Scarf as a Verb

Hello, you have A Way with Words.

Good afternoon, this is Edward from Indianapolis calling.

Hello, Edward.

Hi, Edward, how you doing?

I’m good, fine.

I have a question about a word, scarf, used in a way of eating.

Mm—

Boy, you were really hungry.

You really scarfed that down.

Right.

Mm—

Where do you think that came from?

Well, it’s not related to the neckwear or the headwear, the piece of cloth.

Of course, of course, yeah.

Yeah.

But it’s interesting.

It’s got a rich etymological history that I’ll kind of summarize by saying that it entered English probably from Scots dialect.

And the Scots dialect picked it up ages ago probably from some Germanic language.

Could have been Dutch or a language like Dutch.

Because there’s a word scarf came from scoff, S-C-O-F-F, also spelled S-C-A-F-F, and it meant food.

And what’s interesting here, the reason it meets food is because it’s related to another word, schoft, S-C-H-O-F-T,

Which is a Dutch word, which means a quarter of a day, and referred to one of the four mealtimes of the day.

I guess the Dutch eat more meal a day than I do.

And so all through this etymological path, it changed just enough.

So first it meant a quarter of a day.

Then it meant a meal that you ate in the quarter of a day.

And then it meant food.

And then it meant to eat your food.

And then it meant to eat your food with a lot of energy and really quickly.

Edward, I’m curious what got you curious about that.

I’ve heard it ever since I was a child, you know, like, oh, you really scarf that down.

You know, and I just wondered where it came from because I’m just curious.

Okay.

And I’m glad I got a chance to talk with you people.

Well, thank you for your call, Edward.

Thank you, guys.

Thanks, Edward.

Love your show.

Bye-bye.

Take care.

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