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Yesterday, in my part of the world, where no Inuit live, it was grappling. My father used to use the word "grapple" to describe very small hail pellets, like sleet, but rounder and thicker. I came across these other words to describe types of snow: sugar, corn, powder, champagne, foof, mashed potatoes, and Sierra cement. The etymology of some of these is self evident, but I could find none for grapple. Does here anyone know?
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Some etymologies (AHD for one) take grapple back to a small grape (hook) (and somehow grapes grow on hooks - blame those Old French people  ). Champagne grapes are probably about the size you're talking about 1-2mm (oddly, champagne grapes are not the grapes used to make champagne).
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That’s a new one on me this side of the pond – guess we don’t get the sheer variety of kinds of snow! fwiw, the OED only offers a slew of meanings to do with gripping and grabbing, with no mention of snow at all, so mebbe it is a true indigenous Americanism. Could it perhaps come from German or a Scandinavian language given the Plains settlement patterns? – it sounds like that to my ears, though no idea about possible roots.
edit: oh, OK having just looked up the route you suggested in AHD, myr, it says that the OF form came from a German root - this under 'grape'. So is it just as simple as Germanic speaking communities out on the Plains talking about 'grapes' as a figurative description of snow in pellet form? or have I not understood what this stuff looks like?
Last edited by maverick; 01/16/06 07:10 PM.
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Hubby's word for snow is "the f**king white crap".  I'm not sure the Inuit used that one.  (Not a big winter fan, Hubby.  )
Last edited by belMarduk; 01/16/06 08:02 PM.
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> "the f**king white crap" 'Nother loan word, probably!
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"the f**king white crap"
that's what our "city folk" friends say when walking near our chicken coop.
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