Hello Jan!
On Monday, April 8, 2002 at 4:32:56 PM you wrote:
> Oh, I don't know if "rootle" means anything rude anywhere
> else in the world -- I really wouldn't worry about it.
Not according to the *New Oxford English Dictionary*; it would be
rather an idiosyncratic use of the word.
It is, BTW, not restricted to NZ, actually it developed in the early
19th century in England and meant the same as "to root" (rummaging,
especially by a pig). In the US it also means to applaud/cheer/support
(especially in sports).
The funny part is that it has nothing to do etymologically with the
noun, which is based upon the Latin "radix". "Rootle" (or its other
form "root") comes from the Latin word for gnawing ("rodere", also the
root for "rodent") by way of Germanic (in which it resides as
"R�ssel").
> I though it was like a U.S. "root around" like a pig would
> do but i wasn't sure. Now I'll have to remember 'rootle'
> too.
Well, strictly you would use it quite misplaced in the US (although
I'm sure it would be understood out of context), see above.
--
Dierk Haasis
http://www.Write4U.de
http://Interest.Write4U.de/pongo
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