An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Knittelvers

by Friedrich Kluge

Knittelvers, m., ‘doggerel,’ ModHG. only; Knittel for Knüttel, ‘cudgel.’ E. staff, in the sense of ‘stick,’ and also ‘verse, strophe, stanza,’ may be adduced as an approximate parallel. The Dutchman Junius says of the refrain in Du. popular songs, ‘In vulgaribus rhythmis versum identidem repetitum scipionem ant baculm appellant’; the Romans had versus rhopalici, the Scandinavians the stef.