Avoiding correct words

[Jamie (K)]

Many languages have words that people think are English, but are not. For example, many Germans think that their word for cellphone -- handy -- is English. Well, technically it is an English word, but people in the English-speaking countries never call their mobile phone a handy. It's a phony "English" term that was made up by Germans. Handy means something very different from cellphone.

A similar word is mobbing. In many countries people use this word to mean harassment, but in the English-speaking countries it means something quite different. I think the "Euro-English" version of the word was made up in Sweden. French and other languages have their own strange words that people think are English.

When people's English knowledge goes one step higher, they find out that these words are not really English, and they avoid them.

However, some people go a step further and avoid words that we really use! Today I saw a German girl trying not to say laptop, because she thought it was Germlish. But it really is English!

[Alan]

Hi,

On a point of interest mobbing is used in a sort of technical way to describe an activity carried out by birds. This happens when a larger bird will deliberately irritate another bird or birds by appearing to attack it but the main purpose is to annoy or upset.

Alan
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[Torsten]

Hi Jamie,

You are right, there are a lot of English words that German speakers attach a different meaning to. For example, many Germans use the word steward or stewardess when talking about a flight attendant or fitness studio when referring to a gym or healthclub.
Interestingly enough, I know quite a few American ESL teachers who have been working in Germany for a couple of years and they would sometimes say You can call my on my handy. Seems they have given in to the German way of using this word...
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[Yankee]

Hi Torsten

Do you see a problem with using the word "stewardess" to mean "(a female) flight attendant" in English? For me the word "flight attendant" is simply a newer expression --- which can be used for both men and women who do this type of job.

I've also heard native speakers who have been in Germany for a while use the word "Handy". Another German word that Americans (in Germany) tend to incorporate into English sentences is the word "Schrank" when talking about a place where you put clothes. I assume this is because in the US we have "closets" for this. And US-style closets (i.e. built in) are practically nonexistent in Germany.

I once had a British neighbor (here in Germany) who always referred to the "security deposit" for his apartment as a "caution" (although he was supposedly speaking English).

Amy

[Torsten]

[Yankee]

[Jamie (K)]

[Jamie (K)]

[Torsten]

Hi Jamie,

What about the word waitress? Would those politically correct people say 'woman waiter' instead?
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Test Of English for International Communication
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[Jamie (K)]