Weird Words, Part 6
Posted: Monday, September 13, 2010
by Dianne Lehmann
Artisan Jewelry from SyZyGy
Finagle
I'm hoping, really hoping, that quite a few of you use this word regularly. Hopefully, too, it isn't just the over-the-hill crowd who uses it. I frequently think that my use of such words dates me. I mean I don't look over-the-hill yet, right? Oh well, give it up Dianne. It's a lost cause.
Having used this word recently, I got to wondering about its origins. I do that a lot. But first, as always, I check to make sure the word actually means what I think it means. And don't you think it's sad that the only way we have to define words is with other words that also have definitions? That's a very sloppy and error prone system that doesn't at all appeal to the little engineer inside of me. It would be so much more direct and precise to communicate by mental telepathy. But we aren't there yet, so spoken language will just have to suffice.
It first appeared in American English (as opposed to English English or whatever the heck the Brits call what they speak, I mean if Americans speak English well never mind) in the 1920's. But its exact origins are not clear. It has been traced by some to the Old English dialect word "fainaigue," meaning to cheat, renege or shirk work. Others who profess to know where our words come from suggest also that it might have its origins in the word "feign." Feign would seem to mean: to give a false appearance of, or to make believe with the intent to deceive. And here's something that has always bothered me, why do we have so many words that say the same thing? Seems unnecessarily ponderous and inefficient to me. Another gripe from little inner engineer.
Fin
Fin is not that unusual a word if you are talking about fishes, rockets, or cars from the '50's. And it wasn't until I finagled an extra five bucks for myself recently that I got to wondering why "fin" is also a five dollar bill.
As it turns out, "fin" is short for the Yiddish word for the number five ("finf" in the case of Yiddish, in German it is "fnf"; yes those are two little dots over the "U"). But then I got to wondering about why we call paper money "bills." That was an interesting journey; to me anyway.
There are about 20 modern nations whose currency is called the "dollar." Dollar derives from "taler" or "thaler." Both are pronounced as the former and that would be just like "taller." The Germans are very regular in their pronunciation and generally, once you learn the rules you can accurately pronounce any new word you might read, but for some reason or other, they put the letter "H" into words and then sort of completely forget that it is there. At any rate, "taler" comes from "Joachimsthal," (you would say that something like yo-OCK-heems-tall) the name of a place in Bohemia (that bit of territory that was sometimes Poland and sometimes Germany ) where the taler (a silver coin) was created. "Thal" means "valley" in German. The modern German spelling dropped the "H," which explains the new spelling of Neandertal (but we Americans still say Neandert hal). But not everyone has hopped on that particular spelling bandwagon because I've seen it spelled both ways. Don't ask me how any of that relates to the real issue. What was that again? Oh yah. So anyway, it looks like we have "dollars" because someone, a long time ago, made a certain kind of coin in a certain valley.
Taking this a bit further (was there ever any doubt?), "sawbuck" comes from a kind of saw horse with crossed legs that form an "X" like the Roman numeral for the number 10. Or so those in the "know" would have us believe. I don't really get the connection, though. Lumber? Money? So anyway, a sawbuck is a ten dollar bill and one dollar is sometimes referred to as a "buck."
But this still doesn't explain the "bill" in five dollar bill. Okay, so here is what I found out about "bill." Paper money originated in two forms. One was drafts which are receipts for value held on account (whatever the heck that means). Bills were issued with a promise to convert at a later date. Convert to what? Gold maybe, or silver? I remember once being gifted a bill of some denomination that actually had something to that effect printed right on it. I might still have it somewhere.
Here are a few more slang words for money (just because I can): bacon, bread, dough, cabbage, lettuce, kale, folding green, long green, rhino (hunh? really?), jack, moolah, oscar, pap (oh my!), plaster (why is it when someone is really drunk they are said to be plastered?), rivets, scratch, spondilicks, rutabaga, ace, bean, boffo, bone, bullet, case note, clam, coconut, fish, frogskin, lizard, rock, scrip, simoleon and yellowback (what about greenback?).
