textual discussion ole. If German is not sexy?
The European Year of Languages: How to handle the advertising Anglicisms
attempts by Alexander Remler
For many, the can of Coke once again to blame. Since it does not help that the spa company based in Atlanta a global brand and is probably right after the "OK" the most widely understood concept between Australia and Zimbabwe. The caffeinated beverage is not too many enemies. For example, the language purists, the Coca-Cola pretty much embodies everything that is hateful. was somewhere between "Classic", "Light" and "Refreshing button," so the argument that German language remained on the track. And now have a problem: Anglicisms. Especially in advertising is to "Denglisch" more and more. No future for German in the communications industry?
About a third of German and speaks English at least as good to agree on the holiday. Stay still two-thirds (connecting people) for the slogans à la Nokia's "Connecting People" or Nestlé's "Have a Break. Have a KitKat "(Take a break. Take a Kitkat) a source of continuing anger show. "It must be our aim to go the German language again to make sexy," believes René Heymann Heymann of the Agency and quick. He does not want to give up English words in general but to use them so that they are very imaginative and not act chumming. How is it working, has demonstrated the Berlin advertising last winter to campaign for the Berlin city cleaning, with slogans like "We transport for you," "Dirty Harry" or "Saturday Night Sweeper."
against the "self-subjugation to the English" fought against for two years, Walter Kramer, chairman of the Association of German Language (VDS). About 10 000 supporters have been found as members. Neither the host nor the rejection of English words into German is something new. Already Jahn fought against the "Welsch addiction," the psychologist Ludwig Klages against the "mud flows of Fremdwörterei." And in 1899 adopted a certain Hermann Dunger a "Declaration against the Engländerei." 1885 was one of the dictionary already 385 Anglicisms. About that time used buzzwords like biscuits, rum or scarf excited today but at no other. This is accompanied by terms such as mobile phones, cyberspace or stress, which have been incorporated into the German vocabulary, just be. We surf the Internet, open websites and almost all online. Are we to continue riding and Websegeln network? Hardly, even if the translation is "Tiny soft" Microsoft still has a certain entertainment value.
Many things are with English words named for which there is no one-to-one translation. "Especially in the IT industry largely just English words," said a spokesman for DaimlerChrysler. Daimler-Benz has already introduced in the early nineties, English as a second language group. After the merger with Chrysler, which is called the speaker only "merger," came the next step: In the management of the former Swabian carmakers' English is the main language. Language schools in the Stuttgart area have since sold out regularly. But reassured the group spokesman, "If the Germans are located is not English, but still spoke German."
Mag in internal serve voice control of DaimlerChrysler nor the internationalization as a reason is, but the question of why, for example, a German company like Lufthansa in Italy advertises in Italian, but in Germany in English ("There is no better way to fly"). Since the invention of the airplane, there is also a waiting room - why does he now called lounge? Even after several requests, no one feels responsible for Lufthansa for a response. The same with Siemens (the Global Network of Innovation ").
But will advertisers René Heymann not mince his mouth. "Often, simply lacks the creativity to express an idea in German," he says. The goal of many companies is clear: to address a possible young audience. But the language of pop music or of music television is adapted. But most campaigns, which are done on young, are actually quite old. "Sprachruinierung therefore has a lot to do with less than anglicisms with the convenience or stupidity of those who apply. Whether formal rules of language change that, however, is doubtful.
other hand: If we had language laws that restrict the use of Anglicisms, there would be no more flowers so funny style, as it has done about the youth office of the Diocese of Speyer. For the "ecumenical Christian Fest 2000" they wanted with the snappy title "The Great Ding Dong "and advertise to allude to the cathedral and its bell. In particular Englishman knocked his thigh, "Ding Dong" namely describes a specifically male body organ.
Source: Berliner Morgenpost
