My nemesis, Sierra Godfrey, runs this segment on her blog every week called Word-Up Wednesday. Now, while I hesitate to give even tacit approval to anything my nemesis does, I do enjoy learning and sharing new words. The English language is wonderfully wide-ranging and flexible, absorbing expressions from anywhere and everywhere. It also changes with alarming rapidity—how fast did google become a verb?
Never fear though, writer-friends! I’m here to forge a path through the verdant vale of vocabulary with vorpal wit. Yes, indeedy! And for my inaugural post on word-wonders, why don’t we say a great, big “Thank you!” to those agglomerative geniuses, the Germans? No, not for their beer or wine (although I’m not above showing gratitude for a good Gewurtztraminer), but for their contributions to our dictionary!
To wit, I present you with some of my favorite Deutsch-words-that-can-be-used-in-English-conversation-to-make-oneself-look-urbane-and-cosmopolitan. In alphabetical order, then, we have:
Arschegeweih
You, er, may have gathered it had something to do with asses from the “arsche” bit of it, yes? This little gem, apparently, is the German word for “tramp stamp.” (For the more cultured among my readership… what are you doing reading my blog? Also, a “tramp stamp” is a nice word for a lower-back tattoo, usually found on women of questionable morality [unlike full-back tattoos, which are found on women of unquestionable awesomeness]). The literal translation of this word, by the by, is “ass antlers.” I’ll wait to go on until you’re done laughing.
Barbie’s tramp stamp. Heh.
(You can see the utility, though, can’t you? “Your arschegeweih is quite lovely, m’dear. May I get you another Colt 45?”)
Drachenfutter*
I’ll lead with the literal translation of this one: “dragon fodder.” This (and my married male readers, all three of them, will likely appreciate this one) is a gift bought by a husband to appease an angry wife. I don’t think I need to elaborate further.
Schadenfreude
This has been on my favorite words list for a long time. It means “a sick delight in the misfortune of others,” and really, haven’t we all indulged in that from time to time? Yes. Yes, we have. It’s why slapstick comedy is funny. It’s why America’s Funniest Home Videos routinely shows montages of dudes getting whanged in the tenders. I’m not sure why it’s so amusing, since it’s anything but when it happens to me, but there you go.
Even a chimp will laugh if its trainer slips on a banana peel, so apparently schadenfreude showed up in the genetic pool quite some time ago. It must confer some sort of evolutionary advantage.
Schlimmbesserung*
I’m thinking of you, my readers in the workplace, because this word is one you can and should use in front of your boss to impress the socks off him. It means “a supposed improvement that actually makes things worse.” This, my friends, is tailor made for use in business meetings.
You: Sure, Williams’ proposal looks good on the surface, but I’m worried it’ll be little more than a schlimmbesserung if we go forward with it.
Your Boss: Your vocabulary astounds me! Here: have a promotion and a raise. Williams? You’re fired.
(Note: Don’t say this if your last name is Williams.)
~~~~~
And there we go.
I’m a big fan of fun words, writer-friends. I figure I can make this a semi-regular blog event, since searching out obscure yet interesting wordage is happy-making for me. Next time perhaps I’ll look at lalochezia and millihelen. Stay tuned!
*I learned drachenfutter and schlimmbesserung from Simon Hertnon’s delightful little book, Endangered Words. Check it out if you’re a word-geek like me: there’s a hundred little gems with commentary for your edutainment.
Hey! I have a tramp stamp that has nothing to do with my moral compass, thank you very much! Still love you Simon =P
WHoops..that comment above should have been from me, not my group. Sorry–been busy with our group blog today…
*hee* the tramp stamp. I told my mum bout that one and now she refers to it as 'the slut stamp'…..*sigh* only my mum can switch it like that – makes my dad laugh lots though. She does the same thing when she burbs (she'll kill me if she finds out I'm telling you'll this *hee*). Remember the old trick of saying ahhrabb when you burb? Well she burps then says it.. for years as a child I thought it was something you had to say after you burped *giggle* like 'bless you' after sneezing!
I am now committed to writing something in which I have an excuse to use the word Drachenfutter because that word is awesome and hilarious.
Questionable morality? Ass antlers? Well I never! (Actually, had I realized there was such thing as the phrase “tramp stamp” before getting mine, I probably wouldn't have gotten it there. Lucky for me, I wear really long shirts.)
Love the words. Especially Drachenf…. whatever it was.
Have long been a fan of schadenfreude, except when I'm the victim.
Having a flashback to my high school German classes now… after 5 years of study you'd think I'd remember more than dummkopf wouldn't you?
BTW I read the whole thing with a German accent in my head, tsk.
“Schlimmbesserung” Dude, nobody does that better than social service workers. If you saw some of the crap regulations that the state boys send us you'd puke. No amount of Vodka washes that taste away.
………dhole
Ah, man! I was going to write about German words today… you beat me to it.
I live in Germany. I find that German words are often a source of entertainment. A couple of my favorites (although Schadenfreude tops them all):
Brustwartze (lit: breast wart) – nipple
Schafskälte (lit: sheep cold) – cold days in June (after the sheep have been shorn, I guess)
And the longest word I have yet to encounter (courtesy of the government): Tagesbetreuungskostenbeteiligungsgesetz (They actually left off the “Kinder” that usually precedes Tagesbetreuungskosten. No wonder Germans love abbreviations!)
