Display, das

This Anglicism is a useful shibboleth, since das Display has its stress very firmly on the first syllable, -dis-, and a subtly different -i- vowel. Kids find this amusing and will sometimes pronounce it English style, with the stress on -play- in order to sound deliberately stupid. English speakers should therefore avoid saying das Display: try die Anzeige instead, when speaking of a video display. The other German meaning is a specialized one: an arrangement of goods in a shop, or a stand, usually of cardboard, designed as an eye-catcher for shoppers. The wider meanings of English display, including showing off your finery or prowess, are unknown in Gemran. Das Display is capitalized, given neuter gender and inflected with -s- in the genitive.

No comments: