etymology - Why does Germany's English name differ from its German name? - English Language & Usage Stack Exchange Why does Germany's English name differ from its German name? up vote 20 down vote favorite 1 Germany in German is Deutschland and the language is Deutsch. I'm used to words being anglicized, but why is there a complete replacement in this case? 4 As a note, this is not at all a unique case with the name of Germany in English. French and German names for other countries often differ greatly from their native names. – Noldorin Jan 2 '11 at 0:40 2 @Noldorin: But it is not very common to call a neigbouring Western-European country by a name derived from an entirely different IE root. – Cerberus Jan 2 '11 at 3:28 Tim Osterholm on his Table of Nations website brought forth an interesting theory that the word German originated long ago from the ancient Assyrian city of Kerman. The word Deutsh is also linked with Assyria. It seems that during the fall of Ninevah, this group of people migrated north to escape from the invading Babylonians (and Scythians too perhaps).

Coming from a civilized area to the more primitive tribes of ancient Germany perhaps gave them an influence there out of proportion to their numbers. – user14214 Oct 26 '11 at 4:05 1 up vote 30 down vote accepted Germany did not officially unite as a singular country until 1871 . Before that, there were a number of different regions like Bavaria, Prussia, the Hanseatic League, Saxony, and so on. There was also a long period of time when this region was part of the Holy Roman Empire. Before this, the peoples that eventually became Germany were grouped into various tribes. Because of the lack of a single unifying name or country, the Germans ended up being named various things in different regions. From the Old High German diutisc meaning "of the people" (e.g. Deutschland). From Latin Germania, probably meaning "neighbor" (e.g. Germany). From the name of the Alemanni tribe (e.g. Allemagne). From the name of the Saxon tribe (e.g. Saksa).

From the Protoslavic word němьcь, meaning "foreigner", literally "unable to speak" (e.g. Německo). From the Germanic word Volk, meaning "folk" or "people" (e.g. Vokietija). 6 Note that the Latin Germania from which Germany is derived probably had its origin ultimately as a Celtic loanward. (For example, how the Gauls would refer to the Germans/non-Celtic tribes.) Also, Germany certainly did exist as a concept (if not a country) before the 19th century - the King of Germany was a title the Holy Roman Empire (also called the German Empire) held. – Noldorin Jan 2 '11 at 0:43 2 @Noldorin: I didn't mean to suggest that there was no connection between any of the sub-parts of present-day Germany, but the connections were much looser, and it wasn't really an official country until that 1871 unification. I still think that what I describe is a key contributor to the number of completely different names for Germany.

– Kosmonaut Jan 2 '11 at 2:53 1 @Noldorin: Interesting, I had no idea idea that "Germania" came from Celtic. I suppose the Celts met the Germans before the Romans did, having spread all over Europe much earlier. – Cerberus Jan 2 '11 at 2:59 5 @Kosmonaut: Your theory has merit. An older, single state is more likely to get a stable name. I suppose the same could be said about the decentralized Netherlands/Low Countries/Holland/The Dutch. As for Spain, one might conjecture that 500 years of unity were enough. But what about Italy? Could it be that the ancient memory of Roman Italy - the last time it ever was a unity - was enough to give it a name much more stable than that of Germany? That is somewhat doubtful, though it is not impossible. – Cerberus Jan 2 '11 at 3:10 4 And yes, Italy had had a constant name throughout history thanks to the Roman hegemony over Europe in antiquity (even over the parts of Germania and Scythia it did not conquer).

The name "Italia" has truly ancient origins ("land of the bull god" if my memory serves me) - it was without doubt the 2nd country in Europe. In fact, the Romans even spread their own name for Greece (Graecia) in favour of Hellas. – Noldorin Jan 2 '11 at 17:45 up vote 10 down vote Wikipedia has a huge article on the subject. The two passages most related to your question are: The name Deutschland and the other similar-sounding names above are derived from the Old High German diutisc, or similar variants from Proto-Germanic *Þeudiskaz, which originally meant "of the people". This in turn comes from a Germanic word meaning "folk" (leading to Old High German diot, Middle High German diet), and was used to differentiate between the speakers of Germanic languages and those who spoke Celtic or Romance languages. These words come from *teuta, the Proto-Indo-European word for "people" (Lithuanian tauto, Old Irish tuath, Old English þeod).

And: The name Germany and the other similar-sounding names above are derived from the Latin Germania, of the 3rd century BC, a word of uncertain origin. The name appears to be a Gaulish term, and there is no evidence that it was ever used by the Germanic tribes themselves. Julius Caesar was the first to use Germanus in writing when describing tribes in north-eastern Gaul in his Commentarii de Bello Gallico; he records that four northern Belgic tribes, namely, the Condrusi, Eburones, Caeraesi and Paemani, were collectively known as Germani. In 98, Tacitus wrote Germania (the Latin title was actually: De Origine et situ Germanorum), an ethnographic work on the diverse set of Germanic tribes outside the Roman Empire. Unlike Caesar, Tacitus claims that the name Germani was first applied to the Tungri tribe. It should be noted that English does have the word Dutch, coming from the same source as Deutsch. It's just that nowadays it refers to, well, Dutch, rather than German.

