schmaltz 的词源

“平庸或过度的感伤主义”，1935年，源自意第绪语 shmalts，字面意思是“融化的脂肪”，来自中高德语 smalz，源自古高德语 smalz，意为“动物脂肪”，与 smelzan（意为“融化”）相关（参见 smelt (v.)）。现代德语中的 Schmalz（意为“脂肪，油脂”）也有相同的比喻意义。

Hot musicians look down on sweet bands, which faithfully follow the composer's arrangements. They condemn the monotony of such music, repeated by thousands of bands on dance and radio programs. Being themselves improvisers, they feel superior to those musicians who follow unrebelliously the notes before them and their conductor's wand. Schmaltz (cf. the German schmalz, meaning grease) is a derogatory term used to describe straight jazz. [E.J. Nichols and W.L. Werner, "Hot Jazz Jargon," in Vanity Fair, November 1935]

热情的音乐家们看不起那些甜腻的乐队，这些乐队忠实地遵循作曲家的编排。他们批评这种音乐的单调性，因为成千上万的乐队在舞会和广播节目中反复演奏。作为即兴演奏者，他们觉得自己比那些不加反抗地跟随乐谱和指挥棒的音乐家们更优秀。Schmaltz（参见德语 schmalz，意为油脂）是一个贬义词，用来形容直白的爵士乐。[E.J. Nichols 和 W.L. Werner，《热爵士术语》，发表于《名利场》，1935年11月]

在犹太裔美国人的烹饪中也有这个词，例如 schmaltz herring（约1914年）。

The boss herring, at least for Yiddish speakers and their descendants, is the schmaltz herring, possibly because of its name. There is no schmaltz in schmaltz herring, just plenty of fish fat. [Michael Wex, "Rhapsody in Schmaltz," 2016]

至少对于意第绪语使用者及其后代来说，首席鲱鱼就是 schmaltz herring，可能是因为它的名字。schmaltz herring 中并没有真正的脂肪，只是大量的鱼脂。[Michael Wex，《感伤的狂想曲》，2016年]