You know when you just have a really annoying and somewhat unnecessary song stuck in your head? Germans actually have a word for that - Ohrwurm - Literally 'ear worm.' I think it's kinda cute but it started me thinking on what my favourite words are in german.
Babysitten and Kidnappen - This is purely because the past tense of these words amuse me. I mean really Germs - Gebabysittet? Gekidnappt? If I don't get those words into at least every conversation then I have failed myself.
Kunterbunt (Coonta-Boont) - It translates into english as multi-coloured or motley, which isn't so interesting if not for the fact that I had to write how to pronounce this wonderful little word. Given the chance, English speakers would take this opportunity to drop the C-Bomb and shock people with their colourful (note the pun) language.
Verderben (Fer-der-ben) - I just like saying it really. Sounds like a noise a frog makes...
Brustwarze - Look I think the english word is amusing enough but the fact that nipple translates as breast-wart into german could keep me laughing for hours - sometimes I think it's good that the German language is so literal, other times...not so much.
Nichtsdestotrotz - notwithstanding, nonetheless. Ok let's break this baby up - nichts-desto-trotz. I have no idea how to use this word, nor have I ever heard anyone actually say it but I just like that they have shoved a whole bunch of prepositions together to make one word...you go Germs
Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz (63 letters) "beef labeling regulation & delegation of supervision law" - Ok this isn't a favourite word (not reallly sure how it possibly could be), actually it's only here to demonstrate the way the german language works: If there isn't a word for something already, then just continue adding suffixes and compounding the letters together until you invent one that describes PRECISELY what you mean - no use being inexact when there's more letters to be added....
And lastly - Numbers. I hate german numbers. They hurt my head in the same way maths of any sort does. I mean - siebentausendzweihundertvierundfünfzig (7254) is a single word of 38 letters and larger numbers means even longer German words...it's frightening really.
Well now you know, the key to german is make it as logical (such as the word for gloves - Handschuhe - 'hand shoes') yet lengthy as possible, and if all else fails - just say an english word with a german accent...I love German
Hope all is well.
The German textbook series Feuerwerk has an extension section called Kunterbunt. You realise now that I had to shift the location of the book in the photocopier if I was planning to distribute the worksheets to Year 9 boys.
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