When words were only words
Etymological musing of the day:
Delicatessen.
Roughly taken from a compound of two German words, Delikat, meaning delicate or in a certain sense light, and Essen, to eat. So to eat delicately, to eat lightly, an apt description for the convenient small portions afforded by a sandwich and a pickle. (Interesting to note that Delikatessen in German translates to both Delicatessen and Delicacy in English).
Shortened in English to a vulgar Deli amusingly cuts off the full word in the middle, creating a bit of gibberish, the "deli" in "delicate" or the "lig" in "light".
I propose that instead of saying "I'm going down to the corner deli for a nosh, maybe a bagel widda schmear," we amuse ourselves by stating our intention to "walk to the corner lig for a corned beef on rye."
Delicatessen.
Roughly taken from a compound of two German words, Delikat, meaning delicate or in a certain sense light, and Essen, to eat. So to eat delicately, to eat lightly, an apt description for the convenient small portions afforded by a sandwich and a pickle. (Interesting to note that Delikatessen in German translates to both Delicatessen and Delicacy in English).
Shortened in English to a vulgar Deli amusingly cuts off the full word in the middle, creating a bit of gibberish, the "deli" in "delicate" or the "lig" in "light".
I propose that instead of saying "I'm going down to the corner deli for a nosh, maybe a bagel widda schmear," we amuse ourselves by stating our intention to "walk to the corner lig for a corned beef on rye."