schipperke

Questions

What does schipperke mean?

A small breed of dog developed in Belgium, sometimes used as a watchdog on boats.

Where does schipperke come from?

From Belgian Dutch (Flemish), but unclear at the word level. * Conventionally taken to be schipper (“skipper”) + -ke (“diminutive suffix”), allegedly alluding to a role as watchdog and/or rodent catcher on canal boats. * Alternatively, a mutation of scheperke, a diminutive of scheper (“shepherd, sheepdog”), referring to the breed's purported descent from an extinct larger breed of sheepdogs. Related to the etymological debate is a longstanding informal one about whether the dog itself should be regarded as a spitz or a miniature sheepdog. For more, see Schipperke § History on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

How to pronounce schipperke

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “schipperke”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “schipperke”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “schipperke” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.