See Etymonline for further details: Dutch late 14c., used first of Germans generally, after c.1600 of Hollanders, from M.Du. duutsch, from O.H.G. duit-isc, corresponding to O.E. þeodisc "belonging to the people," used especially of the common language of Germanic people, from þeod "people, race, nation," from P.Gmc. *theudo "popular, national" (see Teutonic), from PIE base *teuta- "people" (cf. O.Ir. tuoth "people," O.Lith. tauta "people," O.Prus. tauto "country," Oscan touto "community"). As a language name, first recorded as L. theodice, 786 C.E. in correspondence between Charlemagne's court and the Pope, in reference to a synodical conference in Mercia; thus it refers to Old English. First reference to the German language (as opposed to a Germanic one) is two years later.

The sense was extended from the language to the people who spoke it (in German, Diutisklant, ancestor of Deutschland, was in use by 13c.). Sense narrowed to "of the Netherlands" in 17c., after they became a united, independent state and the focus of English attention and rivalry. In Holland, duitsch is used of the people of Germany. The M.E. sense survives in Pennsylvania Dutch, who immigrated from the Rhineland and Switzerland. German Christmas Vocabulary and Traditions < Continued from page 1 Updated July 27, 2016. Whether you're celebrating Christmas in a German-speaking country or you want to bring a few old-world traditions home, these German phrases and traditions will make your holiday truly authentic. A Is for Advent (der Advent) Advent (Latin for "arrival, coming") is the four-week period leading up to Christmas. In German-speaking countries and most of Europe the first Advent weekend is the traditional beginning of the Christmas season when open-air Christmas markets (Christkindlmärkte) appear in many cities, the most famous ones being those in Nuremberg and Vienna.

Most stores and shops in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland are open weekends and evenings during Advent. - In Austria the 's' is often dropped in Advent-words (as in Adventzeit or Adventkalender). Other related words include: Angel(s) | der Engel B Is for Baked Goods Basel chocolate balls | Basler Brunsli: A sweet confection made with chocolate, almonds, and hazelnut; a Christmas treat. Baumkuchen | der Baumkuchen: "Tree cake" is a layered cake whose interior resembles (Christmas) tree rings when cut. C Is for Candles (die Kerze) Candles, with their light and warmth, have long been used in winter celebrations as symbols of the sun in the dark of winter. The Christians later adopted candles as their own symbol of the "Light of the World." Candles also play an important role in the eight-day Jewish "Festival of Lights" Hanukkah celebration. Carol(s), Christmas carol(s) s Weihnachtslied (-er) Carp (n.) der Karpfen (-): Carp is considered a Christmas or New Year's delicacy in many parts of Germany.

Chimney | der Schornstein Choir | der Chor Crèche, manger | die Krippe Christ Child | das Christkind, das Christkindl: The word "Kris Kringle" is a corruption of Christkindl. The word came into American English via the Pennsylvania Germans, whose neighbors misunderstood the German word for the bringer of gifts. With the passage of time, Santa Claus (from Dutch "Sinterclaas") and Kris Kringle became synonymous.

The Austrian town of Christkindl bei Steyr is a popular Christmas post office, an Austrian "North Pole." Christmas das Weihnachten (sing., pl.), das Weihnachtsfest Christmas bread/cake, fruit cake (n.) der Stollen, der Christstollen, der Striezel (dial.) Christmas card(s) e Weihnachtskarte (-n) Christmas Eve r Heiligabend Christmas market(s) r Weihnachtsmarkt (-märkte), r Christkindlesmarkt Christmas pyramid | die Weihnachtspyramide (-n): Originally from the Erzgebirge region of Germany, the wood or rope pyramid was the "poor man's Christmas tree." Today it is a popular Christmas decoration in many parts of Germany, usually made with candles and bells that ring as the heat from the candles turns a wooden rotor at the top. Christmas tree | der Christbaum, der Tannenbaum, der Weihnachtsbaum: The first Christmas tree to decorate the inside of the White House was put up by US President Franklin Pierce in 1856.

(German immigrants brought the custom to America.) In England Queen Victoria's husband, Prince Albert (1819-1861) of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, helped popularize the Christmas tree and other German Christmas customs. Cinnamon star(s) r Zimtstern (-e) - Star-shaped, cinnamon-flavored Christmastime cookies Cookies (pl.) Kekse, Kipferln, Plätzchen Cradle, crèche e Krippe, s Kripplein, e Wiege Crescent(s) s Kipferl (-n) - Also see: cookies, vanilla crescent(s) Vanillekipferl(n) F Is for Father Christmas, Santa Claus | der Weihnachtsmann In the 16th century Protestants, led by Martin Luther, introduced "Father Christmas" to replace Saint Nicholas and to avoid the Catholic saints. In the Protestant parts of Germany and Switzerland, Saint Nicholas became der Weihnachtsmann ("Christmas Man"). In the U.S. he came to be known as Santa Claus, while in England children look forward to a visit from Father Christmas.

