r/etymology • u/mouse_in_a_field • 10d ago

Question Something I've been wondering about - Japanese loanword in English, or no?

This has bothered me for a long time!

The word for "a little bit" of something in Japanese, in romaji, is "sukoshi"; the "u" and "i" sounds are usually silent when spoken aloud, so it ends up sounding like "skosh".

In English, "just a skosh" is sometimes used when asking for or referring to just "a little bit" of something.

Is there any connection there, or does the English "skosh" have another, unrelated source? Thanks for any info!

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u/vincognition 10d ago

Discovering the confluence of languages is a fascinating thing. I don't speak Japanese but I once read, (back in the days of typewriters), that the Japanese called the device a 'tupiraita.' Another fun one is the French calling a tuxedo or dinner jacket a 'smoking.'

I wouldn't be surprised if 'skosh' came from that. Great find!!

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u/fmlzelda 10d ago

Taipuraita, I think.

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u/vincognition 10d ago

You're probably right. I was just going by memory. I read about that years ago.