קלאַפֿטער

Yiddish

Etymology

From Middle High German klā̆fter, from Old High German klāftra. Cognate with German Klafter. The development of the swimming-related uses is uncertain, but may plausibly be related to the sense “armspan”.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkɫaftər/

Noun

קלאַפֿטער • (klafter) m, plural קלאַפֿטערס (klafters) or קלאַפֿטער (klafter)

1. (historical) fathom (the length of a man’s armspan, roughly six feet)
2. (historical) fathom (unit of volume equivalent to 0.56 cubic metres; to measure wood size)
3. (swimming) freestyle, front crawl

   Synonym: קלאַפֿטערשוווּם (klaftershvum)

4. (not attested in the CEYD) breaststroke

   Synonym: זשאַבעשוווּם (zhabeshvum)

Derived terms

• קלאַפֿטערהאָלץ (klafterholts, “firewood”)
• קלאַפֿטערשוווּם (klaftershvum)
• לייגן קלאַפֿטער (leygn klafter, “to swim freestyle”)

References

• Justus van de Kamp et al., “קלאַפֿטער” in Jiddisch-Nederlands Woordenboek [Yiddish-Dutch Dictionary], Amsterdam: Stichting Jiddische Lexicografie, 1987-present (ongoing). [1].
• Schaechter-Viswanath, Gitl, Glasser, Paul (2016) “freestyle”, in Comprehensive English-Yiddish Dictionary, Bloomington, Indiana: Indiana University Press, →ISBN