Fir tree | der Tannenbaum (-bäume): Originally, most German Christmas trees were fir trees (Tannenbäume). Over the years, as the percentage of fir trees in German forests dropped, spruce trees (Fichtenbäume) became more prevalent. But today the word Tannenbaum is still synonymous with "Christmas tree." Fruit bread, Christmas bread | der Stollen, das Kletzenbrot (an Alpine rye bread containing dried pears, Kletzen, and various spices) G Garland (n.) | die Girlande (-n) Gift(s), present(s) | das Geschenk (-e) Caution! The German word das Gift means "poison." If you are mailing a present to German Europe, you may wish to mark it with the German word Geschenk, in addition to "gift." Gift giving, exchange of presents die Bescherung Gingerbread der Lebkuchen Glass ball die Glaskugel (-n) H Is for Holly In pagan times, holly die Stechpalme was believed to have magical powers that kept evil spirits away. The Christians later made it a symbol of Christ's crown of thorns.

According to legend, the holly berries were originally white, but turned red from Christ's blood. K Three Kings (Wise Men) | die Heiligen Drei Könige, die Weisen Kipferl(n) (n.) | das Kipferl (-n) - An Austrian Christmas cookie. Lighting | die Beleuchtung Lights | die Lichter, elektrische Kerzen (electric candles) M Is for mistletoe (die Mistel) Marzipan das Marzipan (almond paste candy) Midnight mass die Christmette, Mitternachtsmette Mulled, spiced wine der Glühwein ("glow wine") Myrrh die Myrrhe Nativity | die Krippe, s Krippenbild, die Geburt Christi Nut(s) | die Nuss (Nüsse) Organ, pipe organ | die Orgel Ornaments, ornamentation (tree, etc.) | die Verzierung, der Schmuck P Is for Poinsettia | die Poinsettie, der Weihnachtsstern Named for J.R.

Poinsett (1779-1851), US ambassador to Mexico, who popularized the flower. In German it is also called "Christmas star." R Ring [bells] (v.) | erklingen, klingeln The Original Bad Santa Ruprecht, also known as Knecht Ruprecht or Krampus, is a demonic figure who used to accompany St. Nicholas to punish bad children with his Rute (rod); based on mythical winter figures going back to pagan times. Rarely seen today. Also known as: Hans Muff, Krampus, or Nickel. In some parts of Germany, Ruprecht is good, just another Weihnachtsmann, and Krampus is the bad guy. S Is for Saint Nicholas (der Sankt Nikolaus) Saint Nicholas is not Santa Claus or the American "Saint Nick." Dec. 6, the Feast of St. Nicholas, is the day upon which the original Bishop Nicholas of Myra (today in Turkey) is commemorated - and is the date of his death in the year 343. He was later granted sainthood. The German Sankt Nikolaus, dressed as a bishop, brings gifts on that day.

(Also see "Ruprecht" above.) According to legend, it was also Bishop Nicholas who gave us the Christmas tradition of hanging stockings by the fireplace. The kindly bishop is said to have thrown bags of gold for the poor down the chimney. The bags landed in stockings that had been hung by the fire to dry. This Saint Nicholas legend may also partly explain the American custom of Santa coming down the chimney with his bag of gifts. Sheep | das Schaf (-e) Shepherd(s) | der Hirt (-en), der Schäfer (-) Silent Night | (Stille Nacht), the world's most popular Christmas carol was created 180 years ago in Austria by Franz Gruber (music) and Joseph Mohr (text), and first performed by them with guitar accompaniment in Oberndorf bei Salzburg on Christmas Eve of 1818. Sing | singen Sled, sleigh, toboggan | der Schlitten (-) Snow (n.) | der Schnee snow sled/sleigh (n.) | der Schlitten snow (v.) | schneien - It's snowing. = Es schneit.

snowy (adj.) | schneeig, schneebedeckt (covered), Schnee- (in noun compounds) Stable, stall | der Stall Star(s) | der Stern (-e) Sternsinger ("star singers") - dressed as the Wise Men/Three Kings - make their rounds during Advent to raise money for Catholic missions all over the world. Straw star(s) | der Strohstern (Strohsterne) - A traditional Christmas decorations made of straw. T (the) Three Wise Men, Three Kings, Magi | die Heiligen Drei Könige, die Weisen Tinsel | das Lametta, der Flitter Toy(s) | das Spielzeug(e) V Is for Vanilla Crescent(s) (das Vanillekipferl-n) An Austrian/Bavarian pastry. Vanillekipferln or Kipferln are small sweet baked crescents covered with powdered vanilla sugar. Traditionally served around Christmas, Kipferln are also made in nut (Nuss), almond (Mandeln), and other varieties.

W the Wise Men, the Magi | die Weisen, die Heiligen Drei Könige wreath (n.) | der Kranz German | Define German at Dictionary.com german adjective 1. having the same father and mother, as a full brother or sister (usually used in combination): a brother-german. 2. born of the brother or sister of one's father or mother, as a first cousin (usually used in combination): a cousin-german. 1250-1300; Middle English germain < Old French < Latin germānus, derivative of germen; see germ German of or relating to Germany , its inhabitants, or their language. noun a native or inhabitant of Germany. 3. a descendant of a native of Germany. 4. Also called High German. an Indo-European language that is based on a High German dialect, is official in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, and is also widely used as an international language for scholarship and science. Abbreviation: G, G. Linguistics. any variety of West Germanic speech native to Germany, Austria, or Switzerland. 6. (usually lowercase) an elaborate social dance resembling a cotillion. 7.

