Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2007/01/11
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]Re: <http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/switzerland/01-03Geneva.htm> Frank: "Schmutz" means "dirt" in German and Yiddish. It's not a French word, but it is a legitimate surname in French. So, the picture is a multilingual pun: Monsieur Dirt named his Geneva business after himself. And to me, it's doubly funny because of the way my Nana used the word. Nana (my maternal grandmother), was a Parisian Jew, and spoke both French and Yiddish in addition to English. She used "schmutz" even when speaking English, as if it were one of those words that had connotations beyond what English could express. When Nana said "schmutz," it often referred to New York soot that had built up for months behind the furniture, or slimy kitchen refuse. Or, euphemistically, that which makes dirty diapers dirty. In other words, it wasn't mere dirt, it was especially dirty dirt. So there I am walking across a bridge in Geneva, hearing French all around me, which makes me think of Nana. Just then, a red car emblazoned "Schumtz & Cie" stops in traffic right beside me. Serendipity. Just for fun, I Googled the business name on the car. It's a electrical and mechanical shop specializing in motors, pumps, fans and such. I remember seeing something to that effect on car's lettering on the original scan, thanks to the superior sharpness of Summicron M lenses (on topic). Here they are: <http://www.schmutz-cie.ch/home.aspx> They're hiring! <http://www.swissindustries.com/html/Schmutz/Recherche%20m%E9canicien.htm> -Peter Frank Dernie asked: > is there a funny meaning for the word which we English would never > have heard? > Frank