If English didn…
If English didn’t lend us one or two little words every once in a while, we would probably call blogs “digitale Netztagebücher” and apps “Anwendungen für mobile Endgeräte.” Even for German speakers, those don’t exactly roll off the tongue.
In honor of European Day of Languages today, here is an excellent article on Germans’ feelings toward adopting English words in their vocabulary. It describes the disparity in opinion between older and younger generations. I’m sure if I were a German speaker I would be a little irritated at all the English words popping up every year.
The frequent use of English words has become a status symbol, not unlike a pair of pearl earrings or shopping at Whole Foods, a way of showing off your education. A way of saying that your world is bigger than that medium-size country in the middle of Europe that doesn’t even have the guts to support military action in Libya or Syria.
What do you think? Is peppering your language with English words a status symbol or just an annoying pet peeve?
Caitlin Ahern 