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Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

A Way with Words, a radio show and podcast about language and linguistics.

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Newcoked? Schlimbesserung! The Germans already have a word for it, though I doubt it will catch on.
Guest
1
2011/01/08 - 9:29am

I just read a book that had a german word in it that was defined as: Making something worse through an attempt to make things better. The word is schlimbesserung. The natural tendency of idle hands and minds to improve a working system into uselessness.

Guest
2
2012/08/07 - 8:55am

Hi!

 

My name is Ana Elizabeth, a half-Venezuelan, half-Colombian, Mexican-born, English teacher living in Milan, Italy.

 

Well, I know Martha loves Spanish expressions...  

 

To describe a situation that goes from bad to worse we say: "Como ir de Guatemala a Guatepeor!!".

Hope you like it =)

Though it's not really as cool as NewCoking =) it just means to make worse =(...  

Still...

 

Love your show,

Ciao  

Guest
3
2012/08/07 - 10:59am

Ah, I get it!...belatedly.   I started out assuming that Guatepeor was some poor village not far from Guatemala, and just out of curiosity went to look it up.   But on the way there I suddenly noticed -peor; so, going from Guatemala to Gauteworse.   Still, I kept looking to see whether there happened actually to be a place named Guatepeor.

But the only references I saw were of the saying that ternuritanita quotes above, and while I was looking for a geographical reference among all the explanations I suddenly noticed:   Going from Guatemala to Gautepeor.   Ok, my Spanish isn't that great.   But in English it might be like going from Islamabad to Islamaworse.   I like it!

Guest
4
2012/08/07 - 4:51pm

Oh, and by the way:

spieramico said
....The natural tendency of idle hands and minds to improve a working system into uselessness.

I'm reminded of something said by Scott Adams, the creator of Dilbert:   "To a normal person, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.   To an engineer, if it isn't broke it doesn't have enough features yet."   This is why people like me just have to keep on improving an initially simple program, or an Excel spreadsheet.

Sure is fun, though.

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
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5
2012/08/09 - 5:44pm

Gracias, Ana Elizabeth. Heard that many times in Argentina, but totally forgot about it - thanks for the reminder. Keep 'em coming!

Bob, sounds like you've got the germ of a word game there with "Islamabad to Islamaworse." Hmmm... from Turkmenistan to Turkmenilaurel?

Martha Barnette
San Diego, CA
820 Posts
(Offline)
6
2012/08/09 - 5:45pm

And spieramico, I'm fanning myself over "schlimbesserung." 🙂

Robert
553 Posts
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7
2012/08/09 - 6:55pm

Because it's too good a word, too hard to say, too hot, or?

Guest
8
2012/08/11 - 11:55pm

No, not catching on yet-- there are precious American references that do not preamble with, like, 'the Germans have this...' , and the 2 AWWW separate topics disagree on the spelling of it. This word might be half-way itself a whatever it supposedly means.

The other AWWW topic: https://waywordradio.org/discussion/topics/schlimmbesserung/

Guest
9
2013/06/18 - 4:51am

This word might be half-way itself a whatever it supposedly means..?

 

It may be..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

DeeJack

Guest
10
2013/06/18 - 7:07am

I mean the word Schlimmbesserung in the English world is itself a  Schlimmbesserung. But I would love to know of some real good uses of it-- that is, where listeners or even readers (whoever they are, whichever milieu ) wouldn't go 'wha !?'

Guest
11
2013/08/25 - 8:34pm

This word which you have use is powerful and authentic and there is no one harm in this !!! this language is too good and have good meaning .

 

 

--------------

chanab44

Guest
12
2013/09/02 - 5:10pm

A good new word is a thing of joy. I make up words from time to time.

 

Here's one: http://slogansheroes.spreadshirt.com/punchuation-A13403158

 

It seems to me the sort of word which deserves to catch on, both in language and usage.

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