You may have never come across this Germanism in the English language (I know I haven’t), but apparently it is one. Don’t be daunted by the length of the term nor by four consonants in a row. Gesamtkunstwerk is simply a composite of the three words “gesamt” (pronounce: ga’zumpt, meaning overall, cumulative), “Kunst” (pronounce: koonst, […]
Across the Fence
Across the Fence: Erlaubt and Verboten
Because opposites attract, I thought I’d ponder two Germanism in the American/English language that you might have come across over here: erlaubt (pronounce: er-‘loupt, meaning permitted) and verboten (pronounced: ver-‘boh’ten, meaning prohibited). It’s what every German grows up with. Only, I cannot remember any “Erlaubt” signs anywhere. Maybe because once there is no “Verboten” sign, […]
In the Book Nook with … D. MacNeill Parker
Author D. (Donna) MacNeill Parker has retired from a long career in the Alaska fishing industry in Lakewood, WA. Now she gets to use “all the color of commercial fishing and Alaska to paint an authentic backdrop” where her fictional characters thrive. Donna belongs to the Pacific Northwest Writers Association and the Author’s Guild. When […]
Across the Fence: Dummkopf
My list of Germanisms in the (American) English language keeps surprising me with words I have never encountered over here. Although there is the possibility that Americans have encountered this one over in Germany after WW II and simply adopted it. Because a foreign cussword sometimes sounds less offending than one in one’s own mother […]
Across the Fence: Rucksack
With the calendar advancing towards summer, those of us who are into it are approaching hiking times. And that means, it’s time for an inventory. Are our shoes still good enough for what we intend to tackle? Do we need special shoe accessories for icy areas in the mountains? Are our working sticks still working […]
Across the Fence: Loanword
What a fun word today, taken from the German language and adapted/translated into English – because “loanword” is the equivalent of the German “Lehnwort” (pronounce: ‘lane-vort). Which linguistically makes it a calque, NOT a loanword! Because a calque is the literal translation of a word from another language. Hah, I know this will be a […]
Across the Fence: Jawohl, Nein, Ja
My first encounters with Americans as an adult usually started with them trying out the few German words they knew on me. All of these guys were military, and to run into them when going out was a given, as my native town, Stuttgart, Germany, stationed over 20,000 members of the U.S. Forces back then. […]
Wine & Bacon Event at Steilacoom’s Topside Bar& Grill
Would you like to enjoy a couple of hours sipping wine, enjoying some food and a great view across the Sound while chatting with a local author? You are guessing right – the author part of the event will be delivered by me, the food and beverages part by the Topside Bar & Grill in […]
Across the Fence: Ahnenreihe
Little did I know that the German terms Ahnenreihe (pronounce: ‘Aah-nen-rye-ah, meaning line of ancestors) or Ahnentafel (pronounce: ‘Aah-nen-tough-el, meaning chart of ancestors, aka genealogical table or family tree) made it into the English language. I always thought that any people recording their history had such terms in their own languages without borrowing from others. […]