The most important Anglicism imported into the German language elected
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| | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:21
Spanish to English
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| Storm in a teacup | Feb 14, 2012 |
Apart from the fact that this item is unredeemably vulgar and colloquial, I don't see why they couldn't have coined their own neologism for the purpose, perhaps along the lines of "Scheiß-sturm". Surely there are more deserving English candidates for this honour?
| | | | David Wright 
Austria
Local time: 10:21
German to English
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Is the word English in the first place? I've never heard it. It's rather like "handy" for mobile phone, a German word that just looks like English (and I'm sure there were plenty of reverse examples in the war-crazed comics of my youth - any memories out there?)
| | | | | Yes, it's natively English | Feb 14, 2012 |
or should I say "American." I have definitely heard it in the States. "Handy" on the other hand, was adopted into German, but is never used here to mean "cell phone" (you can say you are a handy person, though.)
[Edited at 2012-02-14 21:10 GMT]
| | | | opolt
Germany
Local time: 10:21
English to German
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First off, I do believe the word has its origin in American slang. I have seen it being used here and there. It's also listed in Chapman's Dict. of Am. Slang, for instance (though with a slightly different meaning), so it's at least a few decades old I think.
But what a choice -- and the statement that "shitstorm" fills a gap in the German language is a clear indication that these so-called "experts" do not qualify as such. "Gap", yes, maybe in the minds of 15 year olds whose eyes a... See more First off, I do believe the word has its origin in American slang. I have seen it being used here and there. It's also listed in Chapman's Dict. of Am. Slang, for instance (though with a slightly different meaning), so it's at least a few decades old I think.
But what a choice -- and the statement that "shitstorm" fills a gap in the German language is a clear indication that these so-called "experts" do not qualify as such. "Gap", yes, maybe in the minds of 15 year olds whose eyes are glued to their screens with scotch tape. If you look closely enough, you'll find many similar expressions in the German language, especially in the dialects, which are on par with that, in every respect.
"... established German words, such as Kritik (criticism), were simply not descriptive enough."
^^^ Absolutely ridiculous. As if German had only the word "Kritik" for that.
The other choices are more or less of the same category -- basically the Internet slang du jour among youngsters, which will probably disappear in a year or two -- with the exception of "leaken" maybe.
It's depressing for me as a German to see this country's inferiority complex towards (American) English unfold again in such a way, both vulgar and uninformed. I'm ashamed.
BTW I have nothing against American slang -- it's often so hilarious in all its directness.
[Edited at 2012-02-14 21:14 GMT]
[Edited at 2012-02-14 21:33 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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I agree with everything you said, opolt!
[Edited at 2012-02-15 03:24 GMT]
| | | | Tom in London
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:21
Member (2008)
Italian to English
David Wright wrote:
Is the word English in the first place? I've never heard it. It's rather like "handy" for mobile phone, a German word that just looks like English (and I'm sure there were plenty of reverse examples in the war-crazed comics of my youth - any memories out there?)
I've never heard it either.
| | | | neilmac
Spain
Local time: 10:21
Spanish to English
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| Bandwagon jumpers | Feb 15, 2012 |
opolt wrote:
The other choices are more or less of the same category -- basically the Internet slang du jour among youngsters, which will probably disappear in a year or two --
Yes, my impression is that the people throwing these "awards" together seem a bit too desperate to appear "down with the kids" - although they usually end up more like "dancing dads"...
| | | | Ty Kendall
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:21
Hebrew to English
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urbom
United Kingdom
Local time: 09:21
German to English
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| Damien Poussier
France
Local time: 10:21
Member (2012)
English to French
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| Germans should know better | Feb 15, 2012 |
opolt wrote:
It's depressing for me as a German to see this country's inferiority complex towards (American) English unfold again in such a way, both vulgar and uninformed. I'm ashamed.
[Edited at 2012-02-14 21:14 GMT]
[Edited at 2012-02-14 21:33 GMT]
Well Germany isn't the only country where people are more than happy to relinquish their own culture to adopt that of the US (because English = US, doesn't it ?). We have this in France too, and I'm sure it's true of many other countries as well.
Apart from that, I'm surprised Germans did not come up with their own word. Their language is famous for it elasticity, isn't it ?
| | | | kashew
France
Local time: 10:21
English to French
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| Some ambiguity too! | Feb 15, 2012 |
As current slang has it: "shit" equates to "great/tops", i.e. "That's the real shit"; what we politely refer to as "the real McCoy or bees knees" etc, etc.
| | | | opolt
Germany
Local time: 10:21
English to German
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| Filling the "gap" | Feb 16, 2012 |
This is what one gets after googling around for about 15 seconds:
http://www.dict.cc/deutsch-englisch/Uns%20fliegt%20gleich%20eine%20Menge%20Scheiße%20um%20die%20Ohren.html
Not that I needed Google to discover this one. But it should be proof enough that the "gap" they've mentioned can be filled very easily, ev... See more This is what one gets after googling around for about 15 seconds:
http://www.dict.cc/deutsch-englisch/Uns%20fliegt%20gleich%20eine%20Menge%20Scheiße%20um%20die%20Ohren.html
Not that I needed Google to discover this one. But it should be proof enough that the "gap" they've mentioned can be filled very easily, even with a very superficial, "quick and dirty" Internet-centric approach. Digging around in dictionaries and other good sources should reveal even more possibilities.
@Damien I'm aware that Germany isn't the only country importing lots of anglicisms these days, but I think it's much worse in this country than in, say, France or anywhere else. Maybe I'm mistaken. IMHO it has to do with the German national conscience/character; this is not only related to (post) WWII events but goes back much further. ▲ Collapse
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| Storm in een glas water. | Feb 16, 2012 |
While "storm in a teacup" may be English, too, "storm in een glas water" (literally: storm in a glass of water) is quite common in Dutch, although in Dutch it means about the same as "much ado about nothing".
| | | | opolt
Germany
Local time: 10:21
English to German
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| Breaking news ;-] | Feb 17, 2012 |
About two weeks ago, my wife, who works as a language teacher here in Berlin, told me that the term "Wulffing" had entered the teen slang in Germany :-] (to be pronounced like when you mention those animals who eat sheep).
Now, in light of today's events, it's suddenly become obvious how highly relevant and useful the expression actual... See more About two weeks ago, my wife, who works as a language teacher here in Berlin, told me that the term "Wulffing" had entered the teen slang in Germany :-] (to be pronounced like when you mention those animals who eat sheep).
Now, in light of today's events, it's suddenly become obvious how highly relevant and useful the expression actually is:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-17072479
As I've said, the term was coined before these dramatic events unfolding. So, in light of the ingeniousness and foresight -- not to mention the political acumen -- that it reveals, and considering that it fills a gap in the German language, I would like to propose the term Wulffing as the "most important anglicism of the year" ;-]
Cheerio delirio,
-- opolt
[Edited at 2012-02-17 11:08 GMT] ▲ Collapse
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