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Max Mueller Bhavan | India

The German Language Column

How does one find one's way around the rules of the German language, where do new words come from, and what are the most important changes in the use of the language? These and other exciting topics are the focus of our column about the German language.

Sprechstunde - die Sprachkolumne © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Simon Sahner

  • Simon Sahner on Sick Days and How We Talk About Them

    The Myth of the Lazy Sick Person

    If you’re sick, you’re sick – you can’t work. That would seem obvious. Yet some voices in politics and business suggest that people take sick leave out of laziness or weakness. Simon Sahner criticises this view and highlights the serious social consequences of such assumptions.

    Certificate of incapacity for work Photo (Detail): © picture alliance / Joko | Joko Photo (Detail): © picture alliance / Joko | Joko

  • Simon Sahner on the Impact of Disease Names and Diagnoses

    Calling Diseases by Their Name

    Sometimes a diagnosis comes as a relief; sometimes naming a disease only increases the burden. Simon Sahner takes a closer look at how the name of a disease impacts those affected.

    xxx Photo (Detail): © picture-alliance Photo (Detail): © picture-alliance

  • Simon Sahner on How Men and Women Write About Illness

    Journal or Review?

    Why do men with cancer tend to document their suffering for the public almost immediately, while women are more likely to turn to writing only after overcoming an illness? Simon Sahner examines this phenomenon and the social conditions that shape it.

    A breast cancer awareness ribbon, surrounded by white daisies and red hearts Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ imageBROKER | Addictive Stock Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ imageBROKER | Addictive Stock

  • Simon Sahner: How Do You Talk to People Who Are Ill?

    “You’ll Get Through This.”

    Knowing how to talk appropriately to someone who is seriously ill is no easy matter. Drawing on his own experiences as a patient, Simon Sahner, explores the faux pas well-meaning family members and medical professionals can so easily make.

    Doctor and patient preparing for a full-body CT scan Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ dpa | Michael Matthey Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ dpa | Michael Matthey

  • Simon Sahner on medical diagnoses and their consequences

    When Illness Becomes A Myth

    Certain illnesses are surrounded by myths that suggest sufferers are personally responsible for their condition. Simon Sahner explores this phenomenon – and warns against the capacity of myths to obscure reality.

    Rally for International Long Covid Awareness Day in March 2024 in front of the German Bundestag in Berlin Photo (detail): © picture alliance / SZ Photo | Christian Ditsch Photo (detail): © picture alliance / SZ Photo | Christian Ditsch

  • Simon Sahner explores the twofold language of illness

    Illness – A Metaphorical Battle

    When it comes to illness – especially serious illness – we often resort to language that makes it sound like we’re heading into battle. Our new columnist, Simon Sahner, knows from his own painful experience that martial metaphors can help us endure the burden of a sick body – and fight for recovery.

    Diagrams Photo (detail): © mauritius images / Studio mostra / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos Photo (detail): © mauritius images / Studio mostra / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

Berit Glanz

  • Berit Glanz on Fan fiction

    Doing it for the Plot

    In her final language column, Berit Glanz explores the many faces of fan fiction. After all, who hasn’t dreamed of stepping into the spotlight as the hero – or even side character – of a thrilling or romantic tale?

    Fan Fiction Photo (detail): © Tiktok pumpkinluaa/weeweepiss/artsycusty Photo (detail): © Tiktok pumpkinluaa/weeweepiss/artsycusty

  • Berit Glanz on how libraries are making waves on social media

    Laughs at the Library

    Social media thrives on exaggeration and big emotions – hardly the terrain of libraries and other public institutions. But Berit Glanz has spotted a new trend: humorous book videos presented by fun-loving library staff. A format that’s proving hugely popular.
     

    Young woman reading Foto (Detail): © picture-alliance/ imageBROKER | Benjamin Egerland Foto (Detail): © picture-alliance/ imageBROKER | Benjamin Egerland

  • Berit Glanz on Rosalía’s Berghain

    Pop Icon Sparks Curiosity

    It’s been a long time since a music video caused a stir on social media quite like Berghain by Spanish singer-songwriter Rosalía. Writer Berit Glanz is equally captivated – not just by the performance itself, but also by the online frenzy as fans join forces to decode its meaning.

    Spanish artist Rosalía Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ Evan Agostini/Invision/AP | Evan Agostini Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ Evan Agostini/Invision/AP | Evan Agostini

  • Berit Glanz on Lip-Syncing

    Singing With Other People’s Voices

    What do silent films and TikTok clips have in common? Why are lip-synced videos mini documents of practiced multilingualism? Berit Glanz knows the answers – and delights in the playful playback memes appearing in her feed.

    A cell phone leaning against the wall in recording mode, showing a young girl dancing. © picture alliance / Robin Utrecht / Robin Utrecht © picture alliance / Robin Utrecht / Robin Utrecht

  • Berit Glanz on Internet Confession Memes

    Unfortunately, I Do Love

    Guilty pleasures – we all have them. Once they were secrets no one was supposed to know about. Today, the opposite is true. Berit Glanz explores how personal and embarrassing moments are shared online – boldly and globally – often revealing something profoundly human.

    Still life of a sweet candy pizza slice with colorful toppings © picture alliance / Westend61 | RODOBOT © picture alliance / Westend61 | RODOBOT

  • Berit Glanz on youth language and online culture

    Skibidi

    Our new columnist Berit Glanz is fascinated by the language of internet culture – and lately amused by how parents have stormed the digital stage, playfully parodying their kids’ favourite slang.

    A purple-tinted photo shows a dove with a shopping cart, one on the left and one on the right edge of the image. From the TikTok video by @schnecke_123 / Image edited From the TikTok video by @schnecke_123 / Image edited

Daniel Stähr

  • Word! The Language Column

    What Is the Language of Capitalism?

    Language shapes the way we think — and that includes how we talk about the economy. In his column, Daniel Stähr explores the language of capitalism and shows that it is not a law of nature – but a way of speaking that shapes what we believe to be true.

