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This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand this format, some or all of this message may not be legible. ------_=_NextPart_001_01C5F0ED.32E4FBB0 Content-Type: text/plain I'm finding that inputting the word 'scaff' into most of my online dictionaries provides virtual raised eyebrows... Did find this though. The OED labels scoff 'colloquial', though it was respectable enough to start with; we had it off the Cape Dutch, for whom schoft meant a quarter of a day and the assumption was that people could afford four proper meals. It was the verb that gave the word a bad name: 'To eat voraciously' says the dictionary. Not too much logic there, I'd say. There's a strong suggestion that the verb is from a quite different English dialect word, scaff, meaning to gobble, and that they got muddled. But etymology was never an exact science. (None of this has anything to do with the other scoff meaning to mock, which comes from Scandinavia.) _________________________________________ By doing just a little every day, I can gradually let the task completely overwhelm me -----Original Message----- From: Jakob Whitfield [mailto:jakob.whitfield@xxxxx.xxx <mailto:jakob.whitfield@xxxxx.xxx>; ] Sent: 24 November 2005 11:37 To: london.food@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx Subject: Re: [london.food] Escoffier Ivor pondered: > I wonder if Escoffier is the etymological root of the verb to scoff? Just checked my SOED, and their earliest citation is 1849. It seems to be related to the dialect 'scaff', which isn't in my dictionary. Anyone have access to OED online to check that meaning? Pity, though - it'd be a great etymology. -Jakob -- "There are three principal ways to lose money: wine, women, and engineers. While the first two are more pleasant, the third is by far the more certain."--Baron Rothschild, ca. 1800 I am jakob dot whitfield at gmail dot com ************************************************************************* The contents of the e-mail and any transmitted files are confidential and intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Transport for London Street Management hereby excludes any warranty and any liability as to the quality or accuracy of the contents of this e-mail and any attached transmitted files. If you are not the intended recipient, be advised that you have received this e-mail in error and that any use, dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail is strictly prohibited. If you have received this e-mail in error please notify postmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept for the presence of computer viruses. ************************************************************************* ------_=_NextPart_001_01C5F0ED.32E4FBB0 Content-Type: text/html Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META HTTP-EQUIV=3D"Content-Type" CONTENT=3D"text/html; = charset=3Dus-ascii"> <TITLE>Message</TITLE> <META content=3D"MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=3DGENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY><!-- Converted from text/plain format --> <P><FONT size=3D2><FONT size=3D3><FONT color=3D#ff00ff>I'm finding that = inputting the=20 word 'scaff' into most of my online dictionaries provides virtual = raised=20 eyebrows... Did find this though.</FONT><BR><BR>The OED labels scoff=20 'colloquial', though it was respectable enough to start with; we had it = off the=20 Cape Dutch, for whom schoft meant a quarter of a day and the assumption = was that=20 people could afford four proper meals. It was the verb that gave the = word a bad=20 name: 'To eat voraciously' says the dictionary. Not too much logic = there, I'd=20 say. There's a strong suggestion that the verb is from a quite = different English=20 dialect word, scaff, meaning to gobble, and that they got muddled. But = etymology=20 was never an exact science. (None of this has anything to do with the = other=20 scoff meaning to mock, which comes from Scandinavia.)</FONT></FONT></P> <DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT size=3D3></FONT></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3D2><FONT size=3D3><!-- Converted from text/rtf format = --> <P><SPAN lang=3Den-gb><FONT=20 face=3DArial>_________________________________________</FONT></SPAN> = <BR><SPAN=20 lang=3Den-gb><I><FONT face=3D"Comic Sans MS" color=3D#ff0000>By doing = just a little=20 every day, I can gradually let the task completely overwhelm=20 me</FONT></I></SPAN> </P></DIV> <P><BR></FONT><BR>-----Original Message-----<BR>From: Jakob Whitfield = [<A=20 href=3D"mailto:jakob.whitfield@xxxxx.xxx">mailto:jakob.whitfield@xxxxx.x= om</A>]<BR>Sent:=20 24 November 2005 11:37<BR>To: london.food@xxxxxxxxxx.xxx<BR>Subject: = Re:=20 [london.food] Escoffier<BR><BR><BR>Ivor pondered:<BR><BR>> I wonder = if=20 Escoffier is the etymological root of the verb to scoff?<BR><BR>Just = checked my=20 SOED, and their earliest citation is 1849. It seems to be related to = the dialect=20 'scaff', which isn't in my dictionary. Anyone have access to OED online = to check=20 that meaning?<BR><BR>Pity, though - it'd be a great=20 etymology.<BR><BR>-Jakob<BR><BR>--<BR>"There are three principal ways = to lose=20 money: wine, women, and engineers. While the first two are more = pleasant, the=20 third is by far the more certain."--Baron Rothschild, ca. 1800 I am = jakob dot=20 whitfield at gmail dot com<BR></P></FONT></BODY></HTML> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2 = FACE=3D"Arial">*********************************************************= **************** </FONT></P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">The contents of the e-mail and any = transmitted files are confidential and intended solely for the use of = the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Transport for = London Street Management hereby excludes any warranty and any liability = as to the quality or accuracy of the contents of this e-mail and any = attached transmitted files. If you are not the intended recipient, be = advised that you have received this e-mail in error and that any use, = dissemination, forwarding, printing or copying of this e-mail is = strictly prohibited.</FONT></P> <BR> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">If you have received this e-mail in = error please notify postmaster@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx. </FONT></P> <BR> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">This footnote also confirms that this = email message has been swept for the presence of computer viruses. = </FONT></P> <P><FONT SIZE=3D2 = FACE=3D"Arial">*********************************************************= ****************</FONT></P> ------_=_NextPart_001_01C5F0ED.32E4FBB0--
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