Have you ever had a conversation with a foreigner who used a lot of strange and curious English terms? Maybe it was a German. German speaking people (and people in many other countries) use a lot of English terms in their everyday life. Most of these terms refer to technology, but Germans also love to coin new words, especially in the marketing and advertising business. These words in the German language can lead to misunderstandings and funny situations when they are used in a conversation with other English speakers.
Humorous English Terms in the German Language
A Handicapped Cell Phone or a Body Bag Backpack?
The first term on the list, and maybe the most popular representative of pseudo-Anglicisms, is definitely the German cell or mobile phone, the Handy. Probably everybody who has contact with Germans has heard about the German Handy, and if we think about all the gadgets and features available for modern cell phones, we can say that they are very handy indeed. The German name for cell phones alone does not lead to any funny or awkward situations, but what do you think about the name of a German cell phone shop in Berlin which is called “Handy Cap”?
Another example of humorous English terms in the German language comes from when Germany hosted the FIFA World Cup in 2006 at which time they developed a new kind of public entertainment. In order for the public to better view the soccer matches, they put up huge screens, such as those used at music festivals, in the streets and squares of main German cities. A very good idea…but was it also a good idea to call this event “public viewing”?
In Germany it is also very popular to give new product an English name, even if they don’t use its original English name. This leads to many funny and awkward product names and slogans. One good example for this is the German version of a messenger bag, also called a courier bag, which is a type of sack that is worn over one shoulder with a strap that winds around the chest resting the bag on the lower back. The German version of this Backpack is called “body-bag” which raises the question what do Germans normally carry about in their backpacks.
Language Connections makes sure to use German native speakers or people very well versed in German culture as translation and interpreting services providers.
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