    A dark green tinted photo shows a wave in the form of dollar notes. © mauritius images/ Arda savaşcıoğulları / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos © mauritius images/ Arda savaşcıoğulları / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

  • Word! The Language Column

    Toxic Oasis

    Terms like “tax haven” or “tax exile” may sound harmless – but they distort reality. Daniel Stähr shows how language shapes our perception of taxes, obscures problems, and why we should start speaking about them more precisely and honestly.

    A dark green-tinted photograph shows an oasis with water in the foreground and people and camels passing by in the background. On the right-hand side of the image, you can see a picture of the author Daniel Stähr framed in a circle. © Papafox / pixabay / via Canva © Papafox / pixabay / via Canva

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Myth of the Hard-Working Middle Class

    Politicians like to refer to the so-called hard-working middle class when describing who their measures are intended to benefit. Who and what exactly are they talking about – and who is being left out? Daniel Stähr on a promise of salvation that is no longer being fulfilled.

    A businessman carrying a briefcase walks past a construction site. © picture alliance / SZ Photo/Olaf Schülke | Olaf Schülke © picture alliance / SZ Photo/Olaf Schülke | Olaf Schülke

  • Daniel Stähr on economic formulaic language

    Technocrats of all countries, unite!

    People who have studied economics often express themselves in a very formulaic way. This does not make them apolitical, explains Daniel Stähr. Not to mention their influence on social structures.

    Financial data on a digital screen Photo (detail): © picture alliance / Westend61 | Andrew Brookes Photo (detail): © picture alliance / Westend61 | Andrew Brookes

  • Daniel Stähr on the portrayal of wealth in film

    Is there such a thing as anti-capitalist storytelling?

    “The Wolf of Wall Street”, “White Lotus”, “Parasite” – there is no shortage of films and series that take a critical look at excessive wealth. Daniel Stähr takes a closer look – and finds a lack of guidance on how to resist it.

    Scene from the film “The Wolf of Wall Street”. Pictured: Margot Robbie and Leonardo DiCaprio. Photo (detail): © mauritius images / Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos Photo (detail): © mauritius images / Pictorial Press Ltd / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

  • Daniel Stähr on language and climate change

    Climate Protection or Growth – Is That Really the Question?

    Daniel Stähr is outraged: politicians and business leaders continue to suggest that we must choose between measures to combat climate change and prosperity. This prevents effective climate policy from being taken – and allows the climate catastrophe to loom ever closer.

    Complete drying up of the Isar Photo (detail): © picture alliance / SZ Photo | Wolfgang Filser Photo (detail): © picture alliance / SZ Photo | Wolfgang Filser

Bettina Wilpert

  • Word! The Language Column

    What remains of the dialect?

    Bettina Wilpert grew up in Bavaria. But she was soon drawn to Berlin and Leipzig. She is hardly homesick for Bavaria. However, some unique Bavarian words and phrases still accompany her through everyday life.

    In the background, the flags of Bavaria can be seen waving in the wind. In the foreground is a picture of the author, Bettina Wilpert. She is white, with short brown hair, wearing a thick jacket over a shirt and glasses. Picture (Detail): koi88 from Getty Images via Canva.com | Nane Diehl Picture (Detail): koi88 from Getty Images via Canva.com | Nane Diehl

  • Word! The Language Column

    Cover-up Tactics

    Linguistically smoothing over and glossing over unpleasant facts – this is achieved with the use of euphemism. Bettina Wilpert lifts the veil and asks what could be behind the euphemisms. Her advice is to look closely at the words. Especially with politically sensitive topics.

    Hamburg Rathausmarkt: Participants in “Handmaidsriot” with an action against femicide Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ dpa | Georg Wendt Photo (detail): © picture-alliance/ dpa | Georg Wendt

  • Word! The Language Column

    Battle at the Frontline

    War rhetoric is everywhere - whether in the media, politics or everyday life. Linguistically, too, we are currently arming ourselves. Bettina Wilpert calls for a conscious and careful use of language.

    A blue-tinted photo shows police officers wearing hard hats, one of them holding a megaphone. On the right is the author of the language column Bettina Wilpert © mauritius images / Dmitriy Shironosov / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos © mauritius images / Dmitriy Shironosov / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

  • Word! The Language Column

    Prohibit? Appropriate? Reinvent?

    Bettina Wilpert is not the only one to criticise the authoritarian language policy of the current US government. Because when terms disappear, many things can no longer be named. Sometimes, on the other hand, it is good when words are replaced. And where is it said that you can't invent new words?

    A blue-tinted photo shows protesters at a “Slut Walk” in Philadelphia in August 2011. Most appear to be female-presenting and are holding signs, one of which reads: “My ass is not a reason for assault.” © picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS | Joseph Kaczmarek © picture alliance / ASSOCIATED PRESS | Joseph Kaczmarek

  • Word! The Language Column

    Today Is Tomorrow

    Why? When? What? Bettina Wilpert's daughters are discovering the world by asking questions – and the peculiarities of the German language.  Extremely stimulating for parents – and sometimes exhausting, because not every explanation comes easily.

    A mural on the building of the former art centre Tacheles, which reads: How long is now © picture alliance / dpa | XAMAX © picture alliance / dpa | XAMAX

  • Word! The Language Column

    Deadbeat Fathers and Family-Oriented Mothers

    Mothers bear an endless burden of societal expectations. This was the case in the past, and it often remains so today. Our new columnist, Bettina Wilpert, critically examines thought patterns and linguistic imagery surrounding motherhood. She asks: Why are there no “deadbeat fathers”?

    Two ravens on the left edge of the picture, beaks tucked into each other. The author's portrait of columnist Bettina Wilpert on the right. © mauritius images / William Mullins / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos © mauritius images / William Mullins / Alamy / Alamy Stock Photos

Christiane Rösinger

  • Word! The Language Column

    Rubbish Bins and Yellow Bags

    How is German identity forged? Exactly: by sorting waste correctly. As a teacher of German as a foreign language, Christiane Rösinger introduced her students to the secrets of different types of waste and their containers. After all, only those who separate their rubbish correctly are properly integrated.

