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Saturday, November 29, 2014

Serious Inroads into Austrian Culture

I am slowly getting used to the Anglicisms which creep into the German language on every level.
Someday I will make a compendium of  all the English, or English derived words used in the daily news paper.
I am actually not "getting used to it" but I am getting less amused.
Now an Anglicism has moved not into the language, but into one of the most fervently held customs:
In Austria, on Christmas Eve comes the "Christkindl", (the Christchild) and brings the presents and in many homes it also brings the Christmas tree.
On the 6th day of December St. Nikolaus visits homes and brings some small presents, like a bag of nuts, some Ginger bread etc.
At no time does Santa Claus, coming on a sled, pulled by some reindeer, sliding down a chimney, get even an honourable mention.
Just look at this, however !  


Please remember : We are in Vienna, the Capital of German speaking Austria. And yet : What do I see ?
In large red letters : Merry Christmas !
Then in smaller dark letters the German equivalent: 
Froehliche Weihnachten.
Why is there a chimney ? The Christkindl has never been known as arriving through a chimney. And then on the chimney, 
in blue Neon: HO HO HOO.
I have never heard of the Christkindl calling out HoHoHoo.
Only Santa Claus calls out HOHOHO.

Now, please move with me into the interior of St.Stephens Cathedral.
There is a little store which sells souvenirs 
of a religious nature to visitors.
The German word for Cathedral is "Dom".
St.Stephen's Cathedral in German is called the Stephans Dom.
Now we could call this little store just "Souvenirs".
But what do we call it ? "Dom - Shop".
Nowhere in any German dictionary will you find the word "Shop"
I wonder and think about it. The thought of the stronger culture overwhelming the weaker one comes to mind.
I may write about this later.

Bertstravels


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