Google
English-Test.net
Find penpals and make new friends today!
 
despite; in spite of
although
though
unless
whether
TOEIC test: Word games: Free Online Nouns Verbs s Adjectives Game Answer
 
Username
Password
 Remember me? 
Search   FAQ   Memberlist   Profile   Private messages   Register   Log in 

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister



 
ESL/EFL Worksheets and Handouts for Students Printable, photocopiable, clearly structured
Designed for teachers and individual learners
For use in a classroom, at home, on your PC
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
'Blue-eyed liar': is there an English equivalent? | Meaning of "threaded down"
Listening exercises
Message
Author
New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #1 (permalink) Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:38 am   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Tonight I heard a former TV producer say this in a documentary of his career:

Quote:
I got tired of being the schlockmeister.

It's okay to use the word "schlockmeister" in a game of Scrabble, because it's in ordinary American dictionaries.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5332
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #2 (permalink) Mon Dec 11, 2006 7:43 am   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Hi Jamie

Is this word of German origin or not?
Pamela
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 1239
Location: Rf

Want to learn about the future tenses? Read this story and smileStart exploring the English language today! Subscribe to free email English courseEnglish grammar exercises — improve your English knowledge and vocabulary skillsAre you a native speaker of English? Then you should read this!
New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #3 (permalink) Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:34 am   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Hi Pamela

The 'meister' part is definitely German. I suspect the 'schlock' part has Yiddish origins. I don't think 'schlockmeister' (as one word) is German -- at least I've never heard it. However, the pronunciation of 'schlock' would be relatively similar to the German word 'Schlag'. Very Happy

Amy
Yankee
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 16 Apr 2006
Posts: 8265
Location: USA

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #4 (permalink) Mon Dec 11, 2006 13:33 pm   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Amy''s right. Meister is from German, and schlock is from Yiddish. Here is the etymology of schlock from the Oxford American Dictionary:

Quote:
ORIGIN early 20th cent.: apparently from Yiddish shlak ‘an apoplectic stroke,’ shlog ‘wretch, untidy person, apoplectic stroke.’

Note that there is also an adjective: schlocky
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5332
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #5 (permalink) Tue Dec 12, 2006 12:51 pm   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Quote:
It's okay to use the word "schlockmeister" in a game of Scrabble


May I know how? In what sense, I mean? "The one who makes inferior words"?

Tom
Tom
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 30 May 2006
Posts: 2061

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #6 (permalink) Tue Dec 12, 2006 13:14 pm   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Jamie (K) wrote:
Quote:
ORIGIN early 20th cent.: apparently from Yiddish shlak ‘an apoplectic stroke,’ shlog ‘wretch, untidy person, apoplectic stroke.’

Note that there is also an adjective: schlocky


Maybe, there's also a connection between 'shlog' and 'slob'?
_________________
Test Of English for International Communication
TOEIC Preparation & TOEIC Vocabulary
Torsten
Learning Coach
Torsten Daerr

Joined: 25 Sep 2003
Posts: 10048
Location: EU

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #7 (permalink) Tue Dec 12, 2006 14:22 pm   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Torsten wrote:
Maybe, there's also a connection between 'shlog' and 'slob'?

Apparently not.

The Oxford American Dictionary again:
Quote:
ORIGIN late 18th cent.: from Irish slab ‘mud,’ from Anglo-Irish slab [ooze, sludge,] probably of Scandinavian origin.
Jamie (K)
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 5332
Location: Detroit, Michigan, USA

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #8 (permalink) Tue Dec 12, 2006 15:06 pm   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Hi Jamie (K),

You wrote:

Quote:
It's okay to use the word "schlockmeister" in a game of Scrabble, because it's in ordinary American dictionaries.


Do you (or anyone else) know how common the word is in non-American varietes of English?

Englishuser
Englishuser
I'm here quite often ;-)


Joined: 06 Jun 2006
Posts: 806

New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister #9 (permalink) Wed Dec 13, 2006 0:33 am   New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister
 

Hello to everyone,
Yes, exactly the stem meister made me think that this word could be of German origin. But then my thorough search of schlock in German dictionary went down the drain. Your feedback has confirmed that. However, sch(l)- is often met in German words. So,schlockmeister can easily bedevil a man who is not in close contact with German language Smile(who is not aware of its absence in it)
Pamela
I'm a Communicator ;-)


Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 1239
Location: Rf

Display posts from previous:   
'Blue-eyed liar': is there an English equivalent? | Meaning of "threaded down"
ESL Forums | English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister All times are GMT + 1 Hour
Page 1 of 1
Latest topics on ESL EFL Forums
'She was planning' vs 'She had been planning''Chance' vs 'Choice'The use of "so". 'Marian was ...'Use OR/AND/NOR: I did not see John or/and/nor PeterTo get used to vs. to be used toExpression: 'Legend has it that…''...what happens next' : Present vs Future, again...Meaning of "vertical"Get to a train to Hampstead vs. get a train to HampsteadHelp on this clause of concession: Despite her poor memory, the old woman told...By the way vs anyhowUse English prepositions: In, On, AtMeaning of "efface"'What a shame!' vs 'Oh… What a shame…'Meaning of "the following pregnancy"'DO me a favour…' : two different meanings?Pronounciation of ju(i)ce'Big fan of you' vs 'Big fan of yours'New vocabulary word: Schlockmeister

Discover English-test.net
Fortune householdWhat is the plural of 'Mr' and 'Mrs'?What does this phrasal verb mean: "drop out"?have vs had (Things have changed because something happened to him exactly...)Hi, my name is Igor, I am from the Czech Republic.GRE Exam Test: Vocabulary Sentence: Examples of AdjectivesGRE practice test: Interactive word games: Free Online Adjectives QuizDefine ample, refractory, egregious, gusty, germinal, avuncularPimsleur Mandarin Chinese, Instant Conversation: Pimsleur Mandarin Chinese Language CourseIrregular verbs exercises: Compound words: someone, anyone, somewhereLearning English language: American Slang Words (10)Grace audiobook download

 
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum
Subscribe to FREE email English course
First name E-mail