(lowercase) New England and South Atlantic States. a dancing party featuring the german. Origin 1520-30; < Latin Germānus German; cognate with Greek Germanoí (plural) Related forms Examples from the Web for german Expand Contemporary Examples He was a beefy figure who never quite lost his german accent despite living all his adult life in the United States. Gypsy Flight Roy J. Snell My parents took me abroad, and I sampled a german university. British Dictionary definitions for german Expand (US) a dance consisting of complicated figures and changes of partners Word Origin C19: shortened from German cotillion german2 (used in combination) having the same parents as oneself: a brother-german having a parent that is a brother or sister of either of one's own parents: cousin-german 2. a less common word for germane Word Origin C14: via Old French germain, from Latin germānus of the same race, from germen sprout, offshoot German noun 1. the official language of Germany and Austria and one of the official languages of Switzerland; the native language of approximately 100 million people.

It is an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch, closely related to English and Dutch. There is considerable diversity of dialects; modern standard German is a development of Old High German, influenced by Martin Luther's translation of the Bible See also High German , Low German 2. a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Germany 3. a person whose native language is German: Swiss Germans, Volga Germans adjective denoting, relating to, or using the German language 5. relating to, denoting, or characteristic of any German state or its people related Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 Word Origin and History for german Expand adj.

"of the same parents or grandparents," c.1300, from Old French germain "closely related" (12c.), from Latin germanus "full, own (of brothers and sisters); one's own brother; genuine, real," related to germen (genitive germinis) "sprout, bud," dissimilated from PIE *gen(e)-men-, from root *gene- "to give birth, beget" (see genus ). Your cousin-german (also first cousin) is the son or daughter of an uncle or aunt; your children and your first cousin's are second cousins to one another; to you, your first cousin's children are first cousin once removed. German n. "Teuton, member of the Germanic tribes," 1520s (plural Germayns attested from late 14c.), from Latin Germanus, first attested in writings of Julius Caesar, who used Germani to designate a group of tribes in northeastern Gaul, origin unknown, probably the name of an individual tribe. It is perhaps of Gaulish (Celtic) origin, perhaps originally meaning "noisy" (cf.

Old Irish garim "to shout") or "neighbor" (cf. Old Irish gair "neighbor"). The earlier English word was Almain (early 14c.) or Dutch. Þe empere passede from þe Grees to þe Frenschemen and to þe Germans, þat beeþ Almayns. [John of Trevisa, translation of Higdon's Polychronicon, 1387] Their name for themselves was the root word of modern German Deutsch (see Dutch ). Roman writers also used Teutoni as a German tribal name, and Latin writers after about 875 commonly refer to the German language as teutonicus. See also Alemanni and Teutonic . As an adjective, from 1550s. The German shepherd (dog) (1922) translates German deutscher Schäferhund. German Ocean as an old name for the North Sea translates Ptolemy. German measles attested by 1856.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper Expand human language \j*r'mn\ A human language written (in latin alphabet) and spoken in Germany, Austria and parts of Switzerland. German writing normally uses four non- ASCII characters: "äöüß", the first three have "umlauts" (two dots over the top): A O and U and the last is a double-S ("scharfes S") which looks like the Greek letter beta (except in capitalised words where it should be written "SS"). These can be written in ASCII in several ways, the most common are ae, oe ue AE OE UE ss or sz and the TeX versions "a "o "u "A "O "U "s. Usenet newsgroup: news:soc.culture.german. (ftp://src.doc.ic.ac.uk/usenet/news-info/soc.answers/german-faq), (ftp://alice.fmi.uni-passau.de/pub/dictionaries/german.dat.Z). (1995-03-31) Most Frequent German Words in Speech and Writing By Hyde Flippo Updated August 08, 2016. What German words will you encounter most frequently?

The answer depends on whether they are in conversation or in reading material. It's valuable to note what words are the most common, although they may not help you as much as you might think. They include many pronouns, articles, prepositions and common verbs. Those are probably not enough to understand what someone is trying to tell you. Top 30 Most Frequent Words in Spoken German The 30 words ranked here for spoken German are excerpted from the Rangwörterbuch hochdeutscher Umgangssprache by Hans-Heinrich Wängler (N.G. Elwert, Marburg, 1963). The words are ranked by frequency of use in everyday, spoken German. Top 30 Words - Spoken German Ranked by Frequency of Use in German Speaking Vocabulary Source: Word Frequencies (TU Wien) A few observations about the Top 30 Spoken German Words: In this list of the top 30 spoken German words, there are no nouns, but lots of pronouns and articles. Prepositions are important in spoken (and reading) German.

In the top 30 spoken words, there are three prepositions (all dative or dual): mit, in, and zu. The rank for spoken words can vary greatly from that for reading vocabulary. Examples: ich (spoken 1 / reading 51), ist (4/12), da (15/75), doch (28/69). All the top 30 words are "small words." None has more than five letters; most have only two or three! Zipf's Law seems to hold true: There is an inverse relationship between the length of a word and its frequency. The Top 100 German Words Ranked by Frequency in Reading Material The words ranked here are taken from German newspapers, magazines and other online publications in German. A similar ranking for spoken German would be quite different.

