Author Topic: german words in animes (Read 3770 times)

newy · « **on:** March 30, 2009, 07:28:39 PM »

It's been bugging me for quite some time. In many anime series that I have watched there is a tendency to use German words for e.g. special moves or weapons. How come they use German and not English (for it is seen as the more common international language in my opinion).

examples are: bleach (quincy's attacks, the bounto arc), ef - a tale of melodies and titles of anime such as weisskreuz. I bet there's more but that's what has come to my mind at the moment.

Is the German language so popular like the English one (if you think of the borrowed words/phrases like 'Thank you', 'Nice catch','kiss' etc.)

Pzc · « **Reply #1 on:** March 30, 2009, 07:37:33 PM »

Maybe because it's a major language that happens to
sound quite differently than japanese and therefore
somewhat more exotic than english ? Just a guess

mgz · « **Reply #2 on:** March 30, 2009, 07:52:24 PM »

its used alot in relation to spells and magic.

Probably has roots of sorts with european or german beliefs in something pertaining to magic or alchemy/wizardy(no clue if this is accurate guessing)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_(paranormal)

relic2279 · « **Reply #3 on:** March 30, 2009, 08:09:28 PM »

I know English is a mishmash of languages, but isn't it a germanic language to begin with?

Quote

The most widely spoken Germanic languages are English and German, with approximately 310-375 million

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_languages

newy · « **Reply #4 on:** March 30, 2009, 08:19:15 PM »

Quote from: relic2279 on March 30, 2009, 08:09:28 PM

I know English is a mishmash of languages, but isn't it a germanic language to begin with?

Quote
The most widely spoken Germanic languages are English and German, with approximately 310-375 million
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germanic_languages

Yeah that's right English is referred to Anglo-Saxons (Germanic tribe or some sort of) originating from central Europe nowadays known as Germany (if I'm not wrong^^)

Nikkoru · « **Reply #5 on:** March 30, 2009, 11:32:22 PM »

Why shouldn't they use German? Or also in the case of Bleach, Spanish? They have no obligation to use English simply because it's widely spoken. It's sort of self-involved to think that manga artists should be concerned about using your particular language for their creative aesthetic.

fuentefox · « **Reply #6 on:** March 31, 2009, 03:37:42 AM »

I think that the addition of extra foreign languages provides a little panache to an anime. I mean it would be acceptable to say something like "Crazy Lightning Ball of Death" but if there were some Germanic word that summed it up and sounded kinda cool wouldn't you say the Germanic equivalent. English is also used enough to the point that it's more commonplace and so perhaps something more foreign a la French or German adds an air of class or mystique. I also think that the American English and British English languages aren't commonly tied to magic or mysticism so a language associated with a deeper, more macabre or midieval past is used for dramatic effect.

quekmeister · « **Reply #7 on:** March 31, 2009, 04:21:21 AM »

^ I agree with most of that. In a similar way, Western fantasy writers often use old-English and Latin words especially to show arcana.

One example of anime which breaks this trope is Scrapped Princess, where mages simply cast spells by speaking their mind. A good Western author who also averts this is Diana Wynne Jones, (prominently in, but not confined to) her Chrestomanci novels.

Lovedrive · « **Reply #8 on:** April 01, 2009, 06:19:31 AM »

Because EVERYTHING sounds cooler in German.

Sonderkraftfahrzeug!

c614h2 · « **Reply #9 on:** April 01, 2009, 06:25:13 AM »

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gairaigo

Quote

In the Meiji era, Japan also had extensive contact with Germany, and gained many loanwords from German, particularly for medicine, which the Japanese learned from the Germans.

But in all fairness, I only found that because I know Japanese had borrowed some words from German in the past (e.x. arubaito).

ray1301 · « **Reply #10 on:** April 01, 2009, 01:07:39 PM »

Quote from: Lovedrive on April 01, 2009, 06:19:31 AM

Because EVERYTHING sounds cooler in German.

Sonderkraftfahrzeug!

I agree, ACHTUNG!!! OH MEIN GOTT!!! WAS IST DAS!??!?!?

But back to the topic, it's not a bad idea to mix in other languages, it just breaks out of the usual mold of sticking to 1 language.

