Snob

The eingedeutschte from English snob term refers to a person who provides their behavior or their statements offensive wealth and social superiority over people perceived or real lower rank flaunting.

The accusation of being a snob guests with a special form of arrogance.

Historical development

Presumed origin

At the genesis of the term snob, there are several variants. What is certain is that he spread in Britain in the 18th century. It was used in lists of names of the universities of Cambridge and Oxford as a suffix.

Widespread, but left etymologically fall, the declaration was originally Snob see nob. been written as an abbreviation for sine nobilitate (Latin for " no title of nobility ") to, first as a student of one of these universities, not to stand under nobles without suffix. A guess is that snob in the oldest written source of this word means " cobbler's apprentice, " held ( in Scotland snab ) and that it is not Unadlige, but non-students referred to in the lists of names of these two universities. The most likely seems that the concept has been developed, in fact, in the meaning " cobbler's apprentice, " and held until later mistaken for an abbreviation for sine nobilitate, the misinterpretation then so became independent, that in England in the late 18th and early 19th. century non-noble busybodies with this pseudo - aristocratic title surreptitiously access to clubs and other institutions, the nobles were reserved.

Converted importance in the 19th century

The term " snob " changed until the mid 19th century gradually its significance in terms of an upstart from lower social classes, who contemptuously looks down on people who had remained there. A milestone in the history of the term " snob " was published in 1848 The Book of Snobs by William M. Thackeray.

Economic understanding

In economics (especially consumer research ) the snob is understood as individualist and counterpart of the follower. It is characterized by the consumption of exclusive products, regardless of their price.

Comedic processing

An interesting variant of snobbery is its reversal in the form of " noble comedians ": Comic characters were basically distinguished until the 18th century by the tragic, aristocratic figures. Since the 19th century there were among some aristocrats from political or social persuasion an " arrogance of arrogance towards " that showed up in contempt befitting their behavior, for example when Charles of Holtei. Was best known before the First World War, Carl Sternheim's comedy " The Snob ". The tradition of aristocratic comedian exists to this day, such as Loriot or Louis de Funès.