German Professors Declare War on English Terms
The pen may be mightier than the sword, but I'm not certain the same can be said for German academics.
BERLIN (Reuters) - A group of German university professors, angered by the U.S.-British war against Iraq, have launched a campaign to replace many popular English-language words used in Germany with French terms.
Saying they are appalled by the way the United States and Britain defied the will of the United Nations and attacked Iraq, the four professors declared war on borrowed English terms in German such as "okay," "T-shirt" and "party."
They have devised French-language alternatives: "d'accord," "tricot" and "fete."
"We won't accept the United States as a role model as long as it is violating international law so this seemed to be an appropriate way to protest peacefully," Armin Burkhardt, a professor of German at Magdeburg University, told Reuters.
"We aren't trying to purify the language, we're trying send a political signal to show we're against this war which has no legal foundation," said Burkhardt, who is chairman of the group "Language in Politics" (www.sprache-in-der-politik.de).
So, what, we'll end up with the Teutonic equivalent of "Freedom Fries" and "Freedom Toast"? I wonder if it is possible to describe how little most Americans will care about such a trite and petty gesture? Hey, if it's makes you feel like you're doing something constructive, by all means proceed with the futility. Just don't expect Americans to care- or even take notice.
