GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY
If you’re looking for a German expression that packs a punch, look no further than this one.
Published: 21 October 2022 16:44 CEST
Photo: Francesco Ungaro / Unsplash + Nicolas Raymond / flickr
Why do I need to know Double boom?
Because it’s an expression that’s been splashed all over the German media in recent weeks and is a brilliant illustration of how political slogans and colloquialisms can enter into common parlance.
What does it mean?
To understand the meaning of Double boomit’s worth looking at the meaning of Wumms more generally. The word – which is pronounced like this – is onomatopoeic, which means it sounds like what it signifies.
You can think of Wumms as similar to the English “boom” or “bang”, which describes a loud noise or thud. More figuratively, it can describe a powerful gesture or event that makes a big impact: think of phrases like “going out with a bang” or “giving it some oomph”. To do something “with a bang” is to do it energetically and forcefully – with oomph, in other words.
With that in mind, “Double Boom” can be thought of as something of a double-whammy: it’s a disruptive event or action that is perceived to have double the impact.
Most recently, it was used by Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) when he announced a whopping €200 billion relief package to support households with the rising cost of living.
Where does it come from?
Though Wumms is a fairly well-known colloquialism, Double boom appears to be have been Scholz’s own invention.
He’s likely to have been riffing on his use of the word Wumms when, as Finance Minister, he announced more than €100 billion of financial support to see the country through the Covid crisis.
In June 2020, Scholz declared that Germany would come “Out of the crisis with a bang” (out of the crisis with energy, or oomph). This thrust the word into a fairly new political context: in Scholz’s lexicon, Wumms has become synonymous with a fairly hefty cash injection from the government.
In fact, in Scholzonomics, Wumms can even be seen as a new monetary unit. One Wumms is equivalent to €100 billion, while a Double boom equates to €200 billion.
READ ALSO: German word of the day: Abwehrschirm
Use it like this:
For many people, the double boom is a relief in difficult times.
The ‘Double-Whammy’ is a source of relief for many people in difficult times.
Will the federal government’s double boom be enough to deal with the energy crisis?
Will the government’s ‘Double Whammy’ be enough to solve the energy crisis?