Can you talk like a German teen? These 10 terms are among the 30 nominated to be crowned Germany's next Youth Word of the Year.
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10 expressions nominated for Germany's Youth Word of the Year 2016
Can you talk like a German teen? These 10 terms are among the 30 nominated to be crowned Germany's next Youth Word of the Year.
Image: Fotolia/cybrflower
Hopfensmoothie
Of the 30 slang terms nominated to become Germany's next Youth Word of the Year, it's not astonishing that one of them has to do with beer. But with a twist: "Hopfensmoothie" literally means "hop smoothie" in a nod to the growing popularity of superfoods, a category that typically doesn't include beer. In Germany, youths as young as 16 are permitted to drink the stuff.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/C. Stache
darthvadern
Would you feel flattered if your adolescent child called you Darth Vader? Probably not. Here, German youths have turned the Star Wars figure into a verb to use against their own fathers when they overdo their role. A typical exchange. Dad: "I give you boundaries because I'm your father!" Teen: "Stop darthvadering around, dad!"
Image: imago stock&people
Googleschreiber
A play on the word "Kugelschreiber," meaning "pen," a "Googleschreiber" is someone who types a URL rather than a key word or phrase into a Google search field. If you already know the URL, you can enter it into your browser directly, saving valuable second that could be spent on Snapchat or Facebook instead.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Dumfall
Do you often find yourself spilling on your shirt or tripping on your own feet? That's what a German teen might refer to as a "Dumfall" - an economical way of saying "dummer Unfall," or "dumb accident." Being a klutz among adolescents can be dangerous. They are all armed with smartphones and your photo can land on Instagram faster than you can say, "Give me a napkin, please."
Image: Fotolia/Jürgen Fälchle
Yologamie
Are youth today non-committal? Well, commitment, it seems, can be flexible. This word borrows from the 2012 German Youth Word of the Year, "YOLO," meaning "You only live once." The opposite of monogamy, "Yologamie" is an open relationship.
Image: Colourbox/Pressmaster
Tindergarten
When it comes to finding those multiple partners for "Yologamie" - or for those teens who prefer a traditional dating relationship - many turn to apps. A cross between "Tinder" and "Kindergarten," "Tindergarten" is your collection of online dating contacts. Since teen romances tend to be short-lived, it's always best to keep a few irons in the fire.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Kraufmann
Swaggernaut
Are you always dressed in the latest styles? Do you have a clever remark for every situation? Are you gorgeous, fun to be around, and have one million Instagram followers? Then you might just qualify as a "Swaggernaut" - a very cool person. (OMG, cool is so out!) Drawing on "swag" from the rap scene, the term's astronaut reference gives it an out-of-this-world flair.
Image: Fotolia/George Dolgikh
Tintling
We forgot to mention: If you don't have a tattoo (or several), you're obviously not a "Swaggernaut." While your tattoo artist is likely also a "Swaggernaut," he or she may be called a "Tintling." The term borrows the German word for ink: "Tinte." The ending -ling refers to a male person, often pejoratively. But, of course, you'd never want to offend your tattoo artist. Here, the -ling is ironic.
Image: Imago/N. Celaya
Tweef
With so much of teen life taking place online, it's only natural that things can sometimes get a bit heated. A "tweef" (tweet plus beef) is a fight on Twitter. While rash online disputes can get nasty, there is a certain art in restricting your anger to 140 characters.
Image: Imago/R. Peters
Analog-Spam
Ever increasing digitalization seems to have had no impact on the huge amount of junk mail we get in our real-life mailboxes. "Analog-Spam" refers to those unsolicited catalogues, letters and fliers that land in the mailbox in front of your door. But how many teens actually volunteer to get the mail at their parents' house?
Image: Fotolia/cybrflower
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Ever talked with an adolescent and felt like you were speaking a different language? Well, no matter what language you were speaking, you probably were. Youths all over the world tend to develop their own vocabulary that reflects the issues they deal with - relationships, school, parents, peer pressure - and the evolving technology they are growing up with. German teens are no different.
So how can you talk like - or at least understand - a German youth? Each year, a jury organized by Langenscheidt publishers selects a German Youth Word of the Year. Suggestions are submitted by the public and whittled down to a shortlist. Through October 31, you can vote on your favorite by visitingjugendwort.de.
We have chosen our 10 favorites from among the 30 words of the shortlist, presented in the gallery above.
The jury, comprised of professional linguists, journalists and writers, as well as actual under 20s including YouTubers and bloggers, will make the final decision, which will be announced on November 18.
Last year's German Youth Word of the Year was "Smombie" - a cross between smartphone and zombie. If you've ever run into someone who was staring at their phone instead of watching where they were going, then you've met a Smombie.