2023-10-27 16:41:12
Culture German language
A whole century in 100 words
As of: 4:41 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
“Mauerspecht” stands for the time of reunification
Source: picture-alliance/ZB/Jan-Peter Kasper
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Judgments and prejudices, experiences and years of debates of a linguistic nation are stored in individual words. The linguist Hans Jürgen Heringer analyzes 100 of them – from Backfisch to Zivi. And at the same time tells German history of the past 120 years.
Hans Jürgen Heringer’s topic “100 Century Words” is quite something. In words like turn, Kristallnacht, 68 Contemporary history is revealed. They offer a reminder and can be a reminder.
As early as 1999, prominent feature editors and literary critics had created a selection Aids bis skyscraperr. Wolfgang Schneider made a book out of it (“100 Words of the Century”). How does Heringer, the well-known journalistic linguist, approach the matter? He thoroughly clears out the old list. Only half a dozen remain.
On Wikipedia you can compare both lists, 1999 and 2023. That’s interesting. Some new things have been added, such as Better knowledge, secretly, Spelling reform, schicki, Soli, Waldsterben, sometimes the view has changed. Why were such defining words like… in 1999? artfremd, hereditary enemy, guest workers, Stasi not included? And Sound, Nazi, Ami missing from both lists.
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Recommendation of the Spelling Council
Were taboos circumvented then and now? All questions that Heringer’s new selection raises in passing. One thing is crucial: we see how judgments and prejudices, experiences and years of debates of a linguistic nation are stored in individual words.
How did Heringer arrange his 100 words and how did he comment on them? It follows contemporary history, starting with the Empire, where Backfisch, Bluestocking and higher daughters were at home. Represent the First World War Stab-in-the-Back Myth, Barrage and nothing new in the West. During the Nazi era, key words of anti-Semitism such as: Aryanize, degenerate, KZ, Intermarriage, Special treatment, Subhumanthat’s what comes with it Bomb carpet. With the hour zerothe Rubble women, Uncle weddingwith Atomic bus and Bikini the post-war period begins.
We are approaching the time experienced by the author 68ern, Fish, guest workers and Sit-ins. It rules over there Stasi, it ends in the turning point. The Maueran old word with a new meaning, is through the Wall woodpeckers represent. Finally we end up in the present Asylum, Plagiarism, Death and neighbourhood. In between there are also words like ripabslacked, dashingwhich illuminate the less serious side of the century.
Heringer comments on every word on a page, explanatory, documenting, occasionally adding something he has drawn himself. The basic feature of the texts is casual chatting. This takes the seriousness, the bitterness, the accuracy of some words away from the contemporary gravity. Good to read, good to browse, good to give as a gift.
Hans Jürgen Heringer: 100 century words. Königshausen & Neumann 2023, 142 pages
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Barrage, stew, apron
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