The Breitmann Ballads - Part 34
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Part 34

k.u.mmel, kimmel,(Ger.) - Schnapps, dram. Hans, in his tipsy enthusiasm, e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.es, "Oh, mein Gott in Kimmel!" instead of "im Himmel" (heaven), becoming guilty of an unconscious alliteration, and confessing, according to the proverb in vino veritas, where his G.o.d really abides; "whose G.o.d is their belly."

Kunster,(Ger.) - Sacristan.

Lanze,(Ger.) - Lance.

Lager, Lagerbeer, (Ger. Lagerbier, i.e., Stockbeer) - Sometimes in these poems abbreviated into Lager. A kind of beer introduced into the American cities by the Germans, and now much in vogue among all cla.s.ses.

Lager Wirthschaft,(Ger.) - Beerhouse.

Laibgartner,(Ger.) - Liebgard; bodyguard. The Swiss in blundering makes it "body-gardener."

Lam - To drub, beat soundly.

Larmen - The French word larmes, tears, made into a German verb.

Lateinisch - Latin.

Laughen, lachen - Laughing.

Lavergne - A place between Nashville and Murfreesboro', in the state of Tennessee.

Lebe hoch! - Hurrah!

Leben - Life; living.

Lebenlang,(Ger.) - Life-long.

Lev'st du nock? - Liv'st thou yet?

Libby - The notorious Confederate prison at Richmond, Va.

Liddle Pills - Little bills, Legislative enactments.

Lieblich,(Ger.) - Charming.

Liedeken,(Flem.) - Song.

Lieder, Lieds,(Ger.) - Songs.

Liederkranz,(Ger.) - Glee-union.

Liederlich,(Ger.) - Loose, reckless, dissolute.

Lighthood,(Ger. Lichtheit) - Light.

Like spiders down their webs - Breitmann's soldiers are supposed to have been expert turners or gymnasts.) Loafer,(Amer.) - A term which, considered as the German p.r.o.nunciation of lover, is a close translation of rom, since this latter means both a gipsy and a husband.

Los, los gehen,(Ger.) - To go at a thing, at somebody.

Loosty,(Ger. l.u.s.tig) - Jolly, merry.

Loudet,(Lauten in Ger.) - To make sound.

L'Ubbriacone,(Ital.) - Drunkard.

Luftballon,(Ger.) - Air-balloon.

Lump,(Ger.) - Ragam.u.f.fin.

Lumpenglocke - An abusive term applied to bells, especially to those which are rung to give notice that the beer-houses must close.

Madel,(Ger.) - Girl.

Maedchen,(Ger.) - Girl, maiden.

Markgraefler - A pleasant light wine grown in the Grand Duchy of Baden.

Marmorbild - Marble statue.

Maskenzug,(Ger.) - Procession of masked persons.

Ma.s.senversammlung,(Ger.) - Ma.s.s meeting.

Mein Freund - My friend.

Mein Sohn - My son.

Meine Seel',(Ger.) - By my soul.

Meisjes,(Flem.) - Girls.

Middleolter(Mittelaelter) - The Middle Ages.

Mijn lief gesellen,(Flem.) - My dear comrades.

Mineted - Minded.

Minnesinger - Poet of love. A name given to German lyric poets, who flourished from the twelfth to the fourteenth centuries.

Mist-hauf,(Ger.) - Dung-hill.

Mit hoontin knife, &c.:- "With her white hands so lovely, She dug the Count his grave.

From her dark eyes sad weeping, The holy water she gave."

- Old German Ballad.

Mitout - Without.

Mitternight, Mitternacht - Midnight.

Mitternocht, Mitternacht - Midnight.

Mohr, ein schwarzer,(Ger.) - A blackamoor.

Moleschott - Author of a celebrated work on physiology.

Mondenlight - Moonlight.

Mondenschein,(Ger.) - Moonlight.

Morgan - John Morgan, a notorious Confederate guerilla during the late war in America.

Morgen-het-ache - Morning headache.

Moskopolite,(Amer.) - Cosmopolite. Mossyhead is the German student phrase for an old student.

Mud-sill - The longitudinal timber laid upon the ground to form the foundation for a railway. Hence figuratively applied by the labour-despising Southern gentry to the labouring cla.s.ses as the substratum of society.

Murmulte - Murmured.

Mutter,(Ger.) - Mother.

Naturalizationisds - The officers, &c., who give the rights of native citizens to foreigners.

Nibelungen Lied - The lay of the Nibelungen; the great German national epos.

Nieuw Jarsie - New Jersey, in America, famous inter alia for its sandy beaches and high surf.

Nig - n.i.g.g.e.r.

Nirwana - The Brahminical absorption into G.o.d.

Nix,(Ger. Nichts) - Nothing.

Nix c.u.m raus - That I had not come out.

No sardine - Not a narrow-minded, small-hearted fellow.

Norate - To speak in an oration.

Noth,(Ger.) - Need, dire extremity. Das war des Breitmann's Noth, -That was Breitmann's sore trial. Imitated from the last line of the Nibelungen Lied.

Nun - Now.

Nun endlich,(Ger.) - Now at last.

O'Brady - An Irish giant.

Ochsen,(Ger.) - Oxen; stupid fellows. As a verb it also is used familiarly to mean hard study.

Odenwald - A thickly-wooded district in South Germany.

Oder - Other. See Preface.

Oltra tramontane; ultra tramontane - Applied to the non-Italian Catholic party.

On-belongs - Literal translation of Zugehort.

On de snap - All at once.

On-did to on-do - Literal translation of the German anthun; to donn, to put on.

Onfang,(Ger. Anfang) - Beginning.

Oonendly - Unendlich.

Oonshpeakbarly,(Ger. unaussprechbarlich) - Inexpressibly.

Oop-gecleared,(Ger. Aufgeklaert) - Enlightened.

Ooprighty,(Ger. Aufrichtig) - Upright.

Oopright-hood,(Ger. Aufrichtigkeit) - Uprightness.

Oop-sproong - For aufsprung.

Opple-yack - Apple-jack. Spirit distilled from cider.

Orgel-ton,(Ger.) - Organ sound.

Orkester - Orchestra.

Out-ge-poke-te - Out-poked.

Out-signed,(Ger. ausgezeichnete) - Distinguished, signal.

Out-sprach - Outspoke.

Over again - Uebrigen.