Although it is based on it, unlike the word frequency compilation from the Universität Leipzig, this edited top 100 list of the most common German words in print eliminates duplicates (dass/daß, der/Der) and considers conjugated verb forms as a single verb (i.e., ist represents all forms of sein, "to be") to arrive at the 100 most common German words you should know (for reading). However, most personal pronouns have their various forms listed separately. For example, the first-person singular forms ich, mich, mir are listed as separate words, each with its own rank. Alternative forms of other words (in parentheses) are listed in order of occurrence. The ranking below is based on the University of Leipzig compilation as of 8 Jan. 2001. Top 100 German Words Stand vom 8. Jan. 2001 A few observations about the Top 100 German Words: In this edited list of the Top 100 German Words, there are only 11 nouns (in ranked order): Prozent, Mark (Euro), Jahr/Jahren, Uhr, Millionen, Mensch/Menschen, Deutschland, Ende, Zeit, Stadt, Berlin.

These nouns reflect common news and business content in German-language periodicals. Since several simple past tense forms (Imperfekt, war, wurde, sagte) appear in the top 100, it might be better to introduce the past tense earlier in German instruction/learning. In German reading material, the simple past is used more than in conversation. Zipf's Law seems to hold true: There is an inverse relationship between the length of a word and its frequency. The most frequent words are monosyllabic. The longer the word, the less it's used, and vice versa. Germany - definition of Germany by The Free Dictionary Germany - definition of Germany by The Free Dictionary Ger·ma·ny (jûr′mə-nē) A country of north-central Europe. Occupied since c. 500 bc by Germanic tribes, the region became part of the Frankish empire by the sixth century ad. Later it became a loose federation of principalities and the nucleus of the Holy Roman Empire until the imperial state was broken up by Napoleon in 1806. Germany became a confederation after 1815 and then an empire centered around Prussia (1871-1918).

Following its defeat in World War I, it was reorganized as the Weimar Republic, which collapsed when Adolf Hitler rose to power and formed the Third Reich. Germany's defeat in 1945 at the end of World War II resulted in its division into four occupation zones, each controlled by an Allied power. Out of the US, French, and British zones West Germany was established in 1949, while the Soviet zone became East Germany. The two Germanies were reunified in 1990 after the fall of the East German Communist government. Berlin is the capital and largest city.

Germany (ˈdʒɜːmənɪ) n (Placename) a country in central Europe: in the Middle Ages the centre of the Holy Roman Empire; dissolved into numerous principalities; united under the leadership of Prussia in 1871 after the Franco-Prussian War; became a republic with reduced size in 1919 after being defeated in World War I; under the dictatorship of Hitler from 1933 to 1945; defeated in World War II and divided by the Allied Powers into four zones, which became established as East and West Germany in the late 1940s; reunified in 1990: a member of the European Union. It is flat and low-lying in the north with plateaus and uplands (including the Black Forest and the Bavarian Alps) in the centre and south. Official language: German. Religion: Christianity, Protestant majority. Currency: euro. Capital: Berlin. Pop: 81 147 265 (2013 est). Area: 357 041 sq km (137 825 sq miles).

German name: Deutschland Official name: Federal Republic of Germany See also East Germany , West Germany Ger•ma•ny (ˈdʒɜr mə ni) n. a republic in central Europe: after World War II divided into four zones, British, French, U.S., and Soviet, and in 1949 into East Germany and West Germany; East and West Germany were reunited in 1990. 83,087,361; 137,852 sq. mi. (357,039 sq. km). Cap.: Berlin. Official name, Federal Republic of Germany. German Deutschland. Germany 1. anything typical or characteristic of the Teutons or Germans, as customs, attitudes, actions, etc. 2. Germanism. Noun 1.

Germany - a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990 Deutschland , FRG , Federal Republic of Germany Oktoberfest - an autumn festival that involves merrymaking and drinking beer Blenheim - the First Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene of Savoy defeated the French in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession Battle of Jena , Jena - the battle in 1806 in which Napoleon decisively defeated the Prussians battle of Lutzen , Lutzen - a battle in the Thirty Years' War (1632); Swedes under Gustavus Adolphus defeated the Holy Roman Empire under Wallenstein; Gustavus Adolphus was killed battle of Minden , Minden - a battle in the Seven Years' War (1759) in which the English forces and their allies defeated the French battle of Rossbach , Rossbach - a battle in the Seven Years' War (1757); Prussian forces under Frederick the Great defeated the armies of France and Austria battle of Teutoburger Wald , Teutoburger Wald - a battle in 9 AD in which the Germans under Arminius

 annihilated three Roman Legions Buchenwald - a Nazi concentration camp for Jews in World War II that was located in central Germany Dachau - a concentration camp for Jews created by the Nazis near Munich in southern Germany panzer - an armored vehicle or tank Siegfried line - German fortifications facing the Maginot Line Hakenkreuz , swastika - the official emblem of the Nazi Party and the Third Reich; a cross with the arms bent at right angles in a clockwise direction German language , High German , German - the standard German language; developed historically from West Germanic Schadenfreude - delight in another person's misfortune Weissbier , wheat beer , white beer - a general name for beers made from wheat by top fermentation; usually very pale and cloudy and effervescent liebfraumilch - a sweetened Rhenish wine (especially one from Hesse in western Germany) Norse mythology - the mythology of Scandinavia (shared in part by Britain and Germany) until the establishment of Christianity Al Tawhid , al-Tawhid , Divine Unity - an Islamic terrorist cell that originated in Jordan but operates in Germany; goal is to attack Europe and Russia with chemical weapons Baader Meinhof Gang , Baader-Meinh