Mickey Finn
Because, with me at least, one thing always leads to another, Mickey Finn just sort of popped into my consciousness and while I was sitting in front of the computer anyway and because it is just so darn easy to look things up these days, I had a go at this odd saying. That's one really long sentence and because you are not really supposed to make a paragraph out of just one sentence, I had to add this one.
I think we all know what a "Mickey Finn" is, but I'll remind some of us who may have forgotten. I'm just generally considerate that way. A Mickey Finn or just a Mickey is a soporific or hallucinogenic (although the latter might not have been the case when the phrase was first coined) drug added (unknown to the imbiber) to an alcoholic beverage. Usually this is done for nefarious purposes.
This doped up alcoholic beverage is supposedly named after a character from 19th century (that would be the 1800's for those of you who don't know how that works) Chicago . Finn was the keeper of the Lone Star Saloon in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. He was alleged to have drugged and robbed his customers. There are a couple of U.S. newspaper references from December of 1903 that allude to this. Long ago, it was also a generic name for any Irishman; much like "Paddy" today. And because it was used in that way, one has to wonder how much truth there might actually be in any of this despite the reputed newspaper articles.
I sincerely hope that you have been entertained and edified. And if you ever feel like leaving me a tip for the service, I will go on record as preferring a fin to a Mickey any day.
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Top-level comments on this article: (8 total)I was exceptionally well entertained and remain edified! I've read your article through three times already! Love that word finagle. I always think of it as meaning to slyly deceive but kind of charmingly and rather cleverly, resulting in admiration in me against my better judgment.I can't believe all those words are used for money, some of them are hilarious! I knew what Mickey was, but not that it's actually Mickey Finn, or who the real man was.This was like a kind of stand-up comedy routine, Dianne! Bravo! Encore!!Hi Jennifer.I love your definition of "finagle." You pinned it down exactly!There were even more words used for money. I just didn't want to go for the overkill any more than I already had. :)I think George Carlin could probably done a lot more with it than I did, but thanks so much for the compliment.Hope you had a great Monday. Mine's just starting.Hugs,Dianne
I think Jennifer summed it up well when she said this was a kind of stand up comedy routine. :) Love the way you can put into words how your mind works. :) :)Hi Joyce.I'm simply grateful that I can put into words what goes on in my mind. It's such a chaotic place! But it does frequently amuse me. It's a bonus when it amuses others as well. :) Sometimes I'll be doing something mundane and Bernd will look at me and say, "You've just amused yourself, haven't you." He can always tell by the look on my face. :)Thanks so much for reading and commenting!Hugs,Dianne
I too am amazed at how your mind works and I love your humor. I'm anxious to see what you come up with next.Hi Linda.Oh goodness! No pressure, right?!I'm really glad you found it amusing. Anytime I can cause a smile or two is a happy time for me.Thanks a bunch!Hugs,Dianne
*stands and applauds* Love how you did this Dianne. A wonderful read to start my day. My word has always been balderdash.GraceHi Grace.That is an absolutely wonderfully weird word. May I use it sometime in another Weird Word installment? I'll have to see if there are other weird words that start with "B" that I might use from time to time. I don't always stick to a first letter theme, but it is a little more challenging and so I do it from time to time.I'm glad that you enjoyed it and that I helped to start your day. Makes me very happy to know that.Hugs,Dianne
Interesting article Dianne, thanks for sharing.Hi David.Words are always interesting, aren't they. Thanks for stopping by and taking the time to comment.Hugs,Dianne
Good one Dianne!Some new infos for updates...Regards, CPHi Chiradeep.Thanks a bunch!Hugs,Dianne
I enjoyed this article, very nice in its construction and information.Hi Richard.Thanks a bunch! I do my best. I'm glad that you enjoyed it!Hugs,Dianne
Hi Diane,
Loved the article!! I always do enjoy your weird words articles because I, too, am curious about where words come from. I use finagle fairly often; I don't usually associate any nefarious meaning with it-just "working the system or whatever you have to get the results you want" Now on to Weird Words Part 7! TerriHi Terri.
Wow! Does this mean you are a fan of my Weird Words articles? Do I have a following? One can only hope. :)
I think as writers, we are all very interested in words. And I think that finding out how they came to be used as they are today is a great part of the fun.
Thanks so much for reading and commenting!
Hugs,
Dianne
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