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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread Kummerspeck #158271 04/07/2006 6:31 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,773 Sparteye Pooh-Bah Sparteye Pooh-Bah Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 1,773 From the Last Page column in the March 2006 Smithsonian magazine, we see a much-needed loan word from German: Kummerspeck - the excess weight one gains from emotion-related overeating. It means "grief bacon." My own translation would be more along the lines of "boredom cookie", but its all the same in the end (well, OK; hips). Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Kummerspeck #158272 04/07/2006 7:14 PM Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel zmjezhd Carpal Tunnel Joined: Aug 2005 Posts: 3,290 R'lyeh Another word from Tingo. At least this one seems to be used in German. Ceci n'est pas un seing. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Kummerspeck #158273 04/07/2006 11:38 PM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA I know only about ten words in German (not including things you can order in a restaurant) but I wonder if the English word cummerbund is related to the prefix/root used here. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Kummerspeck #158274 04/08/2006 12:07 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Quote: I know only about ten words in German (not including things you can order in a restaurant) but I wonder if the English word cummerbund is related to the prefix/root used here. AHD suggests otherwise. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Kummerspeck #158275 04/08/2006 5:15 AM Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Father Steve Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2000 Posts: 2,788 Seattle, Washington, USA How 'bout dat? Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Kummerspeck #158276 04/10/2006 5:04 PM Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 5 HHDiestel stranger HHDiestel stranger Joined: Mar 2006 Posts: 5 Hello and good evening. The possible relation between cummerbund and Kummerspeck did intrigue me. According to my dictionaries, the former goes back to Persian "kamar" (waist), having reached the English language via Hindi "kamarband" (ca loinband) The latter actually means additional fat because of worry, more often than not "Liebeskummer" (lovesickness). So you put on weight with man/woman problems, acchieving the exact opposite of what you desperately need. "Kummer" derives from Middle High German "kumber" (waste, debris; trouble, stress, grief) and was borrowed from Middle Latin "cumbrus" (entanglement, dam). It is related to "kümmerlich" (poor, miserable) and "Kümmerling" (weakling). In some German regions "Kümmerling" also names a bitter "Schnaps". I suspect what people actually mean is "Kümmel" (caraway seed or cumin), as the taste, if I remember correctly, reminds you of these spices. So, if you have "Kummer" or possibly weltschmerz, you have a couple of quick Kümmerlings and the world might look better (I doubt, esp. as it does not exactly help to reduce your waistline, v.s.) Hans-Hermann Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Kummerspeck #158277 05/08/2006 11:44 PM Joined: May 2002 Posts: 1,529 Aladamnbama the most watered s... themilum veteran themilum veteran Joined: May 2002 Posts: 1,529 Aladamnbama the most watered s... Vielen Dank fuer diese ausfuehrliche, etymologische Analyse. Kuemmerling wird hoffentlich nicht in die Staaten exportiert. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: Kummerspeck #158278 05/15/2006 1:01 AM Joined: May 2002 Posts: 1,529 Aladamnbama the most watered s... themilum veteran themilum veteran Joined: May 2002 Posts: 1,529 Aladamnbama the most watered s... Ah yes, for the record. I asked Sebastian Voigt, a nice German from Germany, to reply to the messages in this thread, (It's not like I was interfering with any continuous conversation) and he did. He will be back here later this month so if anyone wants to chat in German he will be pleased to oblige. Milo. Last edited by themilum; 05/15/2006 1:50 AM. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. 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