Ich mache backup, du hast gedownloaded, wir sind outgesourct worden: Anglicisms, even after they have been assimilated into the German grammar and syntax, often appear out of place and seem a nuisance to many Germans, just because they break up word flow through their seemingly awkward position within the sentence, and because they often cause problems understanding them. More than two thirds of all Germans consider the advancement of foreign words annoying or even alarming, and it comes as no surprise that this number just about corresponds to the number of people who regard unchecked immigration as a threat.
German foreign word-phobia may not be an expression of notorious racism or xenophobia, but there are remarkable parallels and correlations between those two ressentiments, both concerning the time concurrency in which they peaked, and concerning reasoning and wording. In his seinem Traktat über Fremdwörter, Lutz Mackensen noted that
The loanword is a pariah to many. One eyes the other, whose color is different, one gets suspicious. His skin is not like one’s own, so he must be in an area he does not belong to. He is a troublemaker, he is a delinquent. Who accuses him protects himself.
Since the German language prevailed as a language of the vernacular as well as of science, the loanword has always been perceived as a foreign object in the body of the language: a treacherous virus infecting the pure blood of the language, a weed that threatens to poison or strangle the useful plants in a garden otherwise carefully kept. Those Metaphors are organic and therefore quite telling. More worrying, however, are the political analogies in our discussions about loanwords, for example when innocent words are close to terms from not-so-innocent times, such as in descriptions of loanwords as dirty bastards and barbarian hordes that threaten the nation.
... This essay will first outline the general functions of a loanword, then give an account of the history of German language purism between the Baroque in the 17th century and the end of the Second World War. The outlook will take a closer look at the ongoing debate about “Sprachpanscherei.”
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Loanword Functions
3. Language purism between the 17th century and the end of the Second World War
3.1. Baroque
3.2. Enlightenment
3.3. Romanticism and pre-March era
3.4. German Empire and Weimar Republic
3.5. Third Reich
4. Outlook
5. Bibliography
Objectives and Themes
This work examines the history and ideological development of language purism in Germany, analyzing how the perception of loanwords has been intertwined with national identity, politics, and xenophobia from the 17th century through the 20th century. It aims to critique the motivations behind language purification movements and evaluate the role of foreign words in language evolution.
- The historical development of German language purism
- The link between loanword-phobia and nationalist ideology
- The socio-political functions of foreign words in the German language
- Case studies of purist movements from the Baroque era to the Third Reich
- The critique of linguistic "cleansing" from a modern perspective
Excerpt from the book
3.1 Baroque
When the first German grammars and dictionaries appeared in the 16th and 17th century, German was considered a raw, unpolished vernacular full of holes, odd patches and teething problems. It had yet to find its place among the European ‘cultural languages.’ Luther’s bible translation had founded the national pride in the German language. His spadework inspired humanists to attribute an almost etheral, if not theological superiority to what was considered raw vernacular before. Balthasar Schupp’s theory that a doctor can cure a sick man in German just as successfully as in Greek or Arabic was just a logical conclusion, way more moderate than Justus Georg Schottelius’s claim that God spoke German when he created the universe.
Humanists tried farcical arguments to prove that German had been „Gottes ursprüngliches Wort:“ after all, the Babylonian confusion of tongues could be traced down to the German word “Gebrabbel.” In any case, German was considered a “Ur- und Hauptsprache” that greatly surpassed other languages in age, value and correctness.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter highlights the contemporary tension regarding Anglicisms in Germany, establishing parallels between "foreign word-phobia" and broader societal anxieties about immigration and national identity.
2. Loanword Functions: This section explores how languages evolve through interaction, arguing that foreign words serve vital roles in expression, prestige, and filling semantic gaps that native vocabulary cannot cover.
3. Language purism between the 17th century and the end of the Second World War: This major chapter traces the historical progression of purist movements, illustrating how linguistic concerns shifted from scholarly concerns to aggressive nationalistic ideologies.
3.1. Baroque: Examines the early formation of language societies that sought to "cleanse" German, driven by humanistic pride and the desire to elevate German to a superior "Ur-sprache."
3.2. Enlightenment: Discusses how Enlightenment thinkers like Leibniz and Campe framed language purity as a prerequisite for political reason, though with more philosophical nuances regarding education and national character.
3.3. Romanticism and pre-March era: Details the politicization of purism, where language purity became equated with resistance against French influence and the defense of German national autonomy.
3.4. German Empire and Weimar Republic: Analyzes the institutionalization of purism through organizations like the ADSV and the reinterpretation of "foreign" as an ideological threat, particularly post-Versailles.
3.5. Third Reich: Explores the complex relationship between Nazi ideology and language purism, noting that while purists sought "nordification," the Nazi leadership often prioritized pragmatic or cynical uses of foreign terms.
4. Outlook: This final chapter summarizes the modern rejection of extreme purism, advocating for a more tolerant, scientific approach to language change, as supported by intellectuals like Theodor W. Adorno.
5. Bibliography: A comprehensive list of primary and secondary sources documenting the history of German language purism.
Keywords
Language purism, loanwords, Anglicisms, German national identity, linguistics, linguistic history, foreign words, language societies, nationalism, xenophobia, language evolution, cultural identity, linguistic reform, Sprachgeist, Third Reich.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this publication?
The book explores the history of "language purism" in Germany, focusing on the recurrent efforts to remove foreign words from the German language from the 17th century to the modern era.
What are the primary themes discussed?
Central themes include the intersection of language and national identity, the political instrumentalization of linguistic standards, and the psychological roots of rejecting foreign linguistic influences.
What is the primary objective of this work?
The aim is to demonstrate that language purism is often a symptom of underlying socio-political anxieties rather than a purely linguistic concern, and to argue for a more organic, inclusive view of language development.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The work employs a historical-analytical approach, tracing chronological developments in language discourse and examining the socio-political context of prominent linguists and language societies.
What is covered in the main section?
The main section provides a detailed historical breakdown of how various eras—from the Baroque to the Third Reich—dealt with "foreign" elements in the German language, often with increasing ideological rigidity.
How would you characterize the work based on its keywords?
It is a critical linguistic and historical study that characterizes the German debate on loanwords as a struggle between nationalist conformism and the natural, global evolution of language.
How did the concept of "Sprachgeist" influence early purism?
It provided an ontological justification for purism, suggesting that the German language possessed a unique "spirit" that needed to be preserved from "foreign pollution" to maintain a higher level of national cognition.
Why was the Third Reich's approach to purism contradictory?
While the regime's ideology emphasized "purity," Nazi leadership, particularly Goebbels and Hitler, often rejected the amateurish, rigid attempts of purist associations to replace terms they considered useful or necessary for propaganda purposes.
What is the modern perspective on "Denglisch" presented in the book?
The book describes the modern opposition to "Denglisch" by organizations like the VDS as a continuation of older purist tendencies, often fueled by anti-Americanism and a perceived threat to German culture in a globalized world.
- Quote paper
- Silja Ruebsamen (Author), 2002, Language Purism - Perception of loanwords and foreign words, 17th to 20th century, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/189367
