Deutschlisch

Verbification

Verbs, as the ‘doing words’ of any language, are always the more fun than boring old nouns. Englischers ‘verb’ (or, as I like to say, ‘verbify’) nouns all the time, especially in slang. For example: if the police use a taser gun on someone, that person was ‘tasered’ (or ‘tased’ – as in “Don’t tase me, bro.”). We ‘microwave’ food and ‘vacuum’ the house. If you send someone a text message (SMS) you ‘text’ them or ‘message’ them.

Deutschies do it too! My German friends ‘simsen’ from their Handys all the time.

But it gets really interesting when you employ Deutschlisch. I have found myself verbifying German nouns in English sentences. How sophisticated (if I do say so myself).

You may remember the abbreviated ‘Entschuldigung’ – ‘Schuldi!’. Well, now it’s new and improved – it’s a verb! ‘To schuldi’ means to excuse oneself (usually in a crowd). So if you need to get to the front of a crowded concert, you might need to schuldi your way past the other concert goers!

And when I was schlumping around – I was verbifying as well. And I didn’t even know it! Just call me Shakespeare.