![]() ![]() Das Kostüm / Die Verkleidung (The costume) ![]() The name “jack o’lantern” and the practice of decorating candle-lit pumpkins derives from an Irish folktale and there isn’t a unique German word for it.ĭer Halloweenkürbis literally just means “Halloween pumpkin.” There are actually a number of pumpkin-carving events in the German-speaking world, a popular one being the Kürbisfest in Retzer Land near Vienna. Der Jack O’Lantern / Der Halloweenkürbis (The jack o’lantern) Einritzen means “to carve,” and that’s exactly the first thing one does in order to make room inside for the Kerze (candle) that will ultimately transform your pumpkin into a functioning Kürbislaterne (pumpkin lantern). No Halloween is complete without lots of Kürbisse (pumpkins). Mischievous in nature, they’re also said to have been bestowed with magisch (magical) powers. These ghastly creatures date back to the European Middle Ages, with tales of their deeds sprinkled throughout folkloric history. The tale is a disturbing one and the perfect addition to any Halloween party. “The Werewolf of Bedburg” is the story of Peter Stubbe, a German man accused of being a werewolf back in the 16th century. Teufel noch mal, for example, means “dammit.” Was zum Teufel means “what the hell?” Pfui Teufel! is “ugh, disgusting!” 17. The word Teufel mixes well with other words in the German language to express some form of outrage, concern or alarm. The noun Vogel means “bird” and the verb scheuchen means “to shoo”-exactly the intention of a scarecrow. Known to only come out at Nacht (night), suck your Blut (blood) and take shelter from the sunlight in a Sarg (coffin), the V ampir is the quintessential Halloween scare. Going back to the ancient roots of “All Hallows Eve” and its remembrance of the dead, skeletons allow for an easy association with modern-day Halloween. Designers across the globe have transformed this classic symbol into the latest “it” thing. The skull and crossbones appear to have transcended Halloween. This word dates back to the time of the ancient Greeks and represents the idea of a “divine being.” History, however, saw rise to the word being associated with all things evil, hence its place in the Halloween we now celebrate. Just like in English, it sounds a lot like “mommy,” but this is definitely not something you want kissing you goodnight at bedtime. Die Hexe (The witch)įour hundred years ago, the Germans were in the midst of witch hunt frenzy, which saw many men and women accused of casting Zaubersprüche (magic spells), riding around on a Besen (broom) and turning themselves into a schwarze Katze (black cat). Die Fledermaus (The bat)Ī nocturnal Blutsauger (bloodsucker). Der Ghul (The ghoul)Īnother frightening addition to any and all Halloween experiences. Remember those Zombies we mentioned earlier? To remember this one, imagine that a Grabstein is what they’re knocking over and out of the way in their quest to get their hands on (grab) you! 6. ![]() Geister (ghosts) is simply the plural form of Geist, and Haus (house) is one of those great cognates easily committed to memory. Das Geisterhaus (The haunted house)Īn easy and important compound word to add to your Halloween vocabulary list. While the hope in taking such a trip is that the Toten (dead) stay dead and buried, scary movies have proven time and time again that Halloween is the perfect time of year for a Zombie (zombie) invasion. No Halloween is considered fully realized without a visit to the local cemetery. The single most important word for any self-respecting Geist (ghost) to commit to memory and use with frequency during the Halloween season. Note that the origins of the word “Halloween” date back to the 8th century, when October 31st was called “All Hallows Eve,” which then morphed into “Hallow Evening” and, well… I think you get the picture. This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that youĬlick here to get a copy.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |