{"id":20313,"date":"2020-12-16T16:09:35","date_gmt":"2020-12-16T16:09:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/?p=20313"},"modified":"2020-12-16T16:10:02","modified_gmt":"2020-12-16T16:10:02","slug":"slovenly-sloofs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.omniglot.com\/bloggle\/?p=20313","title":{"rendered":"Slovenly Sloofs"},"content":{"rendered":"

One of the interesting Dutch words I learnt recently is sloof<\/strong> [slo\u02d0f], which means an apron or drudge [source<\/a>], or “a hard-working woman doing domestic work; e.g. a maid or housewife” [source<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Sloof<\/strong> meaning an apron comes from the Middle Dutch slove\/sloof<\/em> (an apron with short sleeves) [source<\/a>].<\/p>\n

Sloof<\/strong> meaning a drudge or toiling housewife comes from the verb sloven<\/strong> (to work hard, to drudge, to show off). For example, Hij haat me en ik sloof me uit = He hates me and I’m slaving for him [source<\/a>].<\/p>\n

A sloof<\/strong> (drudge) might wear a sloof<\/strong> (apron) and sloffen<\/strong> (slippers) as they slip<\/strong> (slip) around their sloffige<\/strong> (dusty) house seeking a sloop<\/strong> (pillowcase) and trying to avoid a slop<\/strong> (bad situation) and trying not to fall in slaap<\/strong> (asleep).<\/p>\n

There are probably plenty of other words beginning with the pleasing combination sl<\/strong> in Dutch – there are certainly plenty in English – slip, slap, slop, sloop (from the Dutch sloep), slide, sleep, and so on.<\/p>\n

\"No<\/a>