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#208762 - 01/06/13 05:07 PM scosche
Prof@NHTI stranger Registered: 01/06/13 Posts: 3	Here's a word I heard today, and wondered if anyone has heard it used before... Have you seen it in context for a small amount?
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#208764 - 01/06/13 05:18 PM Re: scosche [Re: Prof@NHTI]
maverick Carpal Tunnel Registered: 09/15/00 Posts: 4757	hi Prof, welcome. Sorry, I had not personally encountered this at all. But I see Urban Dictionary gives two janus meanings: http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=scosche 1. scosche 102 up, 14 down A small amount, a tiny bit Move a scosche A scosche of food A scosche of work left 2. scosche 7 up, 102 down a large amout of bull crap that was quite a scosche of beer would you like a breakfast scosche? I'd like a scosche of doughnuts fwiw, the crowdsource response gives your usage the popular nod. Can you give a context of how you have heard it?
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#208765 - 01/06/13 05:36 PM Re: scosche [Re: maverick]
tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/03/00 Posts: 10463 Loc: this too shall pass	I was surprised to find so little dictionary help for this, to me, a common enough word; then it dawned on me that the usual spelling it skosh: you'll see why from the etymology.. skosh Etymology: < Japanese sukoshi a little, somewhat. U.S. slang [prob. from the Korean War era - mf] A little, a small amount; freq. used advb. in the expression a skosh, slightly, somewhat. [1955 Amer. Speech 30 44 Along with.. everyday greetings, Bamboo English employs sukoshi ‘few, some’ and its antonym takusan ‘plenty’, both of which are forthwith made into two-syllable words, dispensing with the voiceless Japanese u.] 1959 (recorded by Prof. A. L. Hench, Univ. of Virginia) 10 May, ‘Just a skosh,’ he said. When I asked him what he meant he said he had picked the word up in Korea. It means ‘a little bit’. ‘Just a little bit left’ was his meaning. 1977 Detroit Free Press 19 Dec. 4- c/1 In the ad, a slightly out-of-breath jogger laments middle-age body bulge and tells how glad he is that a new line of Levis for men is constructed with ‘a skosh more room where I need it’. 1988 Cycle World Sept. 37/1 The GSX-R's seat is more comfortable than the Yamaha's thinly padded perch, and its bars are a skosh higher. [OEDonline]
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#208766 - 01/06/13 05:42 PM Re: scosche [Re: Prof@NHTI]
LukeJavan8 Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/23/08 Posts: 5280 Loc: Land of the Flat Water	Originally Posted By: Prof@NHTI Here's a word I heard today, and wondered if anyone has heard it used before... Have you seen it in context for a small amount? Mi sainted grandmither of blessed memory used the term when baking, as in, "now just a scosche more flour, and it's good to go". Not an unfamiliar term to me. _________________________ ----please, draw me a sheep----
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#208767 - 01/06/13 06:09 PM Re: scosche [Re: tsuwm]
maverick Carpal Tunnel Registered: 09/15/00 Posts: 4757	Good catch, wise one! So we have an example of folk etymology taking place before our eyes, it would seem: alteration of an unfamiliar sk~ combination to align more closely with familiar words like scorch, scotch, scamp, and so on. Edited by maverick (01/06/13 06:09 PM)
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#208768 - 01/06/13 06:16 PM Re: scosche [Re: maverick]
tsuwm Carpal Tunnel Registered: 04/03/00 Posts: 10463 Loc: this too shall pass	>unfamiliar sk~ combination yeahbut: ski, skate, skimpy, skip, skedaddle, et alia.
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#208769 - 01/06/13 06:29 PM Re: scosche [Re: Prof@NHTI]
gooofy newbie Registered: 01/19/12 Posts: 37	The Japanese word sounds a lot like /skoʃ/ to English ears due to the vowel devoicing. So it's not surprising it would be spelled skosh or scosche.
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#208771 - 01/06/13 06:50 PM Re: scosche [Re: Prof@NHTI]
Buffalo Shrdlu Carpal Tunnel Registered: 06/24/02 Posts: 7184 Loc: Vermont	I've often heard and used it, but never seen or written it. took me a minute seeing "scosche"to think of what was meant. hmm, skoshe. I think I woulda spelt it that way. _________________________ formerly known as etaoin...
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#208772 - 01/06/13 07:41 PM Re: scosche [Re: Buffalo Shrdlu]
olly old hand Registered: 12/18/06 Posts: 932 Loc: Auckland, New Zealand	hmm, skoshe. I think I woulda spelt it that way. As in, Skoshe on the rocksh pleash.
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#208773 - 01/06/13 07:56 PM Re: scosche [Re: tsuwm]
Faldage Carpal Tunnel Registered: 12/01/00 Posts: 13653	Except for skate these words all need the k to retain the /sk/ pronunciation.
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