Scrumping, international

One of the best words in en-gb is scrumping; to commit an act of fruit (primarily apple) larceny, ideally having to scale an orchard wall to complete it. One returns to the free side of the wall, knees scuffed, and pockets bulging with the illicit gains of one’s escapade.

French were partial to a bit of maraude, but it’s an old word that’s fallen out of common usage. I haven’t checked, but I’m confident it means something like fruit piracy, and that the French used to regularly engage in the piracy of orchards.

Norwegians, somehow, have failed, and have Epleslang, which just means apple theft. Why did they even bother? Put the apple back on the try, and try again.

The Swedes got in on time, and enjoy palla. A unique word like scrumping.

The Germans take second place in the unlicensed reallocation of fruit property: they engage in Mundraub. Mouth robbery.

How would one analyse this? The French have given up on this hobby, as it’s an old French word. It lacks a romantic concept for Norwegians. The Swedes, like the English, enjoy it enough to have a dedicated word for it. The Germans had a meeting and agreed that it is robbery by mouth (the meeting was completed within the allotted time, and all paperwork completed in triplicate), before proceeding for a scheduled Mundraub event at the optimally located orchard for the RSVP’d participants (each participant drove their their own car).