Non-translated words

sprocky · Post by **sprocky** » 19 Nov 2008, 20:50

While I was studying some history on private interest I stumbled over german words in foreign languages. As this forum is mainly English I'd like to know if you are used to the list of German words:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Ge ... in_English

I knew of "kindergarden", "fahrvergnugen", "autobahn" or "blitzkrieg". But I did not know that there exist so many others

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 19 Nov 2008, 21:08

We used to transliterate common British english phrases into german when I lived over there.

Try this;

Drei stuck bonbon

Schutzenfest polizei, chef

I'd imagine only the Brits would understand the translations.

Three piece sweet (suite).

Fair cop, guv.

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 19 Nov 2008, 21:22

One of my areas of concentration in graduate school was linguistic anthropology and etymology. English is such a polyglot language, incorporating grammar, word roots and even entire words from other languages, that I'm not surprised at this list. The fact that English is a "Germanic" language definitely has had an impact on modern English. I believe that English is currently considered the language with the largest number of words in addition to having the fastest growing vocabulary. Add to that the fact that English dialects exist and things get even more interesting.

Contrast this with the French language after the establishment of the government agency which insists that French maintain its "purity" and resisted even the incorporation of the now-global expression "computer", and you can see the other end of the linguistic spectrum. "Official" French grows far slower than English, vocabulary-wise, due to the approval process.

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 19 Nov 2008, 21:25

And yet I haven't heard global calls for the removal of rendesvous and restaurant from the english language

sprocky · Post by **sprocky** » 19 Nov 2008, 21:44

CelticWarrior wrote:We used to transliterate common British english phrases into german when I lived over there.

Try this;

Drei stuck bonbon

Schutzenfest polizei, chef

I'd imagine only the Brits would understand the translations.

Three piece sweet (suite).

Fair cop, guv.

You are right: I don't get it

In school we also translated German words to English trying to do it literally (try to understand those

):

striptease table
water Rooster

A special thing about the German language is to add some words resulting in one word. Example:

Polizeihauptwachtmeisterswitwe = widow of the former chief of the police (although this word is rarely used)

Edit:
Funny, does the forum software exchange words I wrote if they could possibly have a vulgar meaning? I did not type rooster

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 19 Nov 2008, 21:46

I love languages, I'm crap at them, but I love spending time swapping words and getting to know phrases

sprocky · Post by **sprocky** » 19 Nov 2008, 21:56

CelticWarrior wrote:I love languages, I'm crap at them, but I love spending time swapping words and getting to know phrases

Me too. In school time I learned Russian (6 years), Spanish (5 years) and English (5 years). Unfortunately lacking use caused big holes in Russain and Spanish knowledge

But it is still enough to visit websites written in those languages

Also when I travel to other countries I try to pick up some local words - the usual ones

"A beer, please." or "Thanks."

Meaning of the words from my post above:
extending table
faucet

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 19 Nov 2008, 22:09

sprocky wrote:water rooster <snip>
Edit:
Funny, does the forum software exchange words I wrote if they could possibly have a vulgar meaning? I did not type rooster

Um, in American English, we have an idiomatic phrase, rooster tail, which refers to the water that sometimes sprayed upwards and backwards "like a rooster's tail feathers" behind high-speed boats or other watercraft. I'm not sure if that phrase is used in British English. Is that something you were referring to when you typed whatever you typed?

sprocky · Post by **sprocky** » 19 Nov 2008, 22:22

Ford Friendly wrote:Um, in American English, we have an idiomatic phrase, rooster tail, which refers to the water that sometimes sprayed upwards and backwards "like a rooster's tail feathers" behind high-speed boats or other watercraft. I'm not sure if that phrase is used in British English. Is that something you were referring to when you typed whatever you typed?

Nope. It's kind of a valve you open when you want to wash your hands.

The word I actually typed could refer - in bad language - to a piece of a man women do not have

I'll try to describe it (hoping it will be displayed the way I typed): take the first four letters of "cockroach".

Ford Friendly · Post by **Ford Friendly** » 19 Nov 2008, 22:35

Ah, well we have something called a "ball Rooster valve" which is a self-regulating device controlling the supply of water in a tank, cistern, or toilet by means of a float connected to a valve that opens or closes with a change in water level.

That's not a nasty word or phrase.

Edit. Yep.. the word c-o-c-k was changed to Rooster.

KevinJarvis · Post by **KevinJarvis** » 20 Nov 2008, 01:43

CelticWarrior wrote:And yet I haven't heard global calls for the removal of rendesvous and restaurant from the english language

So when I go to Paris one of these days, how would I order french fries or french toast?

CelticWarrior · Post by **CelticWarrior** » 20 Nov 2008, 10:09

KevinJarvis wrote:So when I go to Paris one of these days, how would I order french fries or french toast?

Easy! Apples of the earth, fried (pommes [de terre] frites)

But of course in the UK you'll ask for chips, which are something else entriely for you septics

Weescotty · Post by **Weescotty** » 20 Nov 2008, 12:57

Fisch panzer - Fish tank (aquaruim)

Ich habe halfte panzer links - I have half a tank left (fuel)

sprocky · Post by **sprocky** » 20 Nov 2008, 13:52

Weescotty wrote:Fisch panzer - Fish tank (aquaruim)

Ich habe halfte panzer links - I have half a tank left (fuel)

there are also words that have different meanings in both languages.

While a "gift" means a present in English it is poison in German. And don't ask for extra "pickles" in a German Burger King restaurant as you are asking for extra pimples.

A friend of mine did that once back in the 90's and the lady was shocked at first until I cleared the situation.