    Illustration: Person with a green speech bubble containing a recycling symbol Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Desperate for something to talk about

    Sharing silence is supposed to be a particularly strong bond. But perhaps many couples have simply run out of things to talk about. Luckily, Christiane Rösinger has some advice – and presents it in rhyme.

    Illustration: two people with empty speech bubbles Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Please don't!

    More and more people suffer from language allergies. Christiane Rösinger is one of them. Here she presents her little alphabet of disgusting words sometimes used in Germany.

    Illustration: Mobile device with the letters A, B, C Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Old and older

    Christiane Rösinger focuses on an unfortunately common form of linguistic discrimination today: ageism. How does this belittling of old people work? And why is it often associated with natural disasters?

    Illustration: Male person points to a board on which the words “Best Ager” can be read. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Small Talk – Better than its Reputation

    What’s wrong with a light-hearted chat? Nothing, says Christiane Rösinger. In her opinion: Good small talk is entertaining and inspiring. A plea to get over our reluctance to talk.

    Illustration: Two people looking at each other; each has an empty speech bubble Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Forever a Child

    Why do grown-ups like semolina porridge so much? Why do so few people have “parents”, only “mum” and “dad”? Our new columnist, the musician, author and journalist Christiane Rösinger, traces this trend towards infantilisation. Where will it lead?

    Image: A person with an “Ok Boomer” sign Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

Klaus Siewert

  • Word! The Language Column

    The linguistic world of the outcast

    What does Rotwelsch actually mean? How long has this particular vocabulary existed? Who speaks it and why? Klaus Siewert enlightens us. He looks back to the time of Martin Luther and draws a line to contemporary literature.

    Illustration: A person, from his eyes leads a winding line towards a sign (jagged line – a “Zinken”) on a wall Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    On the Trail of Secret Languages

    Not everyone needs to know everything. And just to be on the safe side, secret languages are invented. They existed in ancient times and they still exist today. Klaus Siewert, a Germanist, linguist and cultural scientist, has been documenting and researching secret and special languages since the 1990s. As a new columnist, he tells us the story of secret language communication.

    Illustration: Two people (the face of one person is attached with a rod below the roborter-like head); speech bubble with the content “mxchfrk” Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Speaking Rotwelsch under dictatorship

    In his last article, Klaus Siewert describes how oppressed and persecuted people in dictatorial systems were able to convey bitter truths with the help of their knowledge of Rotwelsch. He concludes with a short summary – and an appeal.

    Illustration: Two heads with a surveillance camera above them and pointing at them Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Coal English and rocker language

    Hamburg has a lot to offer when it comes to special and secret languages. Klaus Siewert uncovers the latest sources and provides insights into the communication styles of sailors, showmen, and other nocturnal figures.

    Illustration: An upset-looking person with a jagged speech bubble that says “WILLST PUTZ HABEN?!” (Do you want trouble?!) Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Hamburg Specialities

    Today, Klaus Siewert invites us to join him on a journey to the Hamburg of yesteryear. On this journey back in time, we learn the nocturnal jargon of Hamburg’s docklands. And we learn how the kettle-beaters in the dockyards conversed – despite the infernal noise they made.

    Illustration: Wide open square mouth with a jagged speech bubble containing the word “Edelkiopperkli” Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Once a poor people’s dialect, now a cultural heritage

    In the early 1990s, budding and established linguists flocked to the corner pubs and slums of some cities. There they interviewed the last surviving speakers of the Rotwelsche dialects. Today, everything is well documented - to the delight of UNESCO.

    Illustration: red speech bubble with the content “kochem schmusen” Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

Elias Hirschl

  • Word! The Language Column

    Words waiting on walls

    Elias Hirschl is fascinated by language in public spaces. For him, used texts are the most beautiful reading and writing material – to be found everywhere. And so the applause order might turn into a play and the building plan into a novel.

    Illustration: A person with a raised hand, looking at two signs. Inscriptions on the signs: “applause order” and “Filling trough” Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Constantly inventing new words: Private languages

    Whether in a relationship, at the theatre or in gaming communities, social groups sometimes develop their own languages. Elias Hirschl has written about what fascinates him about this.

    Illustration: Two heads with speech bubbles, in the left speech bubble a record from which a piece has been broken out, in the right speech bubble a pie chart Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Obsessed with performance

    Why are some political parties in Germany and Austria so obsessed with the concept of performance? What is the thinking behind their platitudes? Elias Hirschl takes a close look at passages from the parties’ manifestos. And he rounds it all off with the idea of a better world.

    Illustration: A person pointing to a board with several diagrams; speech bubble with the content: “Performance, performance, performance” Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Top 5 Words surprisingly Named after People

    Elias Hirschl likes to play with the listicle format. They are often about everything and nothing - or about words that have a person behind them. We find out what boycott has to do with an Irish earl. And Bluetooth with an Austrian film diva.

    Illustration: A tablet computer on which a list can be seen Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V. Illustration: Tobias Schrank; © Goethe-Institut e. V.

  • Word! The Language Column

    Twitter and the long chicken

    When he thinks about Twitter in the past, Elias Hirschl gets sad. It used to be the platform for absurd nonsense, for incomprehensible jokes, for new words that ended up in everyday life. An obituary – and an appeal to continue making stupid jokes on other platforms.

    Illustration: A screen on which a wide open mouth can be seen, speech bubble with several smileys © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The demise of the German language

    Elias Hirschl, author, spoken word artist, musician – and our new columnist – is very surprised by the battle cries of the self-appointed guardians of the German language. After all, it changes in one way or another over time – genderisation here, Anglicisms there.

