german language

[ayeaye]

what is the longest word in the german language

[kempie]

Donaudampfschiffahrtselektrizit�tenhauptbetriebswerkbauunterbeamtengesellschaft  is cited in the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest.

However, the longest official German word is Rindfleischetikettierungs�berwachungsaufgaben�bertragungsgesetz.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rindfleischetikettierungs%C3%BCberwachungsaufgaben%C3%BCbertragungsgesetz

[kempie]

Click on the link to view the words in their entirety as they are obviously too long to fit on a single line.

[Quizmonkey]

I lived in Germany for a bit and the longest word I heard in actual use was a word for 'a day off work to do Christmas shopping' - yes, one word! It must have been something like Weihnachtsgeschenkeinkauffeiertag. If anyone can correct this, please do so!

[Xollob]

Yes, but the well known Rinderkennzeichnungs- und Rindfleischetikettierungs�berwachungs-aufgaben�bertragungsgesetz must have had a ...

Rinderkennzeichnungs- und Rindfleischetikettierungs�berwachungs-aufgaben�bertragungsgesetzesvorlage (white paper),

... which may have been discussed in a Rinderkennzeichnungs- und Rindfleischetikettierungs�berwachungs-aufgaben�bertragungsgesetzesvorlageberatungsgremium (committee). And the members of this committee, the

Rinderkennzeichnungs- und Rindfleischetikettierungs�berwachungs-aufgaben�bertragungsgesetzesvorlageberatungsgremiumsmitglieder, could probably carry on this game ad infinitum!

[shaneystar]

And pity the German firemen!


Firemen need a gadget that is called Atemschutzger�t, breathing appartatus, in German.
Once they've got one of these gadgets on their back, they turn into Atemschutzger�tetr�ger, 'carrier of breathing apparatus'.
This makes them atemschutzger�tetr�gertauglich, fit to carry a breathing apparatus.
They have to prove their fitness by undergoing a medical test called Atemschutzger�tetr�gertauglichkeitspr�fung, 'test of fitness to carry a breathing apparatus'.
Once they pass it, they will be very glad to get an Atemschutzger�tetr�gertauglichkeitsbescheinigung a 'certification of fitness to carry a breathing apparatus' !