• Spezi@feddit.org
    8·
    2 months ago

    It’s literally a 1:1 translation of Flamethrower.

    There are much better examples for long German words beeing short in English like

    Toy = Spielzeug (Play Stuff)

    Mall = Einkaufszentrum (Shopping Centre)

    Sale = Schlussverkauf (End sale)

    Matchbox = Streichholzschachtel (Swipe wood box)

    Lighter = Feuerzeug (Fire Creator)

    • Vincent@feddit.nl
      8·
      2 months ago

      I don’t think that was intended as an example of a long German word being short in English. Rather, it was an example of the meaning of a word being clear from the word itself.

      • hsdkfr734r@feddit.nl
        21·
        2 months ago

        To me it was both. The descriptive nature of words on the one hand and the word length which often comes with it on the other.

        Eichhörnchenschwanz is one more nice example (it also works with dialects: oachkatzlschwoaf - an oak cat’s tail) :D