    Illustration: A man with his mouth wide open holds a sign saying “Untergang” (Demise) © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Ulrike Almut Sandig

  • Word! The Language Column

    I Am Made Entirely of Language

    In her final column, Ulrike Almut Sandig, who has translated many poems herself, pays tribute to two colleagues who have translated her poetry. The following is an excursion into English- and Georgian-speaking realms – and different ways of reading literature.

    Illustration: A woman with a speech bubble containing a book, next to it another, somewhat faded speech bubble with the same book, then just the book without the speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Rilke for Ravers

    Rainer Maria Rilke and our columnist, Ulrike Almut Sandig, have both translated poetry from various languages into German. Sandig now takes it to the next level by “transadapting” two of Rilke’s French poems into present-day German with a focus on the rhymes – and an invitation to dance.

    Illustration: A book with French flag and a tablet computer with German flag © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Limits of our Ethics

    Ulrike Almut Sandig finds herself grappling with unfamiliar ethical issues every time she goes about another translation – or rather “adaptation” – into German. Which opens her eyes to different, non-German takes on social conditions – and social ills.

    Illustration: Two people with speech bubbles containing eyes © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    How to Translate a National Anthem

    Not exactly an everyday task: Ulrike Almut Sandig has translated the Ukrainian national anthem into German in tandem with Claudia Dathe. Not only is it a fine literary rendering, but it’s singable – and it rhymes! She envisions its performance at a concert, free of charge and accessible to one and all, at the border crossing between Poland and Ukraine.

    Illustration: Two people with speech bubbles containing notes – the notes for each person in different colours © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Sparkling in the Dark

    Since they first met in 2015, Ulrike Almut Sandig and Ukrainian poet and musician Grigory Semenchuk have formed a close artistic bond. So what happens to a poem when it gets translated into another language – and turned into a film? Our columnist shows us – and explains why it stars a rabbit.

    Illustration: Person with speech bubble on an opened laptop; hearts and a sound symbol above the laptop © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Speeding Down the Endless Red Slipway

    Ulrike Almut Sandig, a prize-winning poet in her own right, also translates poetry into German. What makes this such a challenging endeavour? What’s the story behind “free adaptation”? Our new columnist opens the doors to her workshop – and takes us all over the world from there. First stop: New Zealand!

    their hand and points to a poster with a typographically different A © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Jagoda Marinić

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Art of the Insult

    Who still knows how to insult with style in our day and age? asks Jagoda Marinić. Forced harmony is no more constructive than aggressive invective. She recommends cultivating the complexity of German syntax – which make it easier to argue incisively and formulate dissent.

    Illustration: A person seen from the side, holding a microphone in one hand, the other raised with an index finger, angry facial expression, jagged speech bubble. © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    I, personally

    Hollow and, above all, pompous verbiage rubs Jagoda Marinić the wrong way. Specifically, she deplores the ubiquitous use of impersonal, objective language drained of all vitality. Why not tell an anecdote instead? she suggests. Get personal, get emotional, take a verbal risk!

    Illustration: A person with mouth wide open, next to it a speech bubble with the content "Blah" © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Fragments and Love

    In her final column, Jagoda Marinić delves into the special language of love and lovers, a language of expectation and uncertainty, of fragments and loose ends rather than gapless linear narratives. The language of love leaves room to find things that aren’t even there yet.

    Illustration: A person with cubistically superimposed eyes and an elongated speech bubble containing four hearts © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    At a Loss for Words

    Amid the ubiquitous chatter, Jagoda Marinić considers the power of silence. Can’t pauses and wordless gestures be significant and expressive too?

    Illustration: A person with a speech bubble containing ellipsis points © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Does That Trigger You, Too?

    Jagoda Marinić has had her fill of psychobabble. We’re overdiagnosing mental disorders, putting too much pressure on ourselves to self-optimize. How are we to find happiness by quantifying and tracking our every move? Marinić calls for more freedom to be ourselves and lead a simple, unquantified inner life.

    Illustration: A man with a poster that says “yeah cool” © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Craving for Language

    Social media is “pared-down reality in pared-down language”, says writer, journalist, podcaster and now Word! columnist Jagoda Marinić. Why does X, formerly known as Twitter, cause both satiety and hunger these days? And how can we get the old playfulness back on social media?

    Illustration: A mobile device with a rectangular wide-open mouth, jagged speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Manon Hopf

  • Word! The Language Column

    Writing for and with other animals

    In her final column, Manon Hopf takes this opportunity to remind us how we can – and should – write about other animals without using violent language. And the potential offered by poetry to enter into dialogue with them. For example through scent-walk sonnets.

    Illustration: A person with a speech bubble in the shape of a book, the letters “TIERE” (i.e., animals) on the book cover © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Lannguage Column

    Monsters

    Should monsters really be viewed solely in a negative light? Manon Hopf thinks not – here, she takes a look at the productive aspect of the monster concept.

    Illustration: A robot-like figure, human face, facing the figure and connected to it via a linkage; the figure says "Monster!", the face: "Beast!" © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Parasites

    Language can dehumanise, but language can also be firmly positioned alongside the supposedly unnatural. Manon Hopf looks at perpetrator expressions and the deconstructive counter-forces of poetry.

    Illustration: a head with an open rectangular mouth, speech bubble containing insects and a microbe © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Body, Language

    Dialect, dance, sign language, gesture – other animals communicate in surprisingly diverse ways. Manon Hopf gives us the lowdown.

    Illustration: A speech bubble with different arms and hands showing different gestures © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Other Musical Animals

    What is the language of music? – That question isn’t easy to answer, even in relation to humans. Manon Hopf asks: what’s the music of other animals about?

    Illustration: A mask with speech bubble containing music notes © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Poetry of Other Animals

    We humans exploit other animals. But can we see them from a different perspective? Our new columnist Manon Hopf is exploring the poetry of other animals.

