Germans are mocked for their tapeworm terms – Americans, meanwhile, love abbreviations after the first syllable. In doing so, they mess up French wine and German sausage – and achieve something else.
New York – A mild autumn evening in Brooklyn. In a restaurant, a man orders a glass of Cabernet Sauvignon.
A popular drop, grown in Bordeaux, the grapes are bluish-black, full-bodied and complex in taste. So in many ways the pinnacle of European viticulture. The American waitress nods knowingly: “Käpp Säff, get it,” she replies.
If you walk through the USA, you will quickly notice that Americans can use a single syllable in many areas of their lives. This is also noticeable on the menu in the restaurant. The Mexican guacamole becomes “guac”, the Italian parmesan becomes “parm” and the German bratwurst – yes, you guessed it! – to “Brat”. All pronounced in a broad, American accent.
They shorten everything
The German grumbler may see this as American ignorance or get upset about the lack of education on the subject of international cuisine. But it’s not that easy. The people between New York and Los Angeles don’t just mess up food, they shorten pretty much everything that is possible.
For example, “vax” is particularly popular right now – it comes from “vaccine” or “vaccination”. The popular US talker Stephen Colbert, for example, rewrote a world-famous hit by the Salt ‘n’ Pepa group in his show section “the vax-scene”, so that the refrain read “Let’s talk about vax, baby”.
Lisa Heldke is a philosopher at Gustavus Adolphus College in Minnesota and also works on the subject of food. She also emphasizes that the monosyllables seem to be not just about food and not just about foreign words. “Example: The students here call the cafeteria the” caf “, which drives the manager crazy,” she says.
There are no linguistic surveys on how exclusively Americans use their first silver compared to other nations. And of course they are also professionals when it comes to classic abbreviations such as “ok” – although this is more of a global and German phenomenon, as Die Fantastischen Vier demonstrated with their song “MFG” in 1999.
It’s about conciseness
Americans give everything an abbreviation or a nickname, explains philosopher Heldke. The popularity of first silver can lie in their conciseness: “We consider short words to be friendly, accessible, funny, not snobbish,” she explains. This may also have something to do with the deep desire of some Americans to defy everything that sounds intellectual.
“Vax” or “Parm” create a feeling of closeness, even intimacy with what is being labeled. Conversely, this also means that a speaker wants to emphasize their own close relationship or appreciation for something with the monosyllable. Above all else, you give a nickname to what you like.
When it comes to foreign foods like parmesan or guacamole, Heldke believes that easier access to an item may also play a role: “I think we tend to use shortened forms to make them sound more like the” American white Middle class “” – especially since it is easier to pronounce in the alienated form with the appropriate US accent.
Associated with this, the short sharpness of the words could have a positive influence on the marketing possibilities of a product. That may well be a factor in the land of turbo-capitalism. dpa
