in language overarching sense.
Angle is Eck in German, angling is angeln. So this is an angling angle or something. Taken from a strange angle.
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Tag: German
Falter
Since it prooved quite difficult to find a photo in my archive that illustrated the word “to falter” I dediced to go German instead. Falter is an alternative word for Schmetterling or in English: butterfly. You might see a similarity to the Italian farfalle. And … Continue reading Falter
The Genius of the German Language
(Eat your heart out, Mark Twain!) This post is for all those who at one time or another have made fun of German and its ability to form seemingly endless compound nouns, e.g. Verkehrswegeplanungsbeschleunigungsgesetz or Gleichgewichtsdichtegradientenzentrifugation. In fact, the ability to create compound nouns can … Continue reading The Genius of the German Language
Do You Remember?
Not so long ago these posters appeared at the playgrounds in the neighbourhood and we had to abide by the rules. In truth, it was already an improvement to the complete closure of playgrounds because of the pandemic. The playground was open from 10am to 8 … Continue reading Do You Remember?
I’m a Fan of Ancient Toilets
Inspired by Geriatrix’ toilet signs last week I consulted my archive and came up with these:
Arranged according to age:
A Roman toilet from around the 2nd century in a villa rustica near Höchst im Odenwald. The Windeck toilet with a long drop built around 1100 AD in Weinheim. The Tiefburg in Handschuhsheim is about 200 younger but features the same kind of jutty toilet. And the simple hole in a stone toilet in Oppède-le-vieux, also from the middle ages.
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When the Toads Cross the Road
and move from one wallet to somebody else’s wallet, there is often skulduggery involved.
Explanation: “Toads” is a slangword for money in German. And this banking institute being situated in toad street is just … felicitous.
FOWC with Fandango: Skulduggery
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What Did Bob Wish When the Fox Told Him to Duck?
German car number plates work like this:
- the first letters (1-3) denote the area (B = Berlin, M = Munich, RÜD = Rüdesheim, i.e. the less letters the bigger the town)
- the next one or two letters are random
- as are the numbers at the back (four maximum)
You used to take what you got but these days you can choose the middle letters and numbers. Lots of people drive around with their initials and their birthdates or -years.
But it’s much more fun if the plates make words. Sometimes German words but English is popular because the words are often shorter. Or people might not realise that they drive around with an expletive in a foreign language (particularly people in Fulda or Dieburg).
I like to collect photos of license plate words (sometimes with wonky spelling).
And with a bit of luck, they even make a story.
I’m ready to duck.
When around Animals
“Caution! Animals bite” – German warning signs are abrupt and succint. But they do their job, I suppose
FOWC with Fandango: Circumspect
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Stop Comparing Yourself to Other Frogs!
Are you feeling envious of the little frog taking a shower? Or maybe the frog is envious of the driver deciding which way he can go? – Either way – “neidig” is German for envious (and obviously also a family name).
I’m a Fan of Funny Street Names
Street names often are handed down for generations and the actual meanings are often lost in the process. And we are left with humourous names like these: In Switzerland (found in the middle of the Odenwald, where Switzerland is far away). Dragon’s Stone (no dragon have I ever seen there). Near the house painters (formerly a street where housepainters had set up buisness, possibly). Street of the heavenly spirits (near a church, I reckon, or possibly a distillery). In the butcher (literally: inside a butcher, not a butchery). Little Hare Alley or Little Bunny Lane (I didn’t find a Big Bunny Lane in this town). Bike House Lane (a play on words: written with a T [Rathaus] it would mean town hall, but there is actually a bike shop in this road),
pictures imperfect blog 