    Illustration: A person points to diagrams, speech bubble with the words NUTZ and TIER © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Jan Snela

  • Word! The Language Column

    Issa, Fuji-san and I

    In his last Word! instalment, our columnist Jan Snela is transported back to Japan by the sight of starry skies in the south of France. Over in Japan he had hiked up a hill to get a picture-perfect view of Mount Fuji floating in the sky across the bay. And has felt close to the stars ever since.

    Illustration: A reclining person, stars above © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Amaeruing Washing Machines and the Friendly Face of Shame

    On his recent trip to Japan, Jan Snela learned about the concept of “amae”: A concept that gives kids – and even washing machines – licence to occasionally run amok.

    Illustration: Two people, on the left a somewhat shy-looking man with a moustache, on the right an angry-looking woman with a raised index finger © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    In the Empty Orchestra: “wabi sabi” and the Essence of Pop

    Jan Snela pays a visit to a karaoke box in Kyoto, where he continues his quest for the essence of Japan – a mix of silence and noise.

    Illustration: screen that is also an open mouth, next to it a person with microphone in hand and speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Ma, Mu and the Silence of Noise

    Jan Snela’s memories of his trip to Japan take him back to the ambient noise in Tokyo…. and the shrill cries of Japanese cicadas, as captured in a Bashō haiku. Tokyo is overwhelming, but he comes across a Japanese word that encapsulates the paradoxical emptiness and absence he feels in the teeming city.

    Illustration: abstract shapes – a jagged line, a jagged speech bubble and a simple speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    A Haibun or the Heartbreak of Things

    During his trip to Japan, Jan Snela gets to know not only some fascinating spots, but also some special literary forms. This instalment of his language column is about the appeal of “haiku pillows” and “fluffy” haibun.

    Illustration: A person with wide open mouth, from there a sinuous line at the end of which is a hand with stretched index finger © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Haibun, or How I Learnt to Limp from Book Learning about Japan

    Our new columnist Jan Snela thinks back on his trip to Japan a few months ago, interweaving recollections with reflections on the books he lugged around – or didn’t.

    Illustration: A person with a speech bubble in the form of a book on which the letters B, U, C, H (German for “book“) can be read. © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

ChatGPT

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Ethical Lingua Franca

    AI, globalization, and social media: how do they reshape language use? – Some reflections by ChatGPT.

    Illustration: An open laptop computer with a speech bubble containing different coloured smileys © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Heart’s Language: Art and Literature

    Join ChatGPT in uncovering how the language of art and literature bridges cultures, sparking creativity and connecting hearts worldwide.

    Illustration: A person with a book in hand points to a picture © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Columne

    Diplomacy, the Global Art of Language

    In the world of diplomacy, language plays a central role. Globalisation and geopolitical changes are shaping multilingual exchanges. ChatGPT looks at the art of diplomatic communication.

    Illustration: A person with a speech bubble that is also the flag of the United Nations © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Digital Polyglots

    ChatGPT ventures a personal look at language learning in cyberspace. Join us on this journey of discovery and learn how technology makes us true language artists!

    Illustration: Mobile device and a person, various speech bubbles with the inscriptions “Prost”, “Salud”, “Santé” and “Cin Cin” © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    AI translations: Multilingualism wins

    Multilingualism enriches our everyday lives despite machine translation. Columnist ChatGPT shows why language learning is still of great importance.

    Illustration: Rear view of an open laptop partly surrounded by a jagged line; to the right a male person with a speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    AI: Shattering Language Barriers

    Revolutionizing communication, one word at a time! Join our new columnist ChatGPT as it thinks of the AI-driven transformation of language translation.

    Illustration: Upper body of a robot-like figure. On a mechanical arm a human face turned to the right with an empty speech bubble. © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Dirk von Gehlen

  • Word! The Language Column

    Thinking outside the box to tesolve the debate about gender-inclusive language

    Digital tools are only helpful if we learn to think digitally. In his final column, Dirk von Gehlen explains why we’d do well to follow the example of two champion high jumpers.

    Illustration: A screen that is also an open mouth, two speech bubbles with asterisk, colon, hyphen and hashtag sign © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Meta-Cringe! On Boomers and Memes, Shibboleths and Youth Culture

    Languages are accessible to everyone online nowadays, even novelties like “Vong speak”. So it is usage that helps us tell cohorts apart.

    Illustration: A male person who seems to be explaining something; speech bubble with the inscription "Cringe". © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    A picture kills more than a thousand words

    The mutability of language is no real cause for concern. Dirk von Gehlen on our misguided tendency to glorify the past and the endless adaptability of language.

    Illustration: A person with a speech bubble, the speech bubble contains several emojis © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Dialectics of Correct Pronunciation

    Generations Y and Z may not do much talking over the phone, but they do still attach importance to the spoken word on the Internet. Here’s Dirk von Gehlen on avocados and deliberate mispronunciations.

    Illustration: Two people with speech bubbles © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Sprechstunde – Die Sprachkolumne

    The Oversharing Nobel Laureate

    “Grosse Abneigung, nachmittags noch irgend etwas zu tun” – “Loath to undertake anything else this afternoon.” 4,400 people like what Thomas Mann wrote in his diary on 10 August – at least that’s how many likes this tweet got. Dirk von Gehlen on valuations and value not only in the sphere of the digital.

    The Diary of Thomas Mann on Twitter © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Excuse me, but this is 2023

    “Word!” is going digital – or rather, digilectal: In the next batch of articles, our new language columnist Dirk von Gehlen will be exploring changes wrought by Internet culture in the way we write and speak. How does new slang come about? What roles do abbreviations and emojis play? How might all this help resolve some serious social issues?

    Illustration: A person on a mobile device, speech bubble with the inscription “Excuse me” © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Stephan Reich

  • Word! The Language Column

    Instagrammar

    The internet isn’t just “new territory” – it also changes the way we speak and write. Footballers in particular are fond of putting their foot in it.

    Illustration: A smartphone, next to it a jagged speech bubble containing the word “Bro” © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    National bombomastics

    Hardly any footballers get away without a nickname, and fantasy knows no bounds here. These pet names demonstrate an affectionate approach to language, the pun involved and their own passion.

