Marvellous Mugwumpery
28-Apr-2017 | Milku
Boris might know about mugwumps, but is he familiar with hamster etymology?
I love the word 'mugwump'! I even think I might be one.
The word 'mugwump' derives from the Algonquian word "mugguomp", meaning "person of importance". Well, that's me alright!
And I might also be a mugwump in that it means 'someone who remains aloof or independent, especially from party politics'. I haven't noticed any hamster candidates standing in the forthcoming elections. I haven't even spotted anyone trying to give hamsters a better deal in the UK. Politicians just aren't interested if they can't claim a vote from you. I'd chain myself to some railings or throw myself under a race horse, but hamster suffrage isn't top of my list of priorities.
So why are hamsters called that and not mugwumps or something else?
The different hamster breeds originate from various regions in Eastern and Central Europe and Asia. In each area, these animals were given local names that generally related to a characteristic of the species. At one point, my Syrian ancestors were given an Arabic name that translates roughly as "Mr. Saddlebags” because when our cheeks are full they were thought to resemble saddlebags.
The breed now known as the Syrian hamster was once abundant in the area around Iran, Iraq and Syria and must have caused problems for farmers (and probably for the hamsters given we don’t like getting too close to others). In Avestan, an ancient language from Eastern Iran, the creatures were referred to as "hamaestra" or "hamaestar," meaning "oppressors" or "oppressor".
I don't know about being an oppressor, but I sometimes feel like I'm being oppressed. My humans make me get up and run around for their entertainment sometimes. Even before I'm managed to grab some snacks!
The Old Slavic or Russian term for hamsters is "chomestoru," which evolved into the Old High German term, "hamustro," meaning "corn weevil". This became the Middle High German term, "hamastra", which eventually became the German term, "hamstern," meaning "to hoard." Another reference to our ability to carry up to half our body weight in our cheek pouches.
Eventually, English speakers adopted the word "hamster". It's OK, but it hasn't quite got the same ring to it as 'mugwump'.
