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The latest edition of the Duden dictionary, the most influential in Germany,
lists too many words originating from English, the chairman of a language watchdog
organization has said.
“Among the new words in the updated edition are expressions like downloaden,
Wellness, chatten, backstage, smiley and Trash—none of which should not
[sic] be included in a German dictionary,” Professor Walter Krämer of the
Association for the German Language lamented in an interview with the German news agency
dpa.
Professor Krämer claimed that by carelessly listing English words, editors of the
Duden dictionary violate their duty to supervise the development of the language:
instead, they merely record words that are used in German, he said. “By documenting
every worded spit, regardless of whose mouth it comes from, the new Duden is in
part responsible that German is losing its richness,” Mr. Krämer said.
He accused the dictionary’s editors of handing responsibility for the
development of German over to “advertising and cyber geeks” because they
revert to being mere monitors of the language. Due to the normative influence of the
Duden, however, its editors must not shirk responsibility, he said. (Münster,
dpa)
From the newspaper, Frankfurter Allegemeine Zeitung, (FAZ),
page 2; August 2, 2000.
Each of us should use only words and phrases that are appropriate, fit, suitable, and
proper. The appropriateness of language is determined by the subject being discussed, the
place where talk is taking place, and the identity and relationship of the speaker and
the listener.
All of us are responsible for employing different levels of usage depending on whether
we are speaking or writing and what the occasion may be.
A word or phrase that was correct or of suitable usage a decade ago may now be
outmoded. An expression appropriate in one section of the country may be unclear and
therefore ineffective in another locality. Technical expressions used before a
specialized group of listeners may be inappropriate in general conversation.
A Short History of Language-Standard Changes
In the early decades of the Republic, many Americans patriotically supported the
home-grown version of the language against the language of the vanquished British
oppressors. There were proposals for a Federal English—Noah Webster was one of the
first proponents of the movement—and for the establishment of an American academy
to promote and regulate the language; even John Adams made such a proposal.
The British, for their part, were not amused by the presumption of former colonials.
Americanisms had been viewed askance as early as 1735, but the frequency and the ferocity
of denunciation markedly increased in the 19th century, as British travelers, some of
them literary folk, visited the United States and returned to England to publish books of
their travels, almost always disparaging in tone. They seldom failed to work in a few
criticisms of the language as well as the uncouth character and manners of Americans.
British reviewers, too, were outspoken in their denunciation of things American, and
especially Americanisms.
Looking back from the late 1980s we find that the 1920s and 1930s were times of
considerable interest in the examination and testing of attitudes and beliefs about
American-English usage and in a rationalization of the content and methods of school
grammar. Some books took traditional-prescriptive positions about many specific issues;
however, there were also strong opinions that actual usage, both historical and
contemporary, must be considered carefully in reaching usage opinions.
The main consideration is that we should be aware of which words are appropriate when
we are trying to express ourselves in any situation. Above all, we need to know which
meanings of words are considered acceptable or preferred; so we don’t
use them in confusing or generally unacceptable ways.
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