Word of the Month: Schmierfink

Word of the Month: Index

A Schmierfink is a close relative of a Schmutzfink, whom we have already encountered (WoM Nov. 2010). Schmieren means to "smear," "daub," or "spread messily." A Schmierfink may do this literally by disfiguring a wall with graffiti or figuratively by spreading false accusations in print, like yellow journalists do.

[Source: Wild Things in the German Language: Kindle version | iBooks version]

Word of the Month: Schnapsidee

I figure, after what we went through with Sandy, a little lightheartedness is in order. Schnaps (one "p"!) is any hard liquor, and an Idee is an idea. Put the two together and you have an idea that could have originated only in an inebriated brain. It's a bad idea, but one of the less consequential kind: Trying to potty-train your cat may be a Schnapsidee, the invasion of Iraq was not—it was something much worse.

Word of the Month: Index

Word of the Month: Rabeneltern

Word of the Month: Index

Raben (plural of Rabe) are ravens and Eltern parents. In combination, they refer to parents who neglect, if not abuse, their children. If you want to refer to a bad mother or bad father individually, you can use Rabenmutter or Rabenvater, respectively.

These words are common in German, although they do give ravens an undeservedly bad rap. When one finds little ravens outside their nest before they are able to fly, it's not, as people thought, because their parents wanted to get rid of them, but because they are safer there from predatory birds like hawks. [Sick 2012]

[Source: Wild Things in the German Language: Kindle version | iBooks version]