Tollpatsch

German

Alternative forms

• Dolpatsch, Dalpatsch, Talpatsch (archaic)
• Tolpatsch (pre-1996)

Etymology

First attested 1698 in Bavaria as Tolbatz, from Hungarian talpas (“wide-footed; infantryman”), so called because of their footwear consisting of soles attached by strings. Influenced by toll (“crazy”), patschen (“to whoosh, to hit with a splashing sound”), and dalpen, talpen (“to walk clumsily; to grab clumsily”), also Dalpe, Talpe, Dalpsche, Talpsche, Patsche, designations for a broad hand.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtɔlpat͡ʃ/

• Audio:

  (file)

Noun

Tollpatsch m (strong, genitive Tollpatsches or Tollpatschs, plural Tollpatsche)

1. (obsolete, derogatory) a Hungarian or Hungarian-origin soldier that does not converse well
2. klutz, blunderer, butterfingers (clumsy person)

   Synonyms: Tölpel, (Switzerland) Löli

Usage notes

• The spelling Tollpatsch has been the prescribed spelling since the German spelling reform of 1996 (the Rechtschreibreform). In the affected areas, the previous spelling (Tolpatsch) is now less common, and may be regarded as a misspelling.

Declension

Declension of Tollpatsch [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Tollpatsch	die	Tollpatsche
genitive	eines	des	Tollpatsches, Tollpatschs	der	Tollpatsche
dative	einem	dem	Tollpatsch, Tollpatsche1	den	Tollpatschen
accusative	einen	den	Tollpatsch	die	Tollpatsche

¹Now rare, see notes.

Derived terms

• tollpatschig

Further reading

• “Tollpatsch” in Duden online
• “Tollpatsch” in Digitales Wörterbuch der deutschen Sprache
• “Tollpatsch” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.