Friday, October 07, 2005

THOSE PRACTICAL GERMANS

always making up long words that precisely describe a given phenomenon. Here's a great example:
"There are a few more interesting German words such as 'handschuhschneeballwerfer', which means somebody, who wears gloves to throw snow balls. It is used in general for all cowards."


"handschuhschneeballwerfer" I need to figure out how to work that word into one of my next lectures!

Comments:
Every boy who grows up near Buffalo understands exactly the sentiment expressed by this word. But the Germans get a handful of snow down the back of their shirt for such an unwieldy expression. I'll stick with the more common American epithet... 5 letters long... begins with a 'p'....
 
I have a Japanese word that I too often find relevant: "Sumimasen". It literally means “I wish I were dead” and comes in useful for those peculiarly Japanese moments in life.
 
Post a Comment

<< Home

This page is powered by Blogger. Isn't yours?