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Sorry, it is new to me that this is not known in Germany. Even at the end of WWII it was an insult and an intended one. It stung then and it stings now.
There are counter insults which Americans did not and do not understand even the educated ones speaking Germany. Especially dialects leave a whole realm of interpretation
I would say that a guest visiting foreign country should never do any name calling, behave obnoxious or demanding. Or expect everyone to speak English. It's just rude!
I don't plan on going there anytime soon, however, I really respect their work ethic, high productivity and discipline. But I just wondered if I went there and just off-handedly referred to them as 'Krauts' if they would take that as derogatory.
It's starting to die out as are a lot of other name calling and sterotypes, the Germans as well as Krauts were were also known as the Boche, the Hun and of course Fritz or Jerry, the Germans were also described as sausage gobblers or sausage muchers sometimes, as in the sausage muching Boche or those miserable sausage gobblers have beaten us again on penalties.
There are lots of derogatory terms for nations, the Germans themselves used to call Britons, Inselaffe which means Island Apes, the French who we have a long history of petty naming claing with, sometimes use the terms Rosbif/Rosbeef/Bife which means roast beef. Some Australians still use the Pom or more specifically whinging pom, and the Americans used limey.
Most nations have derogatory terms aimed at them, and to be honest most aren't that bothered or have equally petty names for other nations. Indeed it's all rather childish and juvenile when you think about it.
Last edited by Brave New World; 07-16-2019 at 05:44 AM..
Because these are hilarious. Try these out instead.
Hilarious? A needle pointed insult can be a slightly variance in pronunciation of a single word; a common gesture. The recipient will not understand unless he/she is in the know and getting there especially when it involves local dialects and customs is close to impossible. There is more to a language than words in a dictionary
Hilarious? A needle pointed insult can be a slightly variance in pronunciation of a single word; a common gesture. The recipient will not understand unless he/she is in the know and getting there especially when it involves local dialects and customs is close to impossible. There is more to a language than words in a dictionary
I guess the fact that I directed this at the OP, who is considering calling Germans Krauts to their face, is lost on some people.
Don't worry, I won't be utilizing these terms when I go back to Germany on vacation. That being said, I have found Germans to have a great sense of humor, and to be wryly accommodating when I try to speak their language, and basically butcher it. I like Germans and I like that whenever I start trying to speak to them in German, the vast majority of them get a pained look on their face, a little smile, and then just start speaking to me in English.
Pretty sure I've inadvertently used an incorrect word or even gesture in Germany but thankfully the Germans didn't hold it against me. But then, I've also never tried to insult anyone in their language either.
I WAS called a "stupidische Amerikaner" one time by some old German lady when I didn't hold a bathroom stall door open for her and she had to pay to use the toilet. But I got over it.
I haven't heard the term "Kraut" since the last 1950's or 1960's WWII movie I saw, or an old episode of McHale's Navy where they called the Japanese "Japs" or "Nips", and the Germans Krauts. You don't hear the term "Limey" in the U.S. anymore either.
I haven't heard the term "Kraut" since the last 1950's or 1960's WWII movie I saw, or an old episode of McHale's Navy where they called the Japanese "Japs" or "Nips", and the Germans Krauts. You don't hear the term "Limey" in the U.S. anymore either.
Or "***."
This is a ridiculous question!
Hey, I just realized my name for Japanese people got smudged out, but you can probably guess it. Three letters.
Tell someone you love them today because life is short. But SHOUT it at them in German because life is also terrifying and confusing.
I'd like to give credit to someone for that quote but I don't know who said it first.
Even "Ich liebe dich" sounds scary when you shout it!
Anyway, the OP is trying to be inflammatory so I'm just helping him out. Survival of the fittest, Darwin Awards, all that.
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