of Gang - a radical left-wing revolutionary terrorist group active in Germany from 1968 until 1977 Association of Islamic Groups and Communities , Caliphate State , Kaplan Group - a Turkish terrorist group of fundamentalist Muslims with ties to al-Qaeda that operates in Germany; seeks the violent overthrow of the Turkish government and the establishment of an Islamic nation modeled on Iran Red Army Faction , RAF - a Marxist and Maoist terrorist organization in Germany; a network of underground guerillas who committed acts of violence in the service of the class struggle; a successor to the Baader-Meinhof Gang; became one of Europe's most feared terrorist groups; disbanded in 1998 Common Market , EC , EEC , European Community , European Economic Community , European Union , EU , Europe - an international organization of European countries formed after World War II to reduce trade barriers and increase cooperation among its members; "he tried to take Britain into the Europen Union" NATO , North Atlantic Treaty Organization - an international organization created in 1949 by the North Atlantic Treaty for purposes of collective security Pietism - 17th and 18th-century German movement in the Lutheran Church stressing personal piety and devotion Lower Saxony - a state

 in northwestern Germany Aachen , Aix-la-Chapelle , Aken - a city in western Germany near the Dutch and Belgian borders; formerly it was Charlemagne's northern capital Berlin , German capital - capital of Germany located in eastern Germany Bremen - a city of northwestern Germany linked by the Weser River to the port of Bremerhaven and the North Sea; in the Middle Ages it was a leading member of the Hanseatic League Bremerhaven - a port city in northwestern Germany at the mouth of the Weser River on the North Sea; has a deep natural harbor and is an important shipping center Chemnitz , Karl-Marx-Stadt - a city in east central Germany; formerly called Karl-Marx-Stadt until 1990; noted for textile manufacturing Dortmund - an industrial city in northwestern Germany; flourished from the 13th to 17th century as a member of the Hanseatic League Dresden - a city in southeastern Germany on the Elbe River; it was almost totally destroyed by British air raids in 1945 Leipzig - a city in southeastern Germany famous for fairs; formerly a music and publishing center Solingen - a city in west central Germany noted for cutlery We

imar - a German city near Leipzig; scene of the adoption in 1919 of the constitution of the Weimar Republic that lasted until 1933 Bavaria - a state in southern Germany famous for its beer; site of an automobile factory Germany The History and Origins of German | Pimsleur Approach™ You are here: Home » Language Learning Resources » German Learning Resources » Articles » A Guide to German Word Origins SHARE History of the German Language German is one of the world's most-spoken languages, with roughly 118 million speakers, including native and second-language speakers.

It's also one of the most commonly spoken languages in the European Union. This is due in large part to the fact that German is the official language in seven countries, among them Germany, Austria and Belgium. In addition, it's a recognized secondary language in another ten countries. Approximately two million residents of the United States speak German, or a dialect of it, and these numbers continue to grow. With so many people speaking German, it makes sense to pursue it as an option when thinking of learning a second language. If you learn German , you stand a better chance of being able to communicate with a large and growing portion of the world's population. How did German grow to be so widely spoken? What are its origins, and where is it headed? German Language Origin The German language has a long and tumultuous history and is one of the oldest languages in Europe. Linguistic German history dates back to at least the 6th century AD. It wasn't always the German language we're familiar with today, though. German has its roots in Old Saxon, the language spoken by the Saxon people, a group of Germanic tribes.

Sometime between the 3rd and 5th centuries AD, a phenomenon took place called the High German consonant shift. This was a change in sound (pronunciation) that took place in several phases, changing the language from the West Germanic dialect of Old Saxon to a new language–Old High German. The shift from Germanic dialect to the Old High German language lasted until approximately the mid-9th century AD. It wasn't until the early 1500s that another German history change came about, when Martin Luther translated the Bible. For his translation, he used another form of German, called Middle High German, which was based on different dialects than Old High German. The Catholic Church rejected this translation of the Bible, and created their own standard version based on yet other dialects from other regions of Germany. At the time, the country was divided into several independent states, each with its own German culture and its own dialects. There was no standard language accepted throughout the nation. Many German writers tried to bring about a standardization of the German language in order for more people to understand their work, but this would not occur for nearly 300 years.

German History It wasn't until about 1800 that standard German became an accepted written form of the language for government communications. Over the next 100 years, the standard German language spread throughout the country. More and more townspeople began to speak it, and it became the language of choice for the written word. From 1852 to 1860, the Brothers Grimm wrote and released a 16-part German dictionary. To this day, it remains the most comprehensive dictionary of the German language. Also in 1860, grammatical and orthographic (spelling and writing) rules were published in the Duden Handbook, and in 1901, this was declared the definitive guide to the standard German language. German Language Today The standards set out in the Duden Handbook remained in place for nearly 100 years when German history changed again under the German orthography reform of 1996 (Rechtschreibreform in German). In July of that year, the governments of several German-speaking countries such as Germany, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein, signed an agreement in Vienna, Rechtschreibreform.