VaporTrail · « **Reply #11 on:** April 04, 2009, 05:58:49 PM »

Quote from: fuentefox on March 31, 2009, 03:37:42 AM

I think that the addition of extra foreign languages provides a little panache to an anime. I mean it would be acceptable to say something like "Crazy Lightning Ball of Death" but if there were some Germanic word that summed it up and sounded kinda cool wouldn't you say the Germanic equivalent. English is also used enough to the point that it's more commonplace and so perhaps something more foreign a la French or German adds an air of class or mystique. I also think that the American English and British English languages aren't commonly tied to magic or mysticism so a language associated with a deeper, more macabre or midieval past is used for dramatic effect.

I agree also. It's sort of the reverse of leaving certain japanese words untranslated when dubbing. For example in a subbed Bleach episode, a character may refer to the "Court of Pure Souls" while in the dub the reference is to the Seireitei.

They both reference the same place, but the Japanese is a syllable shorter, and it gives a certian flavor that is lacking in the literal translation or transliteration.

SirSkyRider · « **Reply #12 on:** April 04, 2009, 06:40:29 PM »

"If you have to think, do it in german" - Asuka
"OK. Then... Baumkuchen..." - Shinji

I think that "Baumkuchen" is the word the Japanese like the most. All in all, I find it quite amusing when non-germans try to speak or understand the language, since austrian or bavarian german is extremely different from the german they use in the coastal areas of the North and Baltic Sea.

(click to show/hide)

Oh, and the japanese word for "part-time job", "baito" is derived from german "Arbeit"-"work".

But it kind of annoys me when they use english words for something where a japanese word exists - same here. They try to sound cool, but they aren't.

newy · « **Reply #13 on:** April 04, 2009, 09:31:02 PM »

I'd say Bavarian isn't even German

Steve Basnof · « **Reply #14 on:** April 04, 2009, 11:22:26 PM »

Bleach used German words when they have German themed characters or character types. Quincy is Germanic too? And Spanish for the Espada of course. It's a matter of choice.

Quote from: SirSkyRider on April 04, 2009, 06:40:29 PM

"If you have to think, do it in german" - Asuka
"OK. Then... Baumkuchen..." - Shinji

I think that "Baumkuchen" is the word the Japanese like the most. All in all, I find it quite amusing when non-germans try to speak or understand the language, since austrian or bavarian german is extremely different from the german they use in the coastal areas of the North and Baltic Sea.
(click to show/hide)
E.g. a chicken made in the oven is (or was) called a "Goldbroiler" in the former GDR, we Bavarians call it "Brathendl".

Oh, and the japanese word for "part-time job", "baito" is derived from german "Arbeit"-"work".

But it kind of annoys me when they use english words for something where a japanese word exists - same here. They try to sound cool, but they aren't.

No no what's more annoying than seeing a English word used when a Japanese one exists is when you ask a Japanese person how to say a certain English word in Japanese and they just throw the same word back at you with a Japanese pronounciation.

SirSkyRider · « **Reply #15 on:** April 05, 2009, 06:37:48 AM »

Quote from: newy on April 04, 2009, 09:31:02 PM

I'd say Bavarian isn't even German

Oachkatzlschwoaf!

No german sublanguage is actually real german. The proper "writing german" is rarely spoken. How could it be? Germany was severely fragmented until 1871.

JackDante · « **Reply #16 on:** April 05, 2009, 09:50:18 AM »

If my memory serves me right, some german words were used for spells in Fate/Stay Night.

aonhagen · « **Reply #17 on:** April 06, 2009, 05:01:02 PM »

Gernan > All other languages

I need to learn it!

SirSkyRider · « **Reply #18 on:** April 06, 2009, 05:17:54 PM »

Quote from: aonhagen on April 06, 2009, 05:01:02 PM

Gernan > All other languages

I need to learn it!

Gut so! Ein Anfang waere zum Beispiel, die Bezeichnung der Sprache auf Englisch richtig zu schreiben!

Zalis116 · « **Reply #19 on:** April 06, 2009, 06:24:30 PM »

German text pops up extensively in ef - a tale of melodies. Mainly in the OP, on "scene break" black screens, and as general flavor text. I'm sort of annoyed at Menclave for translating it to English... I mean, if the Japanese audience didn't understand it, why should we? (Unless, of course, the original video had Japanese translations that Menclave overlayed, which I doubt.) So I just ignore the translated German whenever it appears.