This is a classic German Word of the Week today, Einfaltspinsel. Not many people nowadays will actually use it in their everyday language, but one quite enjoys coming across it in literature – it’s just such a nice word. Its meaning is less charming as it means simply….simpleton. However, its etymology is interesting. One would assume that it is composed of “simple” for Einfalt and “brush” for Pinsel. This in fact, doesn’t mean that much – why call someone a simple brush? As so often, the Duden sheds light on the true origin of the word: Pinsel, in its Middle High German origin, is a derogatory term for a cobbler. There we go – makes much more sense now and we’re not left being Einfaltspinsel!