German Word(s) of the Week

Das Gammelfleischparty (GAH muhll flysh PAHtee)

Savannah told me about this wonderful word, which was just voted "youth word of the year" by one of the big German dictionary publishers.

Like most German words, Gammelfleischparty is compound. 'Party', you know. 'Fleisch' means meat. 'Gammelig' means old, rotten, or corrupted. Put it all together and it literally translates 'rotten meat party'.

Figuratively, of course, it means a party consisting mostly of people over 30. Yeah. You heard me. Over 30.

If your German's decent you can find the rest of the candidates here.

The word that got second place this year is Bildschirmbräune, or 'computer screen tan', which refers to the pallor of a computer nerd. In Germany a tanning salon is a Bräunungstudio, literally, a 'browning studio'.

I also like number three, unterhopft, literally, 'under-hopped'. That's what you are when you're not drunk enough and you need more beer.

Germany, sometimes I love you.