The agreement laid out a plan to change German spelling rules to simplify the language and make it easier to learn. At the same time, the agreement recognized that the language rules could not change substantially, so that the German people using the language at that time would not be required to relearn it. The reform plan met with a great deal of controversy and resistance by many German people, with some states seeing it as a threat to German culture and refusing to adopt it, resulting in court intervention. The Federal Constitutional Court of Germany stated in 1998 that general orthography could not be governed; citizens could continue to write and spell German the way they always had. However, the court also ruled that the government was able to enforce the reform in schools and public administration. After the reform was put in place, Germany went through an eight-year transition for implementation in schools. During that period, many media outlets also underwent the transition. However, some major newspapers and magazines and some well-known writers continued to refuse to adopt the new rules.

At the end of this transition period, the Council for German Orthography voted unanimously in 2006 to remove the reform changes that had caused the most controversy, which appeased many of the media organizations that had opposed the reform in its former iteration. This major change to the reform was put in place just before the new school year began. The following year, some traditional German spellings were finally phased out of the language. One notable difference to come from this reform was the abandonment of the ligature ß, which had previously taken the place of ss in some words. The ligature can still be seen in use from time to time, but not nearly as frequently as it was prior to 1996. While things seem to have calmed down for the time being, few languages have undergone so many changes in such a relatively short period of time as the German language. It is truly a living and vibrant language, mirroring the hardy German people who have lived through strife, preserved their German culture, and emerged as a country that is a stable and important member of the global community. Being able to more thoroughly understand these people, their history, and their culture, are but a few of the many benefits of learning German .

Do you know of a resource that should be added to this list? E-mail us and let us know! ________________________ SHARE ________________________ German - definition of German by The Free Dictionary German - definition of German by The Free Dictionary 1. Of, relating to, or characteristic of Germany or its people. 2. Of or relating to the German language. n. a. A native or inhabitant of Germany. b. A person of German ancestry. 2. Any of the West Germanic languages and dialects spoken or originating in Germany, Austria, or Switzerland, especially standard High German. [Middle English, from Latin Germānus.] ger·man 1 1. An intricate dance for many couples. 2. A party for dancing at which this dance is featured. [Short for German cotillion.] (jûr′mən) adj. Having the same parents or the same grandparents on either the mother's or the father's side. Often used in combination: a cousin-german; a brother-german.

[Middle English germain, from Old French, from Latin germānus, from germen, offshoot; see genə- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] german (Dancing) US a dance consisting of complicated figures and changes of partners [C19: shortened from German cotillion] german 1. (Genetics) (used in combination) a. having the same parents as oneself: a brother-german. b. having a parent that is a brother or sister of either of one's own parents: cousin-german. 2. a less common word for germane [C14: via Old French germain, from Latin germānus of the same race, from germen sprout, offshoot] German (ˈdʒɜːmən) n 1. (Languages) the official language of Germany and Austria and one of the official languages of Switzerland; the native language of approximately 100 million people. It is an Indo-European language belonging to the West Germanic branch, closely related to English and Dutch. There is considerable diversity of dialects; modern standard German is a development of Old High German, influenced by Martin Luther's translation of the Bible.

See also High German , Low German 2. (Peoples) a native, inhabitant, or citizen of Germany 3. (Peoples) a person whose native language is German: Swiss Germans; Volga Germans. 4. (Languages) a person whose native language is German: Swiss Germans; Volga Germans. adj 5. (Languages) denoting, relating to, or using the German language 6. (Placename) relating to, denoting, or characteristic of any German state or its people 7. (Peoples) relating to, denoting, or characteristic of any German state or its people ger•man (ˈdʒɜr mən) adj. 1. having the same father and mother, as a full brother or sister (usu. used in combination): a brother-german. 2. born of the brother or sister of one's father or mother, as a first cousin (usu. used in combination): a cousin-german. [1250–1300; Middle English germain < Old French < Latin germānus, derivative of germen; see germ ] Ger•man n. 1. a native or inhabitant of Germany. 2.

the West Germanic language of Germany, Austria, and most of Switzerland, historically comprising a broad range of dialects. Abbr.: G Compare High German , Low German. 3. (usu. l.c.) an elaborate social dance resembling a cotillion. 4. (l.c.) New England and South Atlantic States. a dancing party featuring the german. adj. 5. of or pertaining to Germany, its inhabitants, or their language. [1520–30; < Latin Germānus German; c. Greek Germanoí (pl.)] ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend: 1.

German - a person of German nationality Deutschland , FRG , Germany , Federal Republic of Germany - a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990 European - a native or inhabitant of Europe Teuton - someone (especially a German) who speaks a Germanic language East German - a native or inhabitant of the former republic of East Germany Boche , Jerry , Kraut , Krauthead , Hun - offensive term for a person of German descent Berliner - an inhabitant of Berlin Prussian - a German inhabitant of Prussia Bavarian - a native or an inhabitant of Bavaria 2.

