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May 22, 2012 3:29 am
Is there any etymological connection between Carroll's "The Hunting of the Snark" and the word "snarky"? I can't see any connection in their meanings.
2 Replies
May 22, 2012 1:13 pm
The OED lists the verb form (snark) as first appearing in 1866 and is derived from German and Scandinavian languages. Lewis Carroll gives us the noun (snark) in 1876 and the OED says it is just made up. Snarky is derived from the verb form and the OED first lists it in 1906.
Emmett
May 28, 2012 6:21 am
FWIW, my source agrees but gives a little extra detail: "1906 from snark (v.) 'to snort' (1866), from an imitative source akin to Low Ger. snarken, N.Fris. snarke, Swed. snarka".