DU BIST WIRKLICH SEHR KLUG SIMON!!!!
DAS WAS PRIMA!
Fantastic. I'm going there this summer. Thanks for warming me up.
Just keep at it Simon, the laughter is pure tonic.
CTW/Courtney: Hehe. I jest, good lady. I LOVE tattoos. Had no idea you had one, though. Cool!
Amalia: This is why I share these things. Words like that deserve WAY more use than they get. Yay!
Coffeelvnmom: This is why I said “usually found,” as opposed to just “found.” I wanted to leave wiggle room for women of impeccable morality (such as yourself and Courtney) to have lower-back tats.
Donna: Indeed, the word may well have been invented to describe government initiatives. Yup. And may I recommend vodka and cranberry to take the taste out? The cranberry acid might help a bit.
Nicole: Ha! Your mum sounds rather fun! I think I'd like her. And was it Vince Vaughan in The Wedding Crashers that said the tramp stamp may as well be a target? Yes. Yes, I think it was. *cough*
Cate: This, m'dear, doesn't surprise me. I bet you've a finely tuned sense of schadenfreude. And I took 6 or so years of French, so this post should really have been read in a French accent, I think….
Alison: Oh, by all means, good lady, don't let me stop you! Sounds like you've got some great ones to share! And I might have to use schafskalte now! (Assuming we actually get a cold day in June this year. Gah!)
Ann Marie: DANKE SCHOEN, GUTE DAME!
Christine: Do look for an excuse to use arschegeweih, would you?
Liza: Can it be vodka and tonic too?
Ah Deutsch! The duct tape of languages! You've done quite ausgezeichneter here Simon, but I'm glad you brought your vorpal sword – er wit.
Learning German just go so much more interesting.
i have a deep love for Schadenfreude and get excited whenever i can use it in a sentance.
also schlimmbesserung is my new favorite term. I'm going to totes try and use it at work
I can't get over the fact that Barbie has a tramp stamp. So much for Role Model Barbie for girls. Not that I'm a tattoo nazi. I've a bit of painted flesh myself.
Dude. Ever since I saw “Avenue Q”, I can't EVER think of the word “schadenfreude” without singing it. SCHAE! denfreude! “Unheimlich” is another German word that makes me happy.
What an unbelievable copy cat you are!
Look at this, everyone! Simon sneaking ideas from his Nemesis's cookie jar!
I would thank you for the links, but I can't as you know. Nemesis contract clause A4.78G, section 5677.
I'm always on the lookout for big, impressive words. Cool feature, Simon.
Alex: Happy go oblige, good sir!
Zoe: HAHAHAHAAAA!!! That's AWESOME! I will learn that song by heart and sing it drunkenly in public. That way everyone else can love it too!
R_o_N: Yup! Arschegeweih in particular could come in handy while chatting up German girls.
Sierra: *sings* Anything you can do, I can do bettaaaahhh….
Christi: Despite her anatomical incorrectness, I hear Barbie gets around. And tats are awesome. I'm totally getting one with the advance on the first novel I sell.
Falen: Use it with my blessing, good lady! At least your name isn't Williams….
Matthew: Why can't we stitch words together in English? I mean, we can, but it just doesn't have the same ring. And thanks, good sir!
Haha. I love these words. Fun post!
I knew schadenfreude but the rest are new. Love the tramp stamp on Barbie. Brilliant.
:O
Fun stuff – I think I'll practice using the work one – could be useful!
This is all Greek to me. I'm outta here.
Just don't, I repeat DON'T, start this on Twitter. It's confusing enough already.
Guten Tag.
Terry: Hehe. Well, I had another image for tramp stamp under consideration, but I'd have had a lot of 'splainin' to do to the fam if I posted it so… you got Barbie.
Tahereh:
Jemi: Hee! Let me know the reaction you get if you do use it at work, eh?
Amber: Would it help if I did a post on Greek words we use in English?
Cassandra: Is it a bad thing if I've already used several of 'em on Twitter? Er… *cough* And guten nacht!
For the more cultured among my readership… what are you doing reading my blog?
Um, I am as cultured as they come and I rather like your place
. Just sayin'. LOVE the word introductions and will refer back here as needed.
Great post! I work with a handful of Germans and it's always quite entertaining to learn their various slang phrases!
Amy: Yes, I expected you'd be cultured, good lady. It amazes me that you swing by and say hello now and then. I can only chalk that up to pity….
Davin: Hey, maybe you could impress them with your use of schlimmbesserung now! I can totally see that working in a lab setting.
Fab post, sir
You always entertain and dazzle me with your wit
Oh Simon… this is exactly why I visit your blog–I never know what will greet me here.
I am currently trying to think of ways to immediately apply these
Catherine: Why, thank you, good lady! Glad I could provide sparkles for you.
WritingNut: Arschegeweih might be hard to work into normal conversation, but the rest are pure gold, good lady. Have fun!
And now you're giving that little gem of a book away? How could you? Schadenfreude is the only one of those words I knew, but I'm dying to use schlimmbesserung.
I just want to share the word love, is all. Let me know how schlimmbesserung works for you!