Schlafittchen

German

Etymology

18th century, but probably older. Generally explained as a reinterpretation (as a diminutive) of Schlafittichen, dative plural of obsolete Schlafittich, itself from an underlying *Schlagfittich, from schlagen (“to strike, thrash”) +‎ Fittich (“wing of a bird”), from the way a bird is grabbed by its thrashing wings. This requires that the word is of Central or Low German origin and that southern forms like Schlafittel are later adaptations.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ʃlaˈfɪtçən/ (prescriptive standard)
• IPA^(key): /ʃlaˈvɪtçən/ (commoner, at least in northern and central Germany)

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Schlafittchen n (strong, genitive Schlafittchens, plural Schlafittchen)

1. (informal) something on someone’s back by which they are grabbed in order to push or pull them: the collar, the hem of the jacket, the scruff of the neck

   Er packte den Betrunkenen am Schlafittchen und warf ihn raus.

   He grabbed the drunk man by his collar / by the scruff of his neck and threw him out.

Declension

Declension of Schlafittchen [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Schlafittchen	die	Schlafittchen
genitive	eines	des	Schlafittchens	der	Schlafittchen
dative	einem	dem	Schlafittchen	den	Schlafittchen
accusative	ein	das	Schlafittchen	die	Schlafittchen