Thursday, December 28, 2017
Portrait of the Blogger as an Old Man
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832), Faust, Part 2, Act 2, lines 8084-8087 (tr. David Luke):
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But he's a real curmudgeon, a thick-headGriesgram (line 8087) is related to obsolete English grist (gnashing of teeth). See Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. grist, n.1:
And a sour-puss, it must be said.
He's never pleased, he seems to find
Fault with the whole race of mankind.
Doch hat er einen harten Kopf,
Der widerwärtige Sauertopf.
Das ganze menschliche Geschlecht
Macht's ihm, dem Griesgram, nimmer recht.
Etymology: Old English grist-, gyrst, cognate with Old Saxon grist- in gristgrimmo gnashing of teeth; compare Old High German grisgrimmôn, grisgramôn to gnash the teeth (Middle High German grisgimmen, -gramen, grustgramen; German griesgramen to sulk), Middle High German grisgram gnashing of teeth (German griesgram peevishness, peevish person, also as adjective).
