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From:
Tom Tonger
To:
Alexander Reynolds
Cc:
Irene McC ,
Date:
Tue, 28 Oct 1997 19:04:42 -0500 (EST)
Subject:
Re: (idm) german 'blech'
Msg-Id:
<Pine.GSO.3.96.971028185947.5081A-100000@sales.STERN.NYU.EDU>
In-Reply-To:
<Pine.SGI.3.95.971028123019.1401A-100000@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu>
Mbox:
idm.9710.gz
hi all, blech does definitely not mean brass as a metal. blech is tin as in tin can. however, with reference to musical instruments, 'blech' instruments in german are brass instruments in english. also, there is no such thing as a meaning for 'nonsense' etc. for blech in german. the only slang meaning in connection with this word is 'blechen' as a verb, which used to be a slang word for 'to pay' in the 80s but is not really any longer used. this information should clear matters up once and for all. cheers, --tom On Tue, 28 Oct 1997, Alexander Reynolds wrote:
quoted 16 lines heh..> heh.. > > the only tin connection in the "Blech" orbit is in derogatory reference to > sound of an instrument, i.e., a trumpet that has a "tinny" sound. i saw no > reference to "tin can" but did note the "sheet metal" definition. as we're > talking about music and british humour, however, i stand by "Blech" = > brass(alloy) = nonsense as pointing to some understanding of that group's > name. what possible meaning could "tin can" have, let alone "sheet metal"? > what proof is there that there is a german reference, anyway? > > blech. > > alex > > >