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#511 - 03/20/00 12:09 AM Guten Tag
Wordsmith Offline

member

Registered: 03/12/00
Posts: 121
The German language's affinity for sesquipedalians once led Mark Twain to
quip, "Some German words are so long that they have a perspective." Having
polysyllabic words in a language is no sin as long as you get your words'
worth. In that respect, those lengthy German words are worth every syllable.
Where else can you find a single word, schadenfreude, for example, that
conveys the whole concept of 'pleasure derived from the misfortunes of
others'. The English language knows a good thing when it sees one and has
generously borrowed terms from German. This week we meet seven of them,
both with and without 'perspective'.


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#512 - 02/26/01 04:56 AM Re: Guten Tag
jimthedog Offline
enthusiast

Registered: 02/24/01
Posts: 387
Loc: Hartsville, New York.
This isn't exactly about German loanwords,but Mark Twain did write a funny essay, called The awful german language. That's where Wordsmiths quote comes from, and the parts about parentheses and gender are funny.I can't tell you where to get a copy,though, because mine was printed in the 30's. jimthedog


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#513 - 02/27/01 05:11 AM Re: Guten Tag
jimthedog Offline
enthusiast

Registered: 02/24/01
Posts: 387
Loc: Hartsville, New York.
This is about a funny essay on German by Mark Twain more than loanwords,but here goes it. Mr. Twain wrote The awful German language.It's got some funny parts on gender(3,not related to the person) and parentheses(use them whenever you want,as long as it's frequent.)Also, I believe it's where Anu got his quote.I wouldn't know where to get it, though, because our copy is old enough to be out of print.you might be able to borrow it from somebody. jimthedog


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#514 - 03/12/01 08:12 AM Re: Guten Tag
belligerentyouth Offline
old hand

Registered: 12/20/00
Posts: 1055
Loc: Berlin
Hier herrscht ja Totenstille.

This section might as well be deleted


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#515 - 03/12/01 08:26 PM Re: Guten Tag
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
During WWII, many German military terms became widely known. Just a few are:

flak - antiaircraft fire
Luftwaffe - airforce
Panzer - tanks, etc.
Blitzkrieg - literally lightning (swift) attack in war
Feuerwerfer - flame thrower


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#516 - 03/12/01 08:39 PM Re: Guten Tag
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
During WWII, many German military terms became widely known.
Just a few of them are:
flak - antiaircraft fire
Luftwaffe - (German) Air Force
Panzer - tanks, etc.
Blitzkrieg - lightning (fast) war



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#517 - 03/13/01 12:08 PM Re: Guten Tag
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
During WWII many German military terms became widely used in newspapers and magazines.
Just a few examples:
flak: anti-aircraft fire
Panzer: tanks and othere armored vehicles
Blitzkrieg: lightning fast attack
Luftwaffe: (German) air force


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#518 - 03/13/01 02:04 PM Re: Guten Tag
Sparteye Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 01/05/01
Posts: 1773
I submit this post for the sole reason of removing the tag "one posts" from this thread on the main index page. Obsessive? Who's obsessive?

Danke.

Chuz.


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#519 - 03/13/01 02:30 PM Re: Guten Tag
Sparteye Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 01/05/01
Posts: 1773
I am submitting this post for the solely to change the "one posts" tag on this thread on the main index page.

Obsessive? Who's obsessive?


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#520 - 03/15/01 12:55 AM Re: Guten Tag
wsieber Offline
old hand

Registered: 03/15/00
Posts: 1010
Loc: Switzerland
Just a test from Switzerland, to check the reach of big brother


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