Lübke English
Encyclopedia
The term Lübke English refers to nonsensical English
texts created by a naive word-by-word translation of German
texts that disregard differences between these languages in terms of their syntax
, context dependency of vocabulary with multiple possible meanings, and German idiom
s not having identical English equivalents.
Lübke English is named after a President of Germany
of the Sixties, Heinrich Lübke
, whose English language skills suffered from the aforementioned flaws, which caused him to become a rewarding target for German humorists of that time. For example, it was widely reported on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's state visit to Germany that Lübke said the following to her when they were waiting for a race to begin at a horse track:
It appears, however, that many of these phrases (such as the above) were invention by a hostile press.
In the 1980s, comedian Otto Waalkes
had a routine called "English for runaways", which is a nonsensical literal translation of Englisch für Fortgeschrittene (actually advanced english or english for advanced speakers). In this mock "course", he translates every sentence back or forth between English and German at least once (usually from German literally into English). Though there are also other, more complex language puns, the title of this routine has gradually replaced the term Lübke English when a German speaker wants to point out naive literal translations.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
texts created by a naive word-by-word translation of German
German language
German is a West Germanic language, related to and classified alongside English and Dutch. With an estimated 90 – 98 million native speakers, German is one of the world's major languages and is the most widely-spoken first language in the European Union....
texts that disregard differences between these languages in terms of their syntax
Syntax
In linguistics, syntax is the study of the principles and rules for constructing phrases and sentences in natural languages....
, context dependency of vocabulary with multiple possible meanings, and German idiom
Idiom
Idiom is an expression, word, or phrase that has a figurative meaning that is comprehended in regard to a common use of that expression that is separate from the literal meaning or definition of the words of which it is made...
s not having identical English equivalents.
Lübke English is named after a President of Germany
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
of the Sixties, Heinrich Lübke
Heinrich Lübke
Karl Heinrich Lübke was President of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1959 to 1969.-Biography:...
, whose English language skills suffered from the aforementioned flaws, which caused him to become a rewarding target for German humorists of that time. For example, it was widely reported on the occasion of Queen Elizabeth's state visit to Germany that Lübke said the following to her when they were waiting for a race to begin at a horse track:
- The German sentence Lübke had in mind: "Gleich geht es los."
- Lübke English, his nonsensical translation: "Equal goes it loose."
- An appropriate translation into English: "It'll start very soon."
It appears, however, that many of these phrases (such as the above) were invention by a hostile press.
In the 1980s, comedian Otto Waalkes
Otto Waalkes
Otto Gerhard Waalkes is a Frisian comedian and actor. He became famous in the 1970s and 1980s in Germany with his shows, books and movies. His perhaps most famous trademark are the 'Ottifanten' , elephant-like comic characters of his own design...
had a routine called "English for runaways", which is a nonsensical literal translation of Englisch für Fortgeschrittene (actually advanced english or english for advanced speakers). In this mock "course", he translates every sentence back or forth between English and German at least once (usually from German literally into English). Though there are also other, more complex language puns, the title of this routine has gradually replaced the term Lübke English when a German speaker wants to point out naive literal translations.