Hegwein Family Blog

CORRECT SPELLING? WHO, ME?

We were watching last Friday the National Spelling Bee and were impressed with the knowledge displayed by youngsters from different nations and family backgrounds. Now, had the German language not existed, some of the words used in the test could not have been rendered, like URSPRACHE, HEILIGENSCHEIN and WELTSCHMERZ. A calamity.

The German language possesses luckily (?) some rather long and also hard to pronounce words for a foreigner, particularly for those from the other side of the globe. A few examples will demonstrate this situation: Korkenzieherlocken, Zwiebelkuppel, Waschbrettbaeuche, Treppenhauswitzbold, Flugzeugabwehrkanone, Einfuehlungsvermoegen. Maschinengewehrschuetze.

Of course, the English language offers also some rather formidable selections like, Eelogofusciouhipoppokunarious (very good, very fine); a meaningless bluff word, Catawampously (...local sheriff stomping into town hall and demanding to know who voted against him, ready to fight anybody in opposition to him...); Absquatulate (some sheriff leaving hurriedly...); Toidy toid and toid = 33rd and Third in Manhattan; Jalettum? Did you let him? [Also on 33rd & Third]

Use the EELOGO... above in your next letter to a friend or in an essay. Watch the reactions.

Opa in Sarasota.