German Vocabulary: Word of the Day

[Tom Houlihan]

Okay, some of you are aware of the work I've been doing, creating a book for publication. As it stands right now, Kriegsprache ought to be available maybe February? As of today, I'm waiting on something to improve the cover, but textually I'm good to go.

So, that said, I'm gonna start sharing. While maybe I shouldn't start sharing bits from a glossary that hasn't even been published yet, I'm not too worried about it. The way I see it, if someone copies/pastes the "word of the day" every day for the next 30 years, they can have it!

This thread shouldn't require responses, unless you have a question about one of the words.

So, here goes.

Today's word:

Stummel {m} Stump, the nickname for the Sd.Kfz.233 open-topped 6-wheeled armored car with a low velocity 75mm gun, as well as the Sd.Kfz.251/9 halftrack, that had the same gun mounted.

[Tom Houlihan]

Dauerwurst {f} A type of hard sausage issued in the Eiserne Portion

[Tom Houlihan]

abgekämpft Literally war-weary, this would refer to a man or unit that has spent too much time on the line without a break

[Tom Houlihan]

Here's Tuesday's word. Too much time shoveling and sleeping to post on Monday!

Panzer Tod {m} Tank Death, a 105mm recoilless antitank weapon that fired a 6-lb round about 500 yards. This weapon had reached the testing stage in early 1945, but was not developed or fielded.

[Tom Houlihan]

kleine Flammenwerfer {m}(Kleif) The backpack, man-portable flamethrower, Model 40

[Tom Houlihan]

Belated entry for the 25th:

Schwebekreisvisier {n} A pivoted ring antiaircraft sight

[Tom Houlihan]

And the entry for the 26th:

Gisela A 1942 contingency plan developed to counter Allied landings on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. Had it been implemented, this would have been aimed at capturing and securing ports and passes in the southern Pyrenees Mountains. In March 1945, this name was used to denote the resumption of nightly nuisance raids against England.

[Moltke d. J.]

OK Tom ,

what do you mean:
'Kriegssprache' ['Krieg' is Gen.m.], "die Sprache des Krieges", i.e. 'the language of war'
or
'Kriegsprache', that would be rather colloquial?

Other minor things:

abgekämpft - why not simply 'worn out'?

Panzertod - nothing else is allowed by German grammar (see also LdW http://www.lexikon-der-wehrmacht.de/Waf ... anonen.htm, scroll down or search the site)

kleiner Flammenwerfer (as mentioned, m.) [Of course if you would like to introduce it as a noun it would be 'Der kleine Flammenwerfer...']

Hope this helps

Frank

[HeinrichFrey]

I think the "Reichsfürsorgepflichtverordnung" is unique: Federal Public Assistance Order.

[HeinrichFrey]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ky-zdHMNFNM

[HeinrichFrey]

Sorry to abuse Your thread, but it`s nice: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XdGwKt0tzgA

[DrStrangelove]

Tom,

"Hitlersäge" / "Hitlers Saw", was the term, the allied soldiers used to call the german Maschinengewehr 42.

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maschinengewehr_42

DrS

[DrStrangelove]

Tom,

A "Koffer" was a big load of artillery amunition, (Koffer = Suitcase), fired from a Thor, or an Eisenbahngeschütz, more than 600mm diameter...

http://www.waffenhq.de/panzer/moerser-thor.html


DrS

[nczempin]

I think the "Reichsfürsorgepflichtverordnung" is unique: Federal Public Assistance Order.

surely not "Federal"? I think "Reich" is usually left intact in translations into English.

[Howard]

Nczempin,

I think you're absolutely right.