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Scientists urge people to stop using English terms
Ananova ^ | 04/07/03 | Ananova

Posted on 04/07/2003 11:50:14 AM PDT by bedolido

German scientists are telling the public to stop using words derived from English and use French terms instead.

Armin Burkhardt, who heads the working group on language in politics, calls the project a way of "peaceful linguistic protest".

He is a professor at the German department at Magdeburg University.

In an appeal published by the committee, Burkhardt suggests Germans should buy billets not tickets, go on a rendezvous instead of a date and agree by saying d'accord rather than okay.

He is also calling for "formidable" to replace "cool" and "bonvivant" to replace "playboy".

French expressions have long been part of German, whereas most English expressions only entered the language after World War II.

The group lists about 30 French replacements for English expressions.

Yet, Burkhardt insists the project isn't directed against English-speaking countries.

"But it is meant to show that the political line of the French president and the German chancellor on Iraq have the support of the majority of the public."

Story filed: 19:04 Monday 7th April 2003


TOPICS: Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: boycott; boycottfrance; cheeseandwhine; cheeseeating; copycats; dairyproducts; english; france; french; german; germany; surrendermonkeys; thisisseries
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To: atomic conspiracy
Nice catch.
81 posted on 04/07/2003 6:56:18 PM PDT by Teacher317
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To: bedolido
Bonjour... mon nom est Armin Burkhardt et je suis une piqûre avec de la trop d'heure sur mes mains!
82 posted on 04/07/2003 7:04:49 PM PDT by Sweet_Sunflower29 (Snapping fingers in a *whatever_shape_it_is* for emphasis.)
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To: bedolido
here's the difference between french and english:
an American, a Briton, and a Frenchman were on vacation at the beach.
The American went for a swim and was attacked by a shark. He yelled "F*CK! Help! Shark!" The people on the beach heard and understood him, and the lifeguards were able to save him before he was too badly damaged.
Then the Briton went for a swim, and he, too, was attacked by a shark. He yelled "Oh, Bloody HELL! Help! Shark!" The people on the beach heard and understood him, and the lifeguards were able to save him before he was too badly damaged.
Then the Frenchman went for a swim and was attacked by a shark. He yelled "Merde alors! Au succour! Aidez-moi! Rocain! Rocain!" The people on the beach heard him, but didn't understand him. More importantly, the words carried no suggestion of meaning by their very sound, unlike the English word SHARK, and the lifeguards were not able to save him before he was too badly damaged.
Fortunately for the frenchman, since he never bathed he tasted so foul that the shark spat him out after one nibble.
But the Frenchman surrendered anyway, throwing both of his arms high above his head... and, as a consequence, drowned.

I hope this clears up any confusion about the difference between the languages and cultures.
83 posted on 04/08/2003 5:26:56 AM PDT by demosthenes the elder (The Jesuits TRAINED me - they didn't TAME me)
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To: AmishDude
Q: What's the French word for dumbass?
A: "Francois"
84 posted on 04/08/2003 5:32:48 AM PDT by demosthenes the elder (The Jesuits TRAINED me - they didn't TAME me)
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To: bedolido
it will be formidable if the boviant son of Sadaam was under the 2,000 lb bunker buster yesterday.
85 posted on 04/08/2003 6:02:45 AM PDT by ODDITHER
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To: bedolido
He is also calling for "formidable" to replace "cool" and "bonvivant" to replace "playboy".

Morons. One French slang term for "cool" happens to be "cool." Something especially formidable is said to be "super cool."

86 posted on 04/08/2003 8:42:01 AM PDT by RansomOttawa (tm)
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To: weegee
Now there's a useful expression. >:)

-Eric

87 posted on 04/08/2003 8:48:19 AM PDT by E Rocc (Le singe mange du fromage et succombe)
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To: bedolido
The German word for "Space travel" or "Space flight" is Rhaumfhart.

The Germans found a need to invent a singular word conveying the concept "poison dwarf" (possibly thinking of Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD)): giftzwerg.

--Boris

88 posted on 05/15/2003 6:41:02 PM PDT by boris (Education is always painful; pain is always educational)
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To: bedolido
Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

That will teach those nasty Americans and brits!

Good luck as you fall behind in all the sciences and technology.

Why don't you start with air traffic control?
That will raise your excitement levels and also take your minds off the takeover of your countries by the sand maggots.

89 posted on 07/23/2003 9:34:46 AM PDT by Publius6961 (Californians are as dumm as a sack of rocks)
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To: bedolido
Germany and France will be speaking French, the rest of the world will be doing business in English. I hope this guy suceeds in getting his wish.
90 posted on 07/23/2003 9:36:25 AM PDT by cinFLA
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To: bedolido
Next the Krauts will be watching Jerry Lewis movies...
91 posted on 07/23/2003 9:39:29 AM PDT by GodBlessRonaldReagan (where is Count Petofi when we need him most?)
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To: cyn
Mark Twain was right

Never trust Germans on matters linguistic:"THE AWFUL GERMAN LANGUAGE",

"Surely there is not another language that is so slipshod and systemless, and so slippery and elusive to the grasp. One is washed about in it, hither and thither, in the most helpless way...."

92 posted on 07/23/2003 9:44:32 AM PDT by r9etb
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