Word of the Month: Index
This compound word combines Reise (“travel, trip, journey”) and Fieber (“fever”). It denotes the excitement one may feel in anticipation of an upcoming trip. I experience this feeling right now when I think of my trip to Germany next week to visit my family in Cologne and to watch the games of the FIFA World Cup in S. Africa with soccer enthusiasts like me.
Note on pronunciation. Four distinct syllables, with the stress on the first and a secondary stress on the third syllable: RYE•sah•fee•ber. Note also the difference in the pronunciations of the "ei" and "ie"!
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3 comments:
Fieber is one word that doesn't sound at all like the Dutch one: fever is "koorts" in my language.
I know how you feel, wish I were going to be in Holland in the next 4 weeks, but I'm arriving in time for the finals! Have already planned the site, Haarlem with my sister and her husband! I'm sure she is already working on the menu.
I don't think there is an English word that sums up the excitement that comes with an anticipated trip, so once again, you've hit upon a word we need. I hope you have a lovely trip.
@mac: This is a case where I absolutely do not recognize a German word in a Dutch word--is there a derivation of "koorts" that points to some common root with a German word?
@Marlene: It occurs to me that one way to translate Reisefieber is "travel fever", which looks like a word that could make it in English...
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