    Illustration: A football player with raised arms, next to him a male person with a speech bubble containing the text "The Butcher" © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Asymmetric technical jargon

    The development of football is progressing rapidly, and its language is changing at the same rate. Not everyone likes that. But there’s no stopping it now.

    Illustration: A person points to a presentation with diagrams; the background of the presentation looks like a football field © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Thinking from one column to the next

    Footballese has produced an amazing array of hackneyed phrases that come in handy for football players and officials alike because they can mean everything and nothing. But what if we were to use these stock phrases in everyday life, too?

    Illustration: A television camera pointed at a head with its mouth open, starting from the head a speech bubble that looks like a football field. © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Freckly is Round

    No language is as ornate as that of sports, as you can tell from the panoply of colourful football phrases used in different countries around the world.

    Illustration: A goalkeeper is diving for a ball; speech bubble with the inscription: “Playing equipment“ © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The (Failed) Ticker Bot Takeover

    First the bad news: the robots are taking over – at least in sportscasting. Then the good news: they’re still just dumb machines spitting out nonsense.

    Illustration: A mobile device with a speech bubble containing a ball and statistics © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Taiga Trece

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Voice, the Word and the Air in Between

    In her final column, rapper Taiga Trece riffs on the voice, spoken language and air – and wraps them all together.

    Illustration: A computer screen showing an open mouth with a speech bubble that says "True". © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Make Way for Latin Hip Hop

    Hispanic hip hop hasn’t caught on in Germany. That’s because of our ingrained preconceptions about Latin culture and the Spanish language, explains Taiga Trece.

    Illustration: A laptop from which sounds come, hearts © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Women’s Rap: Setting the Record Straight

    Do we want separate rap for women and men? That’s a rhetorical question, says Taiga Trece: No way! She takes this opportunity to set a few things straight and makes the case for more women in the rap game.

    Illustration: A person with a speech bubble containing a broken vinyl record. © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    I’ve had rap for longer than my period

    So many interviews and so many wrong questions. Taiga Trece isn’t into speculating about whether women have a hard time of it in the rap business. What’s more captivating is a question she’s never asked in interviews, which is why she takes this opportunity to answer it here: how rap has affected her.

    Illustration: Two people in half-profile. They speak to each other © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    “Bitch” is Back – and Women Now Own It

    A misogynistic slur or a means to self-empowerment? “Bitch” is big in hip hop, but now it cuts both ways. Taiga Trece riffs and reflects on “bitch”.

    Illustration: two faces looking at each other, in between a jagged speech bubble with the word “Bitch” © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Rap Speaks to Us

    Hip hop is now both a big business and a subculture, at once acclaimed and taboo. Our new columnist Taiga Trece looks at these contrasts and rap’s rebellious and creative potential.

    Illustration: Female person with open mouth and jagged speech bubble, a microphone in her right hand, the right hand is raised © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Hasnain Kazim

  • Word! The Language Column

    Gotta Go, Buffalo!

    Hasnain Kazim used to be allergic to bad puns and similar forms of cringeworthy wordplay. But he eventually succumbed, at least somewhat, to their (asinine) charm. After all, aren't many things easier to bear if you can laugh at a lame witticism at the same time?

    Illustration: Person with wide open rectangular mouth, speech bubble with laughing emojis of different skin colours © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Watch Out for Jargon!

    Verbal communication should be used for the purpose of making oneself understood, argues Hasnain Kazim, who lambastes various forms of jargon. Sometimes only one thing helps: to translate it into plain, readily intelligible language.

    Illustration: Person in front of presentation with different diagrams © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    I don’t get a word of it!

    The German-speaking world is rich in dialects. They make for differences and diversity, in which Hasnain Kazim revels – even though he’s from the north of Germany and doesn't always get what southerners are saying to him.

    Illustration: Two speech bubbles with differently shaped question marks © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    May I Say “Du” to You?

    To say “Sie” or to say “du” – sometimes, that’s the question. Hasnain Kazim thinks so too and looks around the world: How do formal and informal forms of address work in Scandinavia and Asia, at government agencies, editorial offices and in political parties? And how do they sometimes not work? In any case, they do mirror real life.

    Illustration: Person holding a sign saying "Du? Sie?" © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Save the old invective!

    You’re sometimes better off venting your spleen than keeping it all bottled up inside, says Hasnain Kazim, who declares that invective is an art. For which you need good tools: namely, choice put-downs with a regional or historical touch.

    Illustration: Person in side view with angry expression and jagged empty speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    “Servus” and “Salam”

    The more we greet one another the better, exhorts our new columnist Hasnain Kazim. Different greetings are used in various parts of Germany, but they always signal respect and kindness – which we can never get enough of.

    Illustration: Person, hand raised in greeting © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Hauke Hückstädt

  • Word! The Language Column

    Bringing together instead of seperating

    How outmoded is it to seal ourselves off? In the final instalment of his column, Hauke Hückstädt makes the case for a kind of literature that overcomes barriers.

    Illustration: Jagged speech bubble containing an open mouth from which another jagged speech bubble emanates © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    “Finding Common Ground in Differences”

    Hauke Hückstädt has previously written about putting together an anthology of easy-to-read literature in plain language. Now it’s time he told us about the reactions, about the feedback from people finally coming out of hiding – with the help of literature.

    Illustration:Person in front of a book, speech bubbles with exclamation mark © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Book Fair as a Bridge

    Hauke Hückstädt considers the annual book fair in Leipzig the ultimate in accessibility. But the fair has been cancelled for this spring of 2022. In the following, our columnist sums up – in plain language – what’s so special and worth preserving about it.

    Illustration: Mobile device with a person in front of a book © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Report on a Work in Progress

    Everything is miles better abridged – says the poet Arne Rautenberg. Which is an apt watchword for six writers who came together to lay down some rules for their own easy-to-read texts. Hauke Hückstädt reports on the tools used in this literary workshop.

