The word schneid is used commonly in London (UK) slang to mean that someone is devious and not to be trusted - like a spy for example. It is highly derogatory. I have read that on this site that the word derives from German and related to cutting, as in a tailor cutting cloth. It has also been suggested that it is related to the Jewish dialect and so I'm wondering if it has an anti-semetic origin: was the tailor industry dominated by Jewish people? The word opens up many questions - Can anyone help with the etymology of schneid?
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3etymonline.com/word/snide– KillingTimeCommented Mar 19 at 6:54
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Yes, snide is the spelling.– Michael HarveyCommented Mar 19 at 9:49
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2Oxford Languages defines snide as 'derogatory or mocking in an indirect way', and gives the 'devious' meaning as American. I associate the word with the 'camp' comedian Kenneth Williams. I have a book of scripts for the 1960s radio show 'Round the Horne'. When KW was required to say something sarcastic, the 'stage direction' was (Snide).– Kate BuntingCommented Mar 19 at 13:28
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1@KateBunting — More likely 1950s, from my recollection and experience. Interesting that at school in the ’50s it was mainly used as an adjective qualifying “remark”. Haven’t done an ngram on it, though.– DavidCommented Mar 19 at 20:46
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1@TimR - Cambridge Dictionary gives /s/ as in say, /n/ as in name, /aɪ/ as in eye, /d/ as in day. This accords with my experience. Used both to mean 'unkindly critical, often in an indirect way', and also 'counterfeit or fake, e.g. of a coin'.– Michael HarveyCommented Mar 20 at 7:02
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1 Answer
It doesn't seem like the origin has anything to do with any form of racism.
The more common derogatory term in English is now "snide", which seems to share a derivation with German "schneiden". The original meaning was "sharp, cutting".
In its derogatory form it was first used to refer to counterfeit coins; later it was generalized to anything bad, wretched, contemptible, or dirty; and finally it was applied to people with low cunning. See more details in Etymonline.
Independently, its original "cutting" meaning became attached to tailoring, since cutting fabric is a significant part of the profession. This is where we get the German surname "Schneider". Tailoring was a common profession of Jews in Europe, so this became a common Jewish name.
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1People in the UK still use 'snide' to mean 'fake' in the 'knock-off' sense (a cheaper copy, not always passed off as the original), so people talk about 'snide Rolexes', perfume, designer bags, etc. Recently in the UK, 'snide Canada Goose jackets' have been a thing, and people have been mugged for them as well as the real ones (they are worn by 'chavs', my son tells me). Commented Mar 20 at 8:04