Friday, July 21, 2006

Krauts

While having dinner with our German customers last night, I heard a reference to 'flatheads'. Upon asking what a flathead was, the German guys said that it is slang for 'American'. What does it mean? "Stupid."

Nice. Well, I think the price of somebody's ratcheting wrenches just went up 15%. Maybe 25.

But to be fair, I always thought Americans used to call Germans 'blockheads', which is kinda close. I figured Germans were called 'blockheads' because they are so stubborn. I tried to Google up some kind of etymology for 'blockheads', but couldn't find anything. Maybe nobody calls them that but me?

Are there any other good slang terms for Germans? Malv always calls them 'Jerries'. Or Gerrys? Help me out here, I'm having dinner with these guys again tonight.
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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

As in 'That Gerry blighter has really got us pinned down.' - a line from a British officer in an old WWII movie, referring specifically, I believe, to Rommel.

Krauts may also be referred to (collectively, not to mention affectionately) as 'The Hun'.

Several years ago I met some who didn't particularly like being called 'Aufschnater' (sp?), which I had assumed up until that time was just a surname. (Check on the etymology of that during dinner tonight, please.)

But surely we could come up with some new monikers for 'em. Shall I start the ball rolling?

How about... 'Sausage-benders'
Or individually, 'Gonad, the Bavarian'
or 'Hans... Hans Inyurpants'

But if they're big and healthy, just stick with 'Sir'.

4:51 PM
Bread said...

Nazis?

2:19 AM
Anonymous said...

Block head refers to norwegians (sp?)at least in the seattle/portland area. And it has more to do with the way they think, than with stubborness. Kind of hard to understand until you work with them for a little while; sort of a square peg-round hole kinda thing.

9:16 AM
Robin said...

Les Boches.

"Squareheads" refers to Scandanavians.

6:12 AM
Robin said...

Personally for Germans, I prefer "Losers".

6:13 AM
Chaon said...

Malv, I threw a bunch of pronounciation variants at them and the best they could figure was 'Pretender'. But I don't remember the German.

Robin, why are Germans losers? They have a clean, organized country with good food and consistent consumption of mechanics hand tools. I don't see what more you could ask.

10:38 AM
Robin said...

WWI and WWII.

10:42 AM
Red A said...

Kraut is the best. Best translation would be: cabbage eater.

The most effective way to belittle Germans is to ask them about lederhosen. For Swiss folks, you can ask about Yodeling and Alpenhorn...but that doesn't work for Germans.

My swiss friend also thought dumkopf was pretty funny.

I believe in WW I we called them "Huns."

http://www.bartleby.com/185/53.html

How about calling 'em Col. Klink and Sgt. Schultz?

12:03 PM

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