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Are you in a Pickle?

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You may have noticed that many words in English directly come from Dutch, although it may be deeper such as the German root. You may also know that the Netherlands and other northern European countries love their pickled herring. So, what you are probably guessing is true, the word pickle comes from the Dutch word pekel. Or does it? Upon my research I have come to hear of a dutchman by the name of William Beukel or Beukelz. So what does William Beukel have to do with pickles? Well, William Beukel was a 14th century Dutch fisherman. Some say that the word pickle is a form of his last name Beukel. Although he was known for his pickled fish the word to pickle has come to mean pickled cucumbers.

As for being "in a pickle" meaning that someone is in plight, the word also comes from Dutch origins. However, this pickle is spelled pekille or pikkyll which means to be in a plight, scrape, jam, fix or bind. Just because a pickle is a pickle in English, doesn't mean the Dutch see it that way.

(Pertaining to the picture of the poor people in a pickle, it is a painting from 1890 depicting a pair of petrifactions pulling on a pekel.)
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  1. de Blau boerDecember 14, 2011 at 7:54 PM

    Pertaining privately to the picture of the poor people pinched in a pickle, it is a painting from 1890 portraying a pair of petrifactions pulling on a pickle. You know, that doesn't look like a pickle to me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousDecember 15, 2011 at 10:01 AM

    AHHHIIIIMMM a pekel is anything pickled! Dat ik y I said pekel. maybe I should have said beukel.

    ReplyDelete

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