Tag Archives: German

When to italicize foreign words and phrases

Posted on February 23, 2012 by

Every once in a while, it feels good to add a snooty foreign word or phrase to your writing. I mean, what would the writing world be without a little je ne sais quoi? However, there are rules about how … Continue reading →

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Foreign color idioms

Posted on January 5, 2012 by

  Last time we talked about the ways colors have infused themselves into the English language. Naturally, this happens with other languages, too. But often there’s a little tweak. For instance, in English one could get a black eye, but … Continue reading →

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Sabai dee pee mai! Yeni Yiliniz Kutlu Olsun! Happy New Year!

Posted on December 30, 2011 by

  Felix annus novus tibi sit! Or, for our English readers, Happy New Year. I’ve been wanting to study Latin for years. (If some super rich and friendly reader happens to want to sponsor my Latin classes, I’d, um, be … Continue reading →

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Word Nerd Wednesday

Posted on September 14, 2011 by

Thank you, interwebs, for making this last week word nerd paradise. Here are some of my favorite stories from the last seven days: A German liquor company gets the German word for fuck trademarked. (via Der Spiegel) Murse, mantie, and … Continue reading →

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Important travel phrases

Posted on June 10, 2011 by

On Monday I will be travelling to Montreal to have some fun, to soak up a beautiful environment, and mostly to practice my French. This got me thinking about the most important phrases to know when travelling to a country … Continue reading →

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A non-ersatz etymology of the word ersatz

Posted on April 11, 2011 by

ersatz: being an artificial/inferior substitute Ersatz is a great adjective to use when you want to degrade something and sound really smart at the same time. But I most love this word for its story of how it sneaked its … Continue reading →

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Denglish, Franglais, Germish, and Spanglish – English words find new life across the globe

Posted on February 3, 2011 by

Lesson: How English words evolve in other languages Last time we discussed false friends, words that look the same or similar to words in other languages, but have different meanings. Related to false friends are pseudo-anglicisms. These are English words … Continue reading →

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Freud was right the first time: Sometimes a cigar is not just a cigar

Posted on February 2, 2011 by

  Lesson: The dangers of false friends when learning a language The next time you visit Germany, don’t say danke schön when you receive a gift. In German, “gift” means “poison.” And when in Italy, beware of signs reading “casino,” … Continue reading →

Posted in etymology, foreign language, semantics | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments