July 12, 200520 yr If you take a fig newton and throw it, you get Far-Fig-Newton, which I guess means Driving Experience in German. Schadenfreude is also a great word. How do Germans come up with such great words? Can some enlightened soul share some more of these German gems with me?
July 12, 200520 yr schweinhund - pigdog The only German I ever learned from my father. He uses it to refer to Nazis. I also happen to know these: Weltanschauung - a comprehensive philosophy of the world or of human life; "world-view" Weltschmerz - sadness over the evils of the world, especially as an expression of romantic pessimism Zeitgeist - the taste and outlook characteristic of a period or generation; literally "the spirit of the time". Zugzwang - A situation in every possible action results in a disadvantage (from chess). One Ive heard, but havent been able to verify as a real word, rather than a made up approximation: Scheissenbedauern - The disappointment one feels when exposed to something that is not nearly as bad as one hoped it would be; literally "s*** regret". And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad The dreams in which I'm dying Are the best I've ever had
July 12, 200520 yr Schaden = damage Freude = joy, pleasure Schadenfreude = pleasure derived from seeing others in suffering or trouble Pretty inventively, huh? Rain makes everything better.
July 12, 200520 yr Schadenfreude is also a great word. How do Germans come up with such great words? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Schaden = damageFreude = joy, pleasure Schadenfreude = pleasure derived from seeing others in suffering or trouble Pretty inventively, huh? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Refer to first post. And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad The dreams in which I'm dying Are the best I've ever had
July 12, 200520 yr Author They still have to consider these concepts important enough to designate a word for it. That's what I really dig.
July 12, 200520 yr schweinhund - pigdog Schweinehund, not "schweinhund". Scheissenbedauern - The disappointment one feels when exposed to something that is not nearly as bad as one hoped it would be; literally "s*** regret". <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Scheissenbedauern isn't a word. "Bedauern", yes, but both attached do not make any sense. Just taking "Sh!t regret" and then transfer that 1:1 to German doesn't work (always). Rain makes everything better.
July 12, 200520 yr I agree that the Germans have some very cool words. But the language is incredibly precise. It makes it very good for nitpicking philosophy and science. I have yet to find any German who understands, let alone has a word for 'fluffy'. Austrians seem to get it though. I love the original language version of 'The Longest Day', for its prolonged bouts of German shouting. Particularly the guy playing 'Pips' Priller. I'm not 100% on everything he says, but it sounds fantastic. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
July 12, 200520 yr schweinhund - pigdog Schweinehund, not "schweinhund". Scheissenbedauern - The disappointment one feels when exposed to something that is not nearly as bad as one hoped it would be; literally "s*** regret". <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Scheissenbedauern isn't a word. "Bedauern", yes, but both attached do not make any sense. Just taking "Sh!t regret" and then transfer that 1:1 to German doesn't work (always). <{POST_SNAPBACK}> First, unlike you, I am not a native German speaker so excuse the slight spelling error. Also as for scheissenbedauern, I had this to say: One Ive heard, but havent been able to verify as a real word, rather than a made up approximation. And I find it kind of funny I find it kind of sad The dreams in which I'm dying Are the best I've ever had
July 12, 200520 yr Isn't the German for town hall 'rathaus' or something like that? Very apt for our local politicians. "An electric puddle is not what I need right now." (Nina Kalenkov)
July 12, 200520 yr Schadenfreude = pleasure derived from seeing others in suffering or trouble We have that too, its called "Skadegl DISCLAIMER: Do not take what I write seriously unless it is clearly and in no uncertain terms, declared by me to be meant in a serious and non-humoristic manner. If there is no clear indication, asume the post is written in jest. This notification is meant very seriously and its purpouse is to avoid misunderstandings and the consequences thereof. Furthermore; I can not be held accountable for anything I write on these forums since the idea of taking serious responsability for my unserious actions, is an oxymoron in itself. Important: as the following sentence contains many naughty words I warn you not to read it under any circumstances; botty, knickers, wee, erogenous zone, psychiatrist, clitoris, stockings, bosom, poetry reading, dentist, fellatio and the department of agriculture. "I suppose outright stupidity and complete lack of taste could also be considered points of view. "
July 12, 200520 yr My German teacher at school pointed out the utter precision that can be undertaken with the language, too. He told us how it was perfectly acceptable to write a sentence that went for several A4 pages. (The closest I've come to such a thing in English is Tom Jones, by Henry Fielding.) As for how they do it, AFAIK they just trasncribe a concept from thought to paper, just as Morgoth noted, above. English borrows more heavily from the classical roots (Ancient Greek and Latin), with less than a tenth of vocabulary coming from Germanic languages. (Trivia: PKD was noted for using the reverse ratio of German : Classics in his novels.) OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT
July 12, 200520 yr @Archmonarch No problem, I only wanted to correct the words, not to play teacher. Want to learn German in the easy way? Here ya go: Mist (fog) is actually a curse that means "crap!". Gift (present) means "poison". "Here's your gift!" HAHA! Rain makes everything better.
July 12, 200520 yr Most of my German comes from war Movies, and the Close Combat games. However, I do know how to suggest that in an emergency we can eat the lieutenant. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
July 12, 200520 yr Schadenfreude = pleasure derived from seeing others in suffering or trouble We have that too, its called "Skadegl kirottu said: I was raised by polar bears. I had to fight against blood thirsty wolves and rabid penguins to get my food. Those who were too weak to survive were sent to Sweden. It has made me the man I am today. A man who craves furry hentai. So let us go and embrace the rustling smells of unseen worlds
July 12, 200520 yr I don't know if we have any word sin the South for cool stuff. I can only think of stuff from the Noprtheast, like radgie-gadgie. Which is the desire to have a fight. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
July 12, 200520 yr Sounds like something from Clockwork Orange ... OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT
July 12, 200520 yr Isn't the German for town hall 'rathaus' or something like that? Very apt for our local politicians. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Yep -I asked my wife what the hell that "RatHouse" building was when I first came to Germany, and when she told me, I thought "perfect". My favourite is: "Arbeitslosengeld" Arbeit = Work Losen = Loss Geld = Money In English one short word "dole", in German they literally construct the word from base words - "wordworms" they call it.
July 12, 200520 yr In English that is called a portmanteau, I think. Like in Lewis Carroll. "It wasn't lies. It was just... bull****"." -Elwood Blues tarna's dead; processing... complete. Disappointed by Universe. RIP Hades/Sand/etc. Here's hoping your next alt has a harp.
July 12, 200520 yr Lewis Caroll swallowed a bag? OBSCVRVM PER OBSCVRIVS ET IGNOTVM PER IGNOTIVS OPVS ARTIFICEM PROBAT
July 12, 200520 yr Author From my article on the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A592643#portmanteau
July 12, 200520 yr Oh... my one memory of A Level German comes 'flooding' back... " In every assignment I ever did, I'd get the word 'S [color=gray][i]OO-TINI![/i][/color]
July 12, 200520 yr Schadenfreude = pleasure derived from seeing others in suffering or trouble We have that too, its called "Skadegl
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