 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
About Oktoberfest
New this year
Entertainment
Event Map
Alpenhorns
Chicken Dance
Food »
Games
History
Merchandise
Opening Ceremony
Visitor Info »
Sponsors
Photos
Volunteer Info
Cincinnati Weather
Press Room
Contact Us
German Words Have Weaved Their Way
Into America's Daily Dialect
Americans speak a little German every day without even realizing it. For example, following a sneeze, the typical expression is "Gesundheit!" - which is German for "to your health."
Many words are identical in both German and English, such as finger, hand, arm, winter and wind. Others are only slightly changed: Schulter - shoulder; knie - knee; Mutter - mother; Onkel - uncle; Garten - garden; grun - green; blau - blue; fein - fine; rot -red.
Americans also use words such as Inspiration, Student, Semester and Chance - identical in both languages except for the capitalization in German.
The words listed below have become so common in English they are now considered part of the American language:
|
gemutlichkeit kafeeklatsch beergarden stein prosit rat(h) skeller gestalt angst blitz (krieg) flak verboten streusel (cake or topping) torte waltz yodel lied (pronounced leet) glockenspiel hinterland iceberg wanderlust |
dummkopf noodle concertmaster sauerkraut frankfurter wunderkind kindergarten poltergeist Kriss Kringle plunder misch-masch zigzag kaputt spatsy pretzel cookbook bratwurst wiener fahrvergnugen |
Source: German-American Heritage Teaching Guide, Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann, University of Cincinnati, (513) 556-1955
Special thanks to Don Tolzmann, Director of the German-American Studies Program at the University of Cincinnati for his contributions to this site.
Copyright © 2000-2008
Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber. All rights reserved.
Top of Page | Home | Webmaster | Legal notices