Rotwelsch

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See also: rotwelsch

English

Etymology

Borrowed from German Rotwelsch.

Proper noun

Rotwelsch

  1. (historical) A secret cant or thieves' argot spoken by covert groups primarily in southern Germany and Switzerland.
    Coordinate term: Bargoens

Further reading

German

Examples

Etymology

Uncertain. Rot (Rotwelsch for “beggar”, compare Rotte (“rout; group”)) + welsch (“Romance; foreign”). Compare Kauderwelsch (“gibberish”).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈʁoːtvɛlʃ/
  • Audio:(file)

Proper noun

Rotwelsch n (proper noun, language name, genitive Rotwelsch or Rotwelschs, alternative nominative (used with the definite article) Rotwelsche, alternative genitive Rotwelschen, no plural)

  1. (historical) Rotwelsch (secret cant formerly spoken in southern Germany and Switzerland)
    Synonym: Gaunersprache
    • 1959, Eberhard Zwirner, Phonetica, page 247:
      Es ist keine Frage, daß das Rotwelsch seit je nicht nur ein Mittel geheimer Verständigung war, sondern auch zur Bekräftigung und Beglaubigung der Klassenzugehörigkeit diente.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 2003, Jasmina Cirkic, Rotwelsch in der deutschen Gegenwartssprache, GRIN, →ISBN, page 3:
      Das Rotwelsch erlebte sein hoch vor allem im 18. aber auch im angehenden 19. Jh. Ursache hierfür war das Ausmaß der Armut in der Frühen Neuzeit.
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)
    • 2019, Roland Girtler, Rotwelsch: Die alte Sprache der Gauner, Dirnen und Vagabunden, Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, →ISBN:
      Die Hausierersprache der Weimerskircher gehört, wie Tockert feststellt, ähnlich wie das Rotwelsch der Metzer, Lothringer und anderer zu den westlichen Ausläufern des mitteldeutschen Rotwelsch (a. a. O., S. 9).
      (please add an English translation of this quotation)

Declension

Declension of Rotwelsch
singular   (explanation of the use and meaning of the forms)
(usually without article) noun def. noun
nominative (das) Rotwelsch das Rotwelsche
genitive (des) Rotwelsch, Rotwelschs des Rotwelschen
dative (dem) Rotwelsch dem Rotwelschen
accusative (das) Rotwelsch das Rotwelsche

See also

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia