Gumel

Alemannic German

Alternative forms
  • Gummel

Etymology

Unknown. One theory that has been suggested is that the first potatoes in the canton of Schwyz were cultivated on the farm "Hof Gummi in Röten bei Goldau" in the year 1727.[1][2][3] Another theory suggests a connection between this term and other, similar sounding ones like Bachgummele (an uncommon synonym for Bachbumbele (“Caltha palustris”)), Rossgumele (a regional synonym of Rossbolle (“road apple”), Gumme (a rare synonym of Buchsbeeri (“Arctostaphylos uva-ursi”)), from which a common meaning of "small, bulbous object" has been derived. Compare also Palatine German Gumpel, Gump, Gummel (“big, plump nose”)[4] and also compare the term Chnollenase (“bulbous nose”, literally “corm nose”) (related to German Knollennase) which may explain the semantic bridge.

Noun

Gumel (diminutive Gumeli)

  1. (Schwyz) potato
    Synonyms: Härdöpfel, Hörpfel

References
  1. Josef Nikiaus Zehnder: Der Goldauer Bergsturz, Goldau 1988, page 165.
  2. Franz Wyrsch: Der Prozess um den Kartoffelzehnten in Küssnacht, 1771, 1994, first paragraph
  3. Erwin Horat: Ein 'Gummelplätz' am Grossen Mythen, 1997
  4. „Gumpel, f.“, Pfälzisches Wörterbuch, digitalisierte Fassung im Wörterbuchnetz des Trier Center for Digital Humanities, Version 01/21, , retrieved 31 October 2021.

Further reading
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