    Illustration: Several mouths and speech bubbles of different colours and shapes © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    A New Chapter

    Can modern literature be accessible to all? Hauke Hückstädt and his Literaturhaus team say yes, definitely. And they’ve found writers ready and willing to venture into uncharted literary territory.

    Illustration: Open book, above figure with open mouth and tablet on tongue © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Excluded

    Our new columnist, Hauke Hückstädt, knows the book trade is forever exhorting everyone to read away. But how many books on the market are really accessible to the millions of people who have difficulty reading?

    Illustration: A person in front of an open book, from there speech bubbles with question marks © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Nora Gomringer

  • Word! The Language Column

    On Inventing

    In her final column with us, Nora Gomringer explores the notion that we humans are all inventors and that our inventing is always both salvation and escape. Some inventions cannot be revised – especially when it comes to giants and deer.

    Illustration: An open mouth, an arm pointing to a jagged speech bubble, in the speech bubble a frazzle sign © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    On Imitation

    Learning through imitation: This route, according to Nora Gomringer, also leads directly to language. She describes how we can fall madly in love and sings the praises of the act of imitatio.

    Illustration: Two figures, the speech bubble of one is shaped exactly like the head contents of the other © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    On listening

    Until now, Nora Gomringer’s column has been devoted to translation. Now she is devoting it to the various pathways to language. She starts with listening. Her essay features a bathtub, porcelain cups and microphones.

    Illustration: Speech bubble with notes © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    What Defies Translation

    Literary translation involves so much more than just translating words: it’s a matter of rendering a whole way of seeing the world. Nora Gomringer talks about authors and translators working together to thrash out the nuances of poetry in particular, including smells and sounds – and pain, for which it’s hard to find the words.

    Illustration: leere Gedankenblase über einem Buch © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Translator’s Yoke

    Translation is an art, explains poet, reciter and our new columnist Nora Gomringer. And it’s backbreaking work, like that of a water buffalo toiling in a rice paddy – though she means that far more appreciatively than it sounds.

    Illustration: Mouth in a tablet computer and eye in a TV set, each with a speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Roman-Tick,Tick,Tick – Boom!

    It’s the translators who initiate us into the worldwide canon of literature, Nora Gomringer observes upon the announcement of the winner of the 2021 Nobel Prize in Literature, and carries us back to the age of German Romanticism.

    Illustration: Speech bubble above a book containing a mouth with another speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Henning Lobin

  • Word! The Language Column

    The European Language Question and the Use of German in the EU

    In his final piece for our “Word” column, Henning Lobin looks into the use of German in EU institutions. What’s the difference between an official language and a working or “procedural” language? Which language has become established as Europe’s “lingua franca”? Our columnist has the answers.

    Illustration: Several open mouths in different colours, partly with speech bubbles © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Big Fray over the Little Star

    The gender star has proved an enduring bone of contention. Henning Lobin now wades into the fray to offer his own two cents on the matter. We clearly need to sheathe our verbal swords, he says, and objectively debate the pros and cons of gender-neutral language.

    Illustration: A mouth with tongue sticking out showing a star © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The German Language and the Constitution

    Nothing in the German Constitution says that German is our official language. Henning Lobin makes the case for a constitutional amendment to enshrine its social function, though not as a symbol of the German nation-state like our national flag.

    Illustration: A person with glasses looks into an open book © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Everything must go! The long war on foreign words

    What is it that irks those who feel compelled to protect the German language against foreign words? Henning Lobin retraces the history of nationalistic linguistic crusades from the Baroque to the present day and age.

    Illustration: A mouth with a yellow four-sided speech bubble containing a jagged speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Current controversies over language

    What are the ideas and values that characterize a given society? And what do debates about the role and use of language have to do with that? Our new columnist, Henning Lobin takes on some controversial language issues.

    Illustration: Two people, pictured sideways, facing each other; both have their mouths open, the left person holds a megaphone with a jagged speech bubble, the right person a microphone © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Much ado about spelling: The tumultuous German spelling reform

    The wrangling about the German spelling reform in the 1990s could hardly have been more acrimonious. What caused this heated row in the German press and public administration, in schools and even in barrooms? Our columnist Henning Lobin recaps the tumultuous history of this controversial reform.

    Illustration: An open book, above it a speech bubble with exclamation mark © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Olga Grjasnowa

  • Word! The Language Column

    Overblown one-word concepts

    In her final column, Olga Grjasnowa zeroes in on two words that hold a special place in the German language: „Heimat“, an elusive concept that can be hard to get your head around, and “Wurzeln”, which at least seems quite tangible. Both are heavily fraught with political and emotional connotations.

    Illustration: TV set showing an eye; there is a speech bubble to the left of the set © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Learning German made easy

    Not all politicians are big on gender-neutral language. Olga Grjasnowa pokes fun at these pockets of resistance by putting forth some truly radical proposals for reforming the German language..

    Illustration: Mobile device with a mouth and a speech bubble containing a star © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    The Great Donut Divide

    Culture wars are sometimes waged over language – as in the current debate over gender-neutral language. But even dialects are liable to cause some pitched battles.

    Illustration: two mouths © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    It’s all in the mix: Language contact and change

    Languages are alive. This is obvious from the fact that words and phrases from one language are repeatedly adopted in another – usually as a means of enriching the range of expression.

    Illustration: Illustration: Mouth with square speech bubble containing a round speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    German officialese: riddled with incomprehensible jargon

    Bureaucratic or even threatening: When German authorities formulate texts, they often seem intimidating to the people addressed.

    Illustration: Megaphone with jagged speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Mother – or stepmother – tongue?

    What does it mean when Germans talk about their “mother tongue”? – Olga Grjasnowa has had very different experiences and gives us hints for rethinking.

