A German (and Dutch) term for a computer projector, and not a slang term for a BMW car, as "Beamer" is in English. This false friend catches many Germans (and some English-speakers) out and is an eminent example of the pseudo-Anglicism, since the projector meaning utterly baffles the monolingual English-speaker. The genesis of der Beamer (genitive: des Beamers) is unknown, but many Germans remember the Star Trek catchphrase "Beam me up, Scotty," and associate it with this.
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A glossary of some of the most peculiar English-derived words in today's German language, with discussion of the subtle differences that make them dangerous for translators.
Topics
An Anglicism ...
- alters to German orthography (caps, hyphens, inflection)
- is pronounced with German vowels and consonants
- may become narrower or wider in semantic range than the English source ... Read More
A pseudo-Anglicism ...
- comprises English-style syllables
- has a folk etymology claiming an English source
- is unintelligible in meaning to a monolingual English speaker ... Read More
Anglicism Resources
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About the Author
Mare Frisicum is a news correspondent writing in English about events in Germany. He says the German language is like a biotope where he happily spends his days. The Anglicisms are more than just a fascinating word variety growing there. They are also a potentially toxic species: every so often, a false friend or pseudo-Anglicism enters our English writing unawares and makes us look foolish. The original Mare Frisicum, by the way, was that great sheet of water bounded by Hull, Harwich, Harlingen and Husum where words knew no boundaries: the North Sea.
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