Learning to Denglisch
At the railway station, a lost-looking US soldier asked me if I spoke English. Do I? At times it feels like it, but the Germans keep me guessing.
Since moving to Germany, I have been continually tested on the true meanings of English words. Here are a few examples.
Denglisch
It turns out I’d been using these words wrong all along.
| Denglisch | German meaning | to Anglophones |
|---|---|---|
| der Body | a babygrow or bodysuit | a corpse |
| die Bodybag | a messenger bag | a bag for corpses |
| das Public Viewing | an open-air screening | showing a corpse at a wake |
| das Shooting | a photoshoot | somebody getting shot |
| der Beamer | a projector | a BMW |
| das Gymnasium | a grammar school | a gym |
| Homeoffice | remote working from home | the interior ministry |
| das Handy | a mobile phone | useful |
| der Smoking | a dinner jacket | a smoking jacket |
| der Oldtimer | classic car | old person |
| das Notebook | a laptop computer | a notepad |
| die Mail | an Email | snail mail |
Scheinanglizismus
I am grateful to German speakers for teaching me these words, which I would never have learnt otherwise.
| Pseudo-anglicism | German definition |
|---|---|
| Fully | a full-suspension mountain bike |
| Highboard | a tall sideboard, a drinks cabinet |
| Jobticket | a subsidized transport pass |
| Kicker | table football |
| Lowboard | a low sideboard, a media cabinet |
| Partnerlook | a couple wearing matching outfits |
| Pullunder | a sleeveless cardigan or sweater vest (US) |
| eine suggestive Frage | I don’t live here, I’m just visiting |
| Wellness | a spa |
I might update this list as I encounter more.