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| Germans are speaking Denglish – by borrowing words from us | Germans are speaking Denglish – by borrowing words from us |
| (3 months later) | |
| Name: Denglish. | Name: Denglish. |
| AKA: Germlish, Angleutsch. | AKA: Germlish, Angleutsch. |
| Appearance: English, surrounded by German. | Appearance: English, surrounded by German. |
| Something to do with Dunkirk? No, something to do with foreign languages. | Something to do with Dunkirk? No, something to do with foreign languages. |
| Ooh, I just felt a little part of my brain die. It's about the increasing use of English words by German speakers. | Ooh, I just felt a little part of my brain die. It's about the increasing use of English words by German speakers. |
| In that case, tell me more. Some fear it will ultimately lead to a kind of hybrid German-English. | In that case, tell me more. Some fear it will ultimately lead to a kind of hybrid German-English. |
| Fine with me. I'm for the advancement of English everywhere. Hail to thee, my all-conquering mother tongue! Well, the Germans aren't so happy, at least not officially. | Fine with me. I'm for the advancement of English everywhere. Hail to thee, my all-conquering mother tongue! Well, the Germans aren't so happy, at least not officially. |
| And what do they think they're going to do about it? The German rail operator Deutsche Bahn has just issued its employees with a glossary of 2,200 Denglish words and their German translations, as part of a policy to encourage use of the latter. | And what do they think they're going to do about it? The German rail operator Deutsche Bahn has just issued its employees with a glossary of 2,200 Denglish words and their German translations, as part of a policy to encourage use of the latter. |
| What sort of thing are we talking about? Examples of Denglish words include alcopop, outsourcing, lifestyle, in-house, download, lobbyist, terminal, brainstorming and wellness. | What sort of thing are we talking about? Examples of Denglish words include alcopop, outsourcing, lifestyle, in-house, download, lobbyist, terminal, brainstorming and wellness. |
| They've chosen all the worst ones! There are worse still. The Germans are particularly fond of pseudo-anglicisms of their own devising: "handy" for mobile phone; "sprayer" for graffiti artist; "peeling" for body scrub; "showmaster" for TV show host. | They've chosen all the worst ones! There are worse still. The Germans are particularly fond of pseudo-anglicisms of their own devising: "handy" for mobile phone; "sprayer" for graffiti artist; "peeling" for body scrub; "showmaster" for TV show host. |
| Is this a new thing? The borrowing certainly isn't. Germans have been pinching English words and phrases since the Allied occupation – jeep, rock, quiz – especially where no ready German synonyms existed. Before the second world war, such borrowings were usually translated literally, eg Wolkenkratzer for "skyscraper". | Is this a new thing? The borrowing certainly isn't. Germans have been pinching English words and phrases since the Allied occupation – jeep, rock, quiz – especially where no ready German synonyms existed. Before the second world war, such borrowings were usually translated literally, eg Wolkenkratzer for "skyscraper". |
| But the backlash is new? Newish. Back in 2009, Germany's transport minister launched a campaign to rid his department of Anglicisms such as "deadline" and "meeting". | But the backlash is new? Newish. Back in 2009, Germany's transport minister launched a campaign to rid his department of Anglicisms such as "deadline" and "meeting". |
| I don't really see the problem, but then I would say that. Neither do younger Germans, most of whom have a grasp of English, or at least Denglish. It's the older generation that is left feeling alienated and excluded by the use of foreign words in advertising and politics. | I don't really see the problem, but then I would say that. Neither do younger Germans, most of whom have a grasp of English, or at least Denglish. It's the older generation that is left feeling alienated and excluded by the use of foreign words in advertising and politics. |
| Do say: "Borrowing can enliven and enrich any language, but the word 'wellness' demeans us all." | Do say: "Borrowing can enliven and enrich any language, but the word 'wellness' demeans us all." |
| Don't say: "I can't help it – the Denglish invasion fills me with good old English schadenfreude." | Don't say: "I can't help it – the Denglish invasion fills me with good old English schadenfreude." |
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