Schafkopf language

The Bavarian card game of Schafkopf has such a plethora of special words, terms and phrases that it is described as a Schafkopf language (German: Schafkopf-Sprache) which is often unintelligible to outsiders. The language ranges from associative terms to coarse language. Grumbling, bleating and schimpfing are part of the game of Schafkopf and are, so to speak, the "salt in the soup". Here are examples of some of the more common words, names and phrases. Note: the expressions listed here are mainly those used in the Old Bavarian dialect, although the most common terms are used throughout Bavaria and thus also found in the Franconian, Swabian and Hessian (Aschaffenburg, Odenwald) dialects. Regional terms are designated as such. Note that some idioms cannot be precisely translated or may lose their poetry or impact in English. Where no translation is offered, the original is used.