Frau - a German courtesy title or form of address for an adult woman Fraulein - a German courtesy title or form of address for an unmarried woman Herr - a German courtesy title or form of address for a man Middle High German - High German from 1100 to 1500 Yiddish - a dialect of High German including some Hebrew and other words; spoken in Europe as a vernacular by many Jews; written in the Hebrew script Pennsylvania Dutch - a dialect of High German spoken in parts of Pennsylvania and Maryland Deutschland , FRG , Germany , Federal Republic of Germany - a republic in central Europe; split into East Germany and West Germany after World War II and reunited in 1990 Adj. 1. German - of or pertaining to or characteristic of Germany or its people or language; "German philosophers"; "German universities"; "German literature" German C.

CPD German Democratic Republic N (Hist) → República f Democrática Alemana German measles N → rubeola f, rubéola f German shepherd (dog) N → pastor m alemán , perro m lobo German the German Democratic Republic → la République démocratique allemande German adj → deutsch ; he is German → er ist Deutscher ; she is German → sie ist Deutsche n (= person) → Deutsche (r) mf; the Germans → die Deutschen (Ling) → Deutsch nt; German lessons → Deutschunterricht m; in German → auf Deutsch ; to speak German → Deutsch sprechen German adj → deutschsprachig ; German Switzerland → die deutschsprachige Schweiz , die Deutschschweiz German text, German type n (Typ) → Fraktur f, → Frakturschrift f German b. (language) → tedesco german Want to thank TFD for its existence? Tell a friend about us , add a link to this page, or visit the webmaster's page for free fun content . Link to this page: GDR References in classic literature ? Yes, she makes me think of the German girls, she looks so fresh and quiet, and dances like a lady.

View in context In answer to this query, a rumour gained ground -- and however absurd, was entertained by some very sensible people -- that Heaven had wrought an absolute miracle, by transporting an eminent Doctor of Physic from a German university bodily through the air and setting him down at the door of Mr. View in context Some say that the place was bewitched by a High German doctor, during the early days of the settlement; others, that an old Indian chief, the prophet or wizard of his tribe, held his powwows there before the country was discovered by Master Hendrick Hudson. View in context I was gradually coming to have a mysterious and shuddery reverence for this girl; nowadays whenever she pulled out from the station and got her train fairly started on one of those horizonless transcontinental sentences of hers, it was borne in upon me that I was standing in the awful presence of the Mother of the German Language.

View in context Cathy is a sufficiently good little scholar, for her nine years; her mother taught her Spanish herself, and kept it always fresh upon her ear and her tongue by hardly ever speaking with her in any other tongue; her father was her English teacher, and talked with her in that language almost exclusively; French has been her everyday speech for more than seven years among her playmates here; she has a good working use of governess - German and Italian. Germany drops its longest word: Rindfleischeti... - Telegraph Germany Germany drops its longest word: Rindfleischeti... Germany's longest word - Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz - a 63-letter long title of a law regulating the testing of beef, has officially ceased to exist.

Germany's longest word - Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz refers to the 'law for the delegation of monitoring beef labelling' Photo: ALAMY Comments The word - which refers to the "law for the delegation of monitoring beef labelling", has been repealed by a regional parliament after the EU lifted a recommendation to carry out BSE tests on healthy cattle. German is famous for its compound nouns, which frequently become so cumbersome they have to be reduced to abbreviations. The beef labelling law, introduced in 1999 to protect consumers from BSE, was commonly transcribed as the "RkReÜAÜG", but even everyday words are shortened to initials so Lastkraftwagen - lorry - becomes Lkw. Professor Anatol Stefanowitsch, a linguistics expert at the Free University of Berlin, told the German news agency dpa that the beef labelling law was the longest "authentic" word in the German language.

The law was considered a legitimate word by linguists because it appears in official texts, but it never actually appeared in the dictionaries, because compilers of the standard German dictionary Duden judge words for inclusion based on their frequency of use. Related Articles Scrabble: 60 facts for its 60th birthday 15 Dec 2008 The longest word with a dictionary entry, according to Duden is at 36 letters, Kraftfahrzeug-Haftpflichtversicherung, motor vehicle liability insurance. However a 39-letter word, Rechtsschutzversicherungsgesellschaften, insurance companies providing legal protection, is considered the longest German word in everyday use by the Guinness Book of World Records. In theory, a German word can be infinitely long. Unlike in English, an extra concept can simply be added to the existing word indefinitely. Such extended words are sometimes known as Bandwurmwörter - "tapeworm words".

In an essay on the Germany language, Mark Twain observed: "Some German words are so long that they have a perspective." The Teutonic fondness for sticking nouns together has resulted in other famous tongue-twisters such as: Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän - Danube steamship company captain - which clocks in at 42 letters. It has become a parlour game to lengthen the steamship captain's name, by creating new words such as Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitänswitwe, the captain's widow. And, Donaudampfschifffahrtskapitänsmütze - the captain's hat. At 80 letters, the longest word ever composed in German is Donaudampfschifffahrtselektrizitätenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft, the "Association for Subordinate Officials of the Head Office Management of the Danube Steamboat Electrical Services". The longest word in the Oxford Dictionary of English is pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis - at 45 letters.

Its definition is "an artificial long word said to mean a lung disease casued by inhaling very fine ash and sand dust. The longest word to be found in Britain is the Welsh place name Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch.

Question: What is the German word for Germany?
Answer: Deutschland