsin-Madison
<br>  "Pen-y-Bryn" - 122 Shepard Terrace
<br>  Madison, WI  53705-3614  USA
<br>  _______________________________
<br>  EMAIL: smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]facstaff.wisc.edu
<br>  _______________________________
<br>  TELEPHONE: 608 + 233-2150
<br>  _______________________________
<br> 
<br> Dennis R. Preston
<br> Department of Linguistics and Languages
<br> Michigan State University
<br> East Lansing MI 48824-1027 USA
<br> preston[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]pilot.msu.edu
<br> Office: (517)353-0740
<br> Fax: (517)432-2736
<br>
<br>
<br>_______________________________
<br>DR. SAMUEL M. JONES
<br>Professor Emertitus
<br>Music & Latin American Studies
<br>University of Wisconsin-Madison
<br>"Pen-y-Bryn" - 122 Shepard Terrace
<br>Madison, WI  53705-3614  USA
<br>_______________________________
<br>EMAIL: smjones1[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]facstaff.wisc.edu
<br>_______________________________
<br>TELEPHONE: 608 + 233-2150
<br>_______________________________
<br>