If German was English

[madbob@feddit.nl]

Specifically a tool, like a Werkzeug for example.

[merc@sh.itjust.works]

Well, English is always silly with the various silent letters. The worst are the silent letters that nonetheless change the pronunciation of the non-silent letters nearby.

Like, I saw a place today named "something-valu", with no "e" on the end. With no "e" it should really be pronounced "valoo". Adding the "e" somehow changes it to "valyoo". Rather than changing the vowel sound, it adds a consonant-like /j/ sound (IPA) to the start of that syllable.

[languageiscool@lemmy.world]

TIL some StarCraft objects are called Zergzeug

[lordkitsuna@lemmy.world]

Common rookie mistake everyone knows you need four months

[ephera@lemmy.ml]

[vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works]

Fun fact the term Hospital while derived from hospitality is mutated for context due to the Knights Hospitallers. They built quite a few outposts that quickly became associated with medicine because pilgrims are stupid.

[8263ksbr@lemmy.ml]

[salty_mariner@lemmy.world]

The 打 in 打火機 is more like hit in this context. Makes a bit more sense with the way older lighters required you to flick it. But 打 is also used in a ton of contexts haha.

[benleman@lemmy.world]

[rooty@lemmy.world]

[macncheezus@lemmy.today]

手机 = hand device (cellphone)

[idkwhatusernametoputherelolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com]

JīJī = [Redacted due to NSFW]

(I have no idea what the characters is supposed to look like, I just hear people say it 🤭)

[tetris11@lemmy.ml]

(there's an unwritten glottal stop between those two ee's, for anyone wondering)

[successful_try543@feddit.org]

If it was about a real translation, I'd prefer 'device' instead.

[successful_try543@feddit.org]

I agree. As I've mentioned, 'stuff' has more the meaning of Kram.

[pyre@lemmy.world]

the thing about compound words is that they become a new word and people usually don't think about them by breaking them up so they don't sound ridiculous. if another language has a dedicated word for it, comparing them with the direct translation of the broken up compound word makes a funny comparison.

if you'd like to break up some English compound words to see how they might sound weird or basic in other languages here are some examples:

• arm chair
• arm pit
• blue print
• cup cake
• dead line
• eye lash
• fire fighter
• fire man
• fire works
• home sick
• horse shoe
• lip stick
• make up
• news paper
• pass word
• pine apple
• pot hole
• work place

[freebeard@slrpnk.net]

One Word you mentioned showed nicely what you missed here: Plain

Originally it was called an aeroplane. This could be translated with "flat thing in the air". Which is exactly as ridiculous as your other examples in German. The difference is that Germans don't mind complicated long words where English does so they just drop the part they don't like.

[hossenfeffer@feddit.uk]

My favourite stop on the London Underground is Knightsbridge - 6 consecutive consonants.

[blackaura@lemmy.world]

Childless but many of my friends have kids and seeing that top panel... Just... lol.

"this is a tool, not a toy"

How many times have I heard that said, or even said it myself, to children.

[pastermil@sh.itjust.works]

It's sick house for some other languages too.