The Artificial Silk Girl Glossary

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The Artificial Silk Girl Glossary

By · Edited by Patrick Kennedy · Last reviewed

Knobby

Full of knobs or protuberance (Adjective).

Pfennig

Old monetary unit of Germany, one-hundredth of a mark. Since 2002, however, Germany has embraced the Euro.

Beanstalk

The stem of a bean plant. Metaphorically, something fast-growing.

Dinghy

A small inflatable rubber boat. The word originated from Hindi ‘Dingi’, or small rowing boats heavily used throughout India.

Intrigued

Interested, Fascinated (Adjective).

Laxative

Purgative, Lenitive (Adjective, Medical Term).

Suede

A kind of leather (Noun).

Schnitzel

A thin cutlet of veal, coated in breadcrumbs, which is then dipped in batter and fried.

Freckle

A small brown patch on skin (Noun).

Wallow

Indulge oneself in something, Luxuriate, Bask (Verb).

Liverwurst

A sausage made of pork liver.

Sourpuss

Sullen, Bad-tempered, Pessimist, Spoilsport (Adjective, Colloquial).

Flounder

Struggle, Stagger, Falter (Verb).

Gum Arabica

Acacia gum, also known as Meska.

Tango

A ballroom dance, which originated in Buenos Aires.

Condescension

Superiority, Scorn, Disdain (Noun).

Jiggle

Fidget, Wriggle, Squirm (Verb).

Commotion

Disturbance, Uproar, Tumult (Noun). C.f. Shelley – “Thou on whose stream, ’mid the steep sky’s commotion / Loose clouds like Earth’s decaying leaves are shed” (“Ode to the West Wind”).

Vivacious

Animated, Lively, Spirited (Adjective).

Vivandière

Female canteen keepers in military regiments (French).

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Study Guide for The Artificial Silk Girl

The Artificial Silk Girl study guide contains a biography of Irmgard Keun, literature essays, quiz questions, major themes, characters, and a full summary and analysis.

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Essays for The Artificial Silk Girl

The Artificial Silk Girl essays are academic essays for citation. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of The Artificial Silk Girl by Irmgard Keun.