    Illustration: four differently shaped and colored speech bubbles © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Sharon Dodua Otoo

  • Word! The Language Column

    Punctuation

    ​In terms of their actual extent and distribution in the sentence structure, they are the very smallest units: the punctuation marks. But even a tiny comma can completely change the meaning of a sentence.

    Illustration: Exclamation mark in a purple speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Prepositions

    “From”, “at”, “since” or “around” – prepositions like these help us to locate things. They point us in the right direction – in time or place, for example. But it is not always as simple as it seems.

    Illustration: A hand points to three dots © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Pronouns

    What is the relationship of German pronouns to gender-equal language? Sharon Dodua Otoo looks at the problem from the perspective of several languages – and has a suggestion.

    Illustration: several small coloured elements - yellow note, red circle with black cross, purple bar horizontal, blue bar vertical, white-red tablet © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Prefixes

    They are inconspicuous and usually very short – but they can have a great effect: In the German language, prefixes sometimes succeed in completely changing the meaning of a word. If you read carefully, you can make surprising discoveries.

    Illustration: red jagged speech bubble containing three coloured circles © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

  • Word! The Language Column

    Grammar

    In her first contribution, our new columnist Sharon Dodua Otoo looks at verbs and their emancipatory effect.

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    Nouns

    What is the special perfidy of nouns? They can deceive us by showing us a state of reality that is perhaps quite different. And in doing so, they can even cause great harm. 

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Hernán D. Caro

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    On Walking and Talking

    Hernán D. Caro isn’t really into strolling around the park or along tree-lined avenues. But he has taken a shine to walking these days as a remedy against lockdown torpor, as a way to rediscover his adopted city – and because he has the most inspiring peripatetic conversations.

    Illustration: two mouths, each with a speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

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    Fruitful words

    Our columnist often finds himself thinking of his late beloved grandmother and her folksy sayings. She was a woman who practised what she preached. Her wise words of advice often come to mind, especially in hard times.

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    A Courtship Dance with Words

    Language is, first and foremost, an exchange of information. But it can also be used for purposes of deception or disguise – or for showing off. The latter, writes Hernán D. Caro, calls to mind birds displaying their colourful plumage for effect.

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    Weighing your Words

    When Hernán D. Caro talks with friends of his in Germany, he tends to exaggerate every now and then. His friends then usually look perplexed. This is reason enough for the author to think about the different ways people communicate in different languages, which sometimes call for a pinch of salt.

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    Masks with Benefits

    Learning how to write in a new language can prove a long and rocky road – and ultimately a liberating experience. Hernán D. Caro, who has chosen to write in German, agrees on both counts. And he treasures his second language like a second skin.

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    On “Wirklichkeit”: Words that breathe life into reality

    How much passion and sensuality lie in the German language? Not much, you’re thinking? Hernán D. Caro, our new columnist, passionately disagrees!

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Thomas Böhm

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    Closing Act

    How come we speak German the way we do today? In this final piece for his column on the German language, Thomas Böhm has some surprising news for us about modern-day “Hochdeutsch”.

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    Old Relatives

    Some words in other languages sound just like German words but don’t mean the same thing. Thomas Böhm takes a close look at these “false friends” … and finds that they’re actually part of the family.
     

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    English is German in Spanish

    The language of children is often poetic and philosophical. What can we learn from it as adults?

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    Singing along without knowing the words

    What are they actually singing about? Thomas Böhm admits that he doesn’t always get the words to pop songs. When looks them up on the Internet, he’s sometimes unpleasantly surprised. But sometimes he’s delighted to discover the poetry of pop songs.

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    The Magic of Language

    Magic moments in fairy tales: our new columnist Thomas Böhm is still enchanted when he hears the words “Es war einmal…” (“Once upon a time...”). He knows why we love the same stock phrases in every language. And he explains why learning the language of doves can be very worthwhile.

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    Invitation to a World Talk

    How do you strike up a mutually stimulating conversation with a stranger? Thomas Böhm is sometimes at a loss on that one. But he has an idea: just tell each other your favourite words. That’s liable to open up whole worlds – and even some scrumptious cake recipes!

    Illustration: Illustration: Mobile device with mouth and speech bubble © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank © Goethe-Institut e. V./Illustration: Tobias Schrank

Kathrin Kunkel-Razum

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    Duden: Germany’s pre-eminent dictionary

    Duden was the authority on German spelling till the 1996 spelling reform. The dictionary’s monopoly is a thing of the past, but the media, the authorities and most producers of text continue to follow Duden’s recommended spellings. Duden editor-in-chief Kathrin Kunkel-Razum talks about a time-honoured dictionary that’s still going strong today.

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    How many Words does the German Language have?

    Coining new words is a cinch in German. But not every neologism belongs in a dictionary. Kathrin Kunkel-Razum talks about sifting through long word lists for the next edition of the “Rechtschreibduden”, the standard German spelling dictionary.

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    How do Foreign Words make it into the “Duden”?

    English has a considerable influence on German vocabulary, confirms Kathrin Kunkel-Razum. But she still finds questions like "Are we all going to be speaking Denglish anytime soon?" exaggerated. Kathrin Kunkel-Razum on the inclusion of loanwords in the “Duden”, the premier reference work on German spelling.

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    Words That Make Waves

    Why do certain words stir up powerful emotions? Needless to say, Duden dictionary editor Kathrin Kunkel-Razum has other worries right now, in the throes of the coronavirus crisis. But  the word in question is about hope for the future.

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    Gender-Neutral German: Asterisk or Underscore?

    What’s the best way to include all gender identities when writing in German? This question has caused quite a stir in the German-speaking world.

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    Ringing in new words and ringing out some old ones

    Our language is constantly expanding, so how come the “Duden” still fits into a single printed volume? Because obsolete entries are regularly deleted. In her final contribution to our column on the German language, Kathrin Kunkel-Razum discusses words that have gone by the board and why we shouldn’t completely forget them.

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