jaw harp

Subject: BS: jaw harp
From: mkebenn
Date: 15 May 16 - 12:18 PM

When I was a kid we called these lip manglers "jew's harps". Was this another case of unintentional antisemitism? what is the origin? Mike

Subject: RE: BS: jaw harp
From: meself
Date: 15 May 16 - 01:02 PM

Lost in the mists of time. No particular anti-Semitism indicated, but one or two hints if you are determined enough to find them.

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: mkebenn
Date: 15 May 16 - 01:19 PM

Thanks yourself, but I wonder which begot which? Mike

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: meself
Date: 15 May 16 - 01:25 PM

Okay - there are jaw/jew's harp sites on-line with articles that go into the research. In a nutshell: various theories about the origin of the term, none of which, as far as I know, put much weight behind the idea of an anti-Semitic origin.

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: mkebenn
Date: 15 May 16 - 01:29 PM

Thanks again, I'll sit on my ass and look. LOL Mike

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: GUEST,.gargoyle
Date: 15 May 16 - 07:32 PM

Welcome back Mr. MAC

I never found it a "lip mangler" ....
But....it could look like herpes on t h e tongue.

There are several MC discussions on the topic.

Www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=3318&messages=24

Sincerely,
Gargoyle

The thread does not touch on it....but the best cure for your professed affliction is "Gum Myrhh."

it is pretty hard to imagine ... but if anyone wants to go kissing....with a person of your afflicion....

DON'T

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: beeliner
Date: 15 May 16 - 07:36 PM

It's a corruption of "jeu", the French word for "toy".

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: Steve Shaw
Date: 15 May 16 - 07:59 PM

No it isn't. And there's nothing whatsoever wrong with calling it Jew's harp. As a harmonica player, I'm used to having harmonicas called harps or mouth harps. The word Jew as used in Jew's harp carries no negative or pejorative connotations whatsoever. Jew's harp is a venerable name. That's what I call it and always will. As a matter of fact, I possess rather a good one and I can play it. But I don't, because I'm never quite sure that the vibrations from it that penetrate my skull on their way to my brain are entirely good for me.

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: Airymouse
Date: 16 May 16 - 12:15 AM

When I call the round revolving thing in the kitchen a "Lazy Susan," I intend no slight to women named Susan. Similarly, when Mike Seeger used the term, "Jew's harp," he certainly wasn't being anti-Semitic. But I had a conversation with him about the term, and he told me that he had taken to calling the Jew's harp a "trump," because some organization had fussed at him over his name for the instrument, and he didn't like the term "Jaw's harp." At the time, it seemed like an artful dodge, but later I consulted the O.E.D., which said that the Jew's Harp (or Jews' harp) was also called a "Jew's trump." By the way, Mike was a very good Jew's harpist -- oh sorry -- Jew's trumpeter.

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: meself
Date: 16 May 16 - 01:08 AM

There's no question, though, that the "Susan" of "Lazy Susan" derives from the common feminine name. The "Jew" of "Jew's harp", however, does not seem to derive from the term indicating a member of the particular ethnic/religious population in question. The capitalization of the 'j' is probably a relatively later confusion.

At least, that's what I gather from what I've read, which is all I know about the subject.

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: Mark Ross
Date: 16 May 16 - 09:32 AM

I seem to remember that it is sometimes referred to as the harp that King David played.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: Ged Fox
Date: 16 May 16 - 02:24 PM

Then he must have been some musician if he sang the psalms while accompanying himself on the Jew's harp

Subject: RE: jaw harp
From: meself
Date: 16 May 16 - 02:52 PM

Maybe that's why they're "psalms", instead of "soms" or "poms". Or "sals" ....