Re: fingers

On 6/27/05, Joe <joe@...> wrote:

> I guess
> 'pinkie' could be a loan from one of the early Baltic languages, but I'm
> doubtful.
>
The online etymology dictionary says:

"pinkie: "the little finger," 1808, in Scottish, from Du. pinkje, dim.
of pink "little finger," of uncertain origin. "


the OED agrees:

  B. n. Anything small; spec. the little finger (Du. pink). Also attrib.
  Orig. Sc., but now also quite common in certain areas of the U.S.


1808 JAMIESON, Pinkie, the little finger; a term mostly used by
children, or in talking to them.

1828 MOIR Mansie Wauch i. 12 His pinkie was hacked off by a dragoon.

1860 BARTLETT Dict. Amer., Pinky (Dutch pink), the little finger.

1898 J. PATON Castlebraes ix. 297 Raither..than lift yae wee pinkie
tae save that Deevilish man.

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