Pls help me with a German word meaning?

Question

Hi

The word is "Zwieback", for the little spongy toast made for children when they are little.....I don't understand the spelling.

Like biscotti, zwieback cookies are 'twice baked', but the word for 2 / two - in German - is "Zwei", and the English word "twice" is "zweimal", is that not so?

Can you explain why it is spelled "Zwieback" instead of "Zweiback" ?? Does it hearken back to another era or a dialect ?

thank you for sure

x*x

Answer 1

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You have been the victim of a type error in this instance of Zwei, and Zwie

Answer 2

Zwie concentrates 2 things in one piece

from the starting point it goes 2 different ways or sides but wants to make clear that it stays one thing

Zwei shows 2 different aspects or processes or what ever and concentrates on the different processes or ways.

its hard to explain..like much in the german language.

a 2 bladed sword is translated with : Zweischneidiges Schwert.

The 2 sides are important and not the 2 things combined

ambivalent is translated with zwiespältig(spalten= devide)

here it is concentrated on the 2 things combined together

Answer 3

It's just one of those things.  Why is "Toys-R-Us" spelled that way?  

Answer 4

If I remember correctly the name does not derive from the product being backed twice it is the name of the Family that invented the product.

There is nothing better then some zwieback and tea when you are sick.

Answer 5

it basically means two baked. the same as any other language, sometimes there are no direct translations, or the words will not make sense unless they are put into a sentence etc. its nothing to do with another era,its just the language! some of our english sentences seem back to front  other languages, and german language say all their numbers back to front, like 54 would translate to us as 45! some sentences are pronounced differently depending on whether u are addressing a male or a female, or a child, or an elder. english language doesnt really have this. its all just the way it is!!

Answer 6

Probably it is dialect. Searching other words starting with "Zwie", I found "zwiegenäht", which means double-stitched in English. I also found other words starting with "Zwie" and their meaning is in any case of ambivalence, discrepancy, antagonism, giving a sense of a dual-polarity, double faced things.

Answer 7

[German : zwie-, twice (from Middle High German zwi-, from Old High German; see  dwo- in Indo-European roots) + backen, to bake (from Middle High German, from Old High German bahhan, backan).]