"Snickersnee?"

Jim McDougall · 18th September 2010, 05:56 PM

Another good one Fearn!

"...as I gnashed my teeth, when from its sheath
I drew my snickersnee".
William S. Gilbert
" The Mikado" (1885)

As you've already noted, this unusual term is a corruption of the old Dutch words, stecken (=stick or thrust); snee, from 'snijden' (=to cut). The term itself seems to have developed by about 17th century, but had become used figuratively as well, suggesting combat or fighting, scrapping as well as any weapon used to do so in cutting or knife fighting sense.

It seems it was used in political parlance in more recent times, i.e. "..you grasp any snickersnee you can get hold of and fight the best way you can".
-Va. Democrat Howard V. Smith

The apocryphal story about a Japanese sword falling off the wall in Gilbert's study, startling him out of his writers block to produce a new opera to meet a contract is of course contrived in degree. Actually, by the 1880's, the British fascination with all things Japanese was at a peak, and Gilbert, much as many Londoners, had the sword probably as a conversation piece like many such items available at the time. Apparantly, the sword did exist as stated, and did inspire the Japanese theme, however the falling off the wall thing probably never happened ("The Sword that Never Fell", Brian Jones).

"The Mikado" was a satire and comedy used metaphorically to disguise Gilbert's criticisms of matters at hand in London in those times, and with such dramatically exotic setting worked perfectly. As it seems, many of the names, terms etc. seemed almost Dickensian in silliness, and the funny sounding term, snickersnee fit well into the context in trying to portray otherwise grim things humorously.

Much as the way the term, scimitar, has crept into the descriptive terms used for weapons, the term snickersnee is likely a literary prop more than describing an actual weapon. I admit I honestly had never heard the term before this, and its great to learn more on it.

The tale of the sword falling off the wall though rings well to me...I can recall sitting at the desk in my own study once some years ago, and a sabre sitting on a shelf in the bookcase behind me fell off. It struck the chair I was sitting in, leaving a great nick in the arm of the chair, and scared the u know what outa me! Even if I didnt have writers block, it sure got my engine runnin'!

Thanks very much Fearn,
All the best,
Jim

18th September 2010, 05:56 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Another good one Fearn! "...as I gnashed my teeth, when from its sheath I drew my snickersnee". William S. Gilbert " The Mikado" (1885) As you've already noted, this unusual term is a corruption of the old Dutch words, stecken (=stick or thrust); snee, from 'snijden' (=to cut). The term itself seems to have developed by about 17th century, but had become used figuratively as well, suggesting combat or fighting, scrapping as well as any weapon used to do so in cutting or knife fighting sense. It seems it was used in political parlance in more recent times, i.e. "..you grasp any snickersnee you can get hold of and fight the best way you can". -Va. Democrat Howard V. Smith The apocryphal story about a Japanese sword falling off the wall in Gilbert's study, startling him out of his writers block to produce a new opera to meet a contract is of course contrived in degree. Actually, by the 1880's, the British fascination with all things Japanese was at a peak, and Gilbert, much as many Londoners, had the sword probably as a conversation piece like many such items available at the time. Apparantly, the sword did exist as stated, and did inspire the Japanese theme, however the falling off the wall thing probably never happened ("The Sword that Never Fell", Brian Jones). "The Mikado" was a satire and comedy used metaphorically to disguise Gilbert's criticisms of matters at hand in London in those times, and with such dramatically exotic setting worked perfectly. As it seems, many of the names, terms etc. seemed almost Dickensian in silliness, and the funny sounding term, snickersnee fit well into the context in trying to portray otherwise grim things humorously. Much as the way the term, scimitar, has crept into the descriptive terms used for weapons, the term snickersnee is likely a literary prop more than describing an actual weapon. I admit I honestly had never heard the term before this, and its great to learn more on it. The tale of the sword falling off the wall though rings well to me...I can recall sitting at the desk in my own study once some years ago, and a sabre sitting on a shelf in the bookcase behind me fell off. It struck the chair I was sitting in, leaving a great nick in the arm of the chair, and scared the u know what outa me! Even if I didnt have writers block, it sure got my engine runnin'! Thanks very much Fearn, All the best, Jim Attached Images