‘Denglisch’ is a combination of Deutsch (German) and English. Introduced to Germany by the American way of life, it has crept’ into German, according to the German Language Society. The German Language Society is not against Anglicism per se but against the readiness of Germans who can’t speak English to use ‘Denglisch’ to impress others. This results in people intentionally avoiding German words even though they could use them. This is especially prevalent in advertising. Society cites Deutsche Bahn, the German Railway Company, as the worst offender where Fahrkarten turns into tickets, Schalter into service points and Toilette into McClean. Other examples are Yoghurts, which cause the weekend feeling, and TV channels running Kiddi Contests.
To counter Denglish, the society writes to firms guilty of using ‘Denglisch’ and each year picks a winner for the German Language Adulterer Award. It also plans a petition in parliament to have the German language enshrined in the German constitution.
Our contribution to fighting ‘Denglisch’ here in London is to help you learn to speak German properly. Get in touch!
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