Can anyone tell me the etymology of the English word "galoot"? The several dictionaries I've consulted, on and off-line, all say "etymology unknown." I had rather thought it to derive from one of the Scandinavian languages as it is a word most often heard around Seattle in the mouths of the Swedish and Norwegian fishermen who live in the vicinity of Ballard. It is a wonderful word, tasting a bit like what it means, and it has to have come from somewhere!

Thanks for the fun hunt, I had a great time. Galoot is not a word one hears much in NZ, but it seems that there are several theories about its origin, none claiming to be definitive. Here are a few links that may add to the murkiness

http://www.takeourword.com/Issue032.html
http://www.randomhouse.com/wotd/?date=20000217
http://www.word-detective.com/back-x.html#galoot

I used the word "fortnight" in my sermon last Sunday. A visitor, who was born and raised in Christchurch, NZ, came up to me after church and said "You must be from England, then." I explained that I was born and raised in America but that I had an English nanny who taught me to read from British children's books such as Lofting and Milne. "Oh," the visitor from New Zealand said, "you had a nanny. You must be from England, then."

In her defence, all I can say is that Christchurch has the reputation of being one of the most "English" cities outside England. A beautiful city, very proud of its English heritage. Or, perhaps she used "English" the way the Amish do, to mean, "not of our sort." Either that, or she is spectacularly provincial in her mindset! I hope that no other Cantabrians read this, as they have a reputation as the most ferociously parochial people in NZ.

Thanks for the excellent references, Max. One wonders if there are not several classes of words, sorted by their degree of interest to serious etymologists. If a word was used by Shakespeare, there may be a Masters thesis on its derivation. If it was used by sailors to describe Marines, it is more likely that there will exist only "folk" explanations of its source. This is my ringing criticism of scholastic etymologists (for today).

. If a word was used by Shakespeare, there may be a Masters thesis on its derivation. If it was used by sailors to describe Marines, it is more likely that there will exist only "folk" explanations of its source.

À la Bastille! Execute the etymological elitists! I'm with you on this one, the disparity between the available resources for each of the two "classes" of words reeks of snobbery, IMHO.