this post was submitted on 30 Aug 2024
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"Zangendeutsch" means an aggressive way of removing the influence of english into the german language. But outside of ich_iel we write in english as everyone. Which is obviously a little bit weird, isn't it?
No, that's wrong. Zangendeutsch is all about English influence and playfully literal translations even when there are better German words. So you need to translate it back to English and into German again to decode it and that's the fun about it.
So is that the "Zange"? Because you need to go from the things you are holding (the information, in "German") to the hinge (the literal English translation) and back down again (actual German translation) to understand (aka grasp it)‽
I'm not sure if I understood your deduction. The literal translation of "Zange" would be "tongs", "pliers" or "pincer". Hinges are the things that make doors swing and hold to a wall right?
Multiple source say the origin of the word isn't documented but the best explanation they come up with is that pliers can be used to bend something into a different form.
My guess was it has its origin in the proverb "Das würde ich nicht mal mit der Kneifzange anfassen" which translates to "I wouldn't even touch that with pliers" as in stuff you detest that much that you rather would stay away from it.
What annoys me personally about it (to the point that i blocked the community) is that it is mandatory. That's not humor, or funny, that is weird performative scripted humor. I often felt reminded of carnival speeches.
I'd also argue that it isnt very successful in clearing anglicisms from the german vernacular when it is all about making the most incorrect and cryptic literal translation imaginable to the point that nobody could understand unless they are well versed in those anglicisms.
They’re making English a linguistic dependency for German? lol