Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Mar 2, 2018 03:23
6 yrs ago
English term
zwepp
English
Art/Literary
Other
This word appeared twice, as I know, in the stories by Philip K. Dick.
“If he's a genuine pre-cog,” Luckman said, “he already know what I want, so there's no need for me or anyone else to speak to the *zwepp*.” The paradoxes of pre-cognition always amused and irked him.
--quoted from The Game-Players of Titan (1963, science fiction)
He felt sometimes as if he presided over an enormous junkyard. And then, once more, he thought about the Yee Company repair 'copter which he had run into in the desert, and the *zwepp* piloting it. Independent bastards, Arnie said to himself.
--quoted from Martian Time-Slip (1964, science fiction)
Link: https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=zwepp
Both speakers seemed to say "Zwepp" with a sort of disparaging attitude. In first one, "Zwepp" was translated into "guy" in the chinese version. Is it right? I wonder where this word came from.
Thank you!
“If he's a genuine pre-cog,” Luckman said, “he already know what I want, so there's no need for me or anyone else to speak to the *zwepp*.” The paradoxes of pre-cognition always amused and irked him.
--quoted from The Game-Players of Titan (1963, science fiction)
He felt sometimes as if he presided over an enormous junkyard. And then, once more, he thought about the Yee Company repair 'copter which he had run into in the desert, and the *zwepp* piloting it. Independent bastards, Arnie said to himself.
--quoted from Martian Time-Slip (1964, science fiction)
Link: https://www.google.com/search?tbm=bks&q=zwepp
Both speakers seemed to say "Zwepp" with a sort of disparaging attitude. In first one, "Zwepp" was translated into "guy" in the chinese version. Is it right? I wonder where this word came from.
Thank you!
Responses
| 2 +2 | twerp |
Yvonne Gallagher
|
Responses
+2
7 hrs
Yvonne Gallagher
Ireland
Ireland
Native in English
&
English
Works in field
Ireland
right word, right place. everytime
Native in: English (Variants: US, Canadian, Irish, UK) 
Works in: French to English, Spanish to English, English, and 1 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
129
Selected
twerp
I don't know what zwepp means. It looks to me like it may be derived from Yiddish but that's a guess. I see "zweep" is Dutch for a whip but that doesn't fit here.
I think this is probably what it is intended to mean but it's a guess
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/twerp
(Britain, colloquial) A fool, a twit.
Now you've broken it, you twerp!
(US, colloquial) A small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible.
Get out of my way, you little twerp!
(US, colloquial) A person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased. Sometimes used as a pet-name (often for a younger sibling).
Synonyms
http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/twerp
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Note added at 7 hrs (2018-03-02 10:59:01 GMT)
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or just with a meaning of "idiot"
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Note added at 1 day 7 hrs (2018-03-03 11:02:48 GMT) Post-grading
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glad to have helped.
I think this is probably what it is intended to mean but it's a guess
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/twerp
(Britain, colloquial) A fool, a twit.
Now you've broken it, you twerp!
(US, colloquial) A small or puny person; one regarded as insignificant, contemptible.
Get out of my way, you little twerp!
(US, colloquial) A person who can be bullied playfully, or easily teased. Sometimes used as a pet-name (often for a younger sibling).
Synonyms
http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/twerp
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Note added at 7 hrs (2018-03-02 10:59:01 GMT)
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or just with a meaning of "idiot"
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Note added at 1 day 7 hrs (2018-03-03 11:02:48 GMT) Post-grading
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glad to have helped.
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
Tina Vonhof (X)
: I think any of those options might work. I like the word 'zwepp' though, the sound of it fits the meaning.
5 hrs
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Thanks Tina. Yes, it's quite onomatopoeic
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| agree |
Helena Chavarria
: It sounds a bit like 'schlep' (1930s: Yiddish, from shlepn) - an inept or stupid person. // I've come across schlep in books, though I had never looked up the meaning until now!
5 hrs
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Well found Helena. It's probably coined from that. It's here too (3) https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=schlep Yes, I've used the verb myself and possibly heard the noun used as well. "zwepp" reminded me of something!
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| neutral |
philgoddard
: Maybe, but the similarity could just be a coincidence.
12 hrs
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of course but I think it has to have something of that meaning in the context...
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4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thank you! I think "idiot" fits the context, and Helena also made a very close guess."
Discussion
What do such zwepps care about their neighbors?
and
Who stuck me among such zwepps in the first place?
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q="such zwepps"&complete=0&s...
I'm a big fan of getting it straight from the horse's mouth, but Philip K. Dick is no longer with us.