The holiday season is beginning, a time of "Gemuetlichkeit", a happy, warm and peaceful time.

And a word which can take many forms throughout the year.

"Gemuetlich" and "Kindergarten" are equally at home in English and German, and many other words have traveled from Germany across the world and have been so well absorbed into English their origins, and sometimes the original meaning, are long forgotten.

German Words Used in English

What about Gesundheit? I don't hear it in England, but in America it was commonly said when someone sneezed. I know our family did - no German connection.

You are absolutely right of course Mona, Gesundheit is a great example. Just sort of ran out of space really, already vastly overrun so collecting disapproving guidance memos, otherwise it certainly deserved to be in there.

Still always say "Bless You", which of course means the poor German in receipt of the "blessing" virtually always looks as if I have finally freaked. The few times I tried to explain about the old belief that the devil entered during a sneeze did not improve things.

Oh well lets look on the positive side, at least it is a reaction from their side, positive or not.

Thanks for the idea Mona and the feedback.

Francine

You could save up any examples that you come across. There might be another article in it one day!

Francine, I don't know many words that are used in both cultures but I was wondering if people over there still said," Ein Prosit und Gem�tlichkeit ?? We used that a lot years ago. In any case, Frohe Weinachten Francine!

Hi Francine,

What about cooking terms and names of dishes etc? Schnitzel? Eisbein? Kasler? Brockwurst etc? I know they are just names but, well I suppose I could order crumbed veal slices or pork or chicken .... it's just easier to say Schnitzel please.

I love 'German' foods so before I get too hungry I had better go...

Cheers

Will do that Mona, thanks for the idea.

Am always scrambling about in a mad panic trying to think of the next topic that might be of interest to folks other than me.

As a Gemini I have a "dustbin" mind which simply collects things, others put it more politely to save my feelings, but it does mean what I find fascinating the poor people who have to read about it must often think "Hello-What?"

Thanks again Mona.

Hi Dave, Super to hear from you. Have not heard "Ein Prosit und Gem�tlichkeit" being said as such.......but that is probably just me, however here is something for you:

Ein Prosit und Gemuetlichkeit?

Hope you enjoy it and perhaps it will bring back some fun memories.

And "Frohe Weinachten" to you too, and your family. I just love Advent don't you? Gluehwein, Roasted Almonds and the smell of pine, for some a religious festival for others - not, but nevertheless it all seems to brighten up a dark winter month.

Thank you for your feedback Dave.

Cooking terms and German dishes is a fun idea Lestie, and you are right crumbed veal slices please, I don't think so.

Will definitely do an article on the topic, and will enjoy it.

Well apart from the "Eisbein" part.

It was given me as a 'special favor' just before the end of East Germany's existence. We were there for work, it was a luxury served to us as guests by a wonderful old lady who took us in from the rain, and heaven knows how she had found several as they were hard to come by there.

But I was two months away from producing my youngest son, huge and really off anything even vaguely 'meaty', so each mouthful was torture, but obviously could not 'not' eat it.

Have always remembered the old lady with great affection, almost ninety at the time, but have never eaten Eisbein again.

Thanks for the thought, and bringing back a super memory, Lestie.

Francine, I know that the correct phrasing is Ein Prosit der gemutlichkeit however I learned it as Ein Prosit und Gemutlichkeit. Its just like the phrase,"was has du gesagt?" I learned it simply as, was ist gesagt?" which probably also is grammatically incorrect. Years back I took a refresher course in German with a lady from Gorlitz. When I spoke she would look at me at times like I had just made up my own language. It is how I learned it. No too long ago we had a Berliner exchange student stay with us over Christmas. He spoke English better than I did!! When we tried to engage in total immersion of German conversation we were able to communicate fairly well except for times when he too would give me a look again like I was from another planet. I asked him," Was ist?" (whats up?) He told me that my German sounds like his Grandparents. The old language. That makes sense as I learned my Grandparents tongue. All languages change and we have to go with it, I guess?

Years ago Christmas was a two or three week affair for us. We would go to different homes and with our German friends we would sample stulle, kuchen, and of course that good Gluhwein!

Happy and a safe holiday Francine!!! dave

Yay Dave not such 'Old fashioned German' after all.

Have found out that "Ein Prosit der gemutlichkeit" is still used, and not that infrequently either.

There you go, when you visit Germany you will probably find many of your phrases are still in use...........although perhaps not in trendy disco bars, but would you be visiting those very often?

Yes language does change everywhere, and of course at the moment "Denglish" is creeping, or rather galloping, into German and causing "Angst".

Did you play the clip? It is fun isn't it.

By the way your description of the Christmas seasons you remember is how is still is here basically. Advent is a time of visiting and all the atmosphere and goodies that go with it.

I still find it magical.

And as for that Gluehwein, oh yum.............but strangely enough it does not taste the same in January

Hi Francine,

Really enjoyed your article and list.

My Jewish "bubby"/grandmother who was from Eastern Europe (ending up in Latvia) spoke a mishmash of English, German, Polish, Russian and,of course, Yiddish, so I never really knew which language those words that she spoke came from. She was always exhorting me to be a MENSCH- such as "eat like a mensch" or "talk like a mensch" or "dress like a mensch." Thus, I suppose that I was fortunate that she she did not aspire for me to be a SCHWEINEHUND!
Also from her I learned to be neither a SCHLEMIEL, SHLEMAZEL nor a SCHMUCK (literally and figuratively!).

Hello almal!

..and then there is Swiss German which 'language' I believe does not come in a written form at all or with dictionaries?

I hear you can have a long conversation in SwissGerman and confirm all in email and correspondence etc in formal/informal/colloquial German depending on the context of said conversation.

I also hear that Swiss German goes beyond merely being a dialect of German - and that with most languages, when it comes to use, a native can recognise someone who speaks Parisian French as opposed to one from Provence or Brussels as with a Berne German speaker versus one from Zurich.

I speak Schnizel - that international German dialect.

Funny how memories have a way of sneaking up on us and us being able to revel in them. I love it too when that happens for me - but Francine, please request three bits of eisbein from a friendly and perplexed restaurateur ... I can imagine the downside of being faced with the whole one 'en bone'. But maybe not!

Go well and I say cheers

Well can see who isn't too far from a German community Lestie. Alle mal for "everybody", now that is real German.

As for "Switzerduetsch" it really is a Swiss dialect of German, with which the Swiss can communicate without having the average German understand a word.

Which can also be said for the Bavarian dialect of German, even more especially after a few hours at an Oktoberfest. There are special dictionaries to help out, and like Swiss/German to see these things written down is better than a comedy show sometimes.

Most languages are influenced by area. Parisians do speak very differently from those in Burgundy and also from the French speakers of Belgium, and the same goes for English speakers. Went to visit my youngest son when he was at Uni in Newcastle, and found it very difficult to understand what was being said in shops etc.

Memories, you are right, they do sneak up on us when we least expect them, and yes perhaps an entire Eisbein, complete with bone and fat - Yuk - would have been a bit much even if I wasn't basically a non-meat eater. Can't really say vegetarian as I do eat fish, shell fish and cheese as well as any vegetable or fruit I can lay my hands on. Bit of a piglet myself really, perhaps that is another reason Eisbein was a bit of a struggle

Loved your post Les, it did make me giggle.

Have heard all those words so many times, their origins really are just as mixed as your Grandmother's usage, and do use Mensch a lot myself, even when talking English. It is a beautiful word to describe someone as, and it is of course just great to find folks who deserve the description.

Have only met a few "Schweinehund" types luckily, but that was more than enough, so thank goodness your lovely "Super-Gran" steered you in the opposite direction.