There is something oddly satisfying about the chaos of language. Why do we summon the spirit of a choir when we are stunned? Why does morning “gray” (graut) and why might you encounter a “Hoorbüdel” in the north? When do hyphens turn into misunderstandings? The Sprachspione (Language Spies) from the wissen.de blog take these questions seriously. They dig into the roots of German to explain the quirks that make the language tick.
Today marks a milestone. The blog is celebrating its 100th post. For a year now, Franka Lingua and her colleagues have been tracking down bizarre linguistic accidents and amusing dialects. The five bloggers explore the origins of proverbs and dissect new trends in German. It is a hobbyist’s dream.
The Prize: Orthography and Observation
To mark this occasion, the team has teamed up with wissen.de and wissenmedia. They are giving away three copies of the fresh-off-the-press “WAHRIG – Die deutsche Rechtschreibung.” That is the definitive guide to German spelling.
But the Spies do not make things easy. A simple giveaway is too boring. The focus remains on the subject matter. The language itself.
The Summer Word Contest
The real event is a contest. They want your favorite summer word. It can be curious. It can be made up. It can just be wonderfully seasonal.
Think about it. Can you imagine a summer without “Sonnenbaden” (sunbathing)? Or the “Bikini-Linie” (bikini line)? What about the “Bratwürstchen-Saison” (bratwurst season)? These phrases matter. They define the vibe.
The Sprachspione will pick the best entries themselves. The deadline is July 28, 2009.
Send your suggestion via email to kontakt@wissen.de. Check the blog for details.
The clock is ticking. The hyphens are waiting.
