Rotwelsch

See also: rotwelsch

English

Etymology

Borrowed from German Rotwelsch.

Proper noun

Rotwelsch

1. (historical) A secret cant or thieves' argot spoken by covert groups primarily in southern Germany and Switzerland.

Further reading

• Rotwelsch on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

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German

Alternative forms

• Rotwelsche

Etymology

Uncertain. Rot (Rotwelsch for “beggar”, compare Rotte (“rout; group”)) + welsch (“Romance; foreign”). Compare Kauderwelsch (“gibberish”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈʀoːtvɛlʃ]

Noun

Template:examples-right Rotwelsch n (proper noun, strong, genitive Rotwelschs)

1. (historical) Rotwelsch (secret cant formerly spoken in southern Germany and Switzerland)

   Synonym: Gaunersprache

Related terms

• Kauderwelsch (“gibberish”)

Further reading

• “Rotwelsch” in Duden online
• Rotwelsch on the German Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^de