Salon reports today that language mavens in Germany have decided upon the “youth word of the year for 2008.” Drum roll, please…it’s gammelfleischparty, which translates to “spoiled meat party.” According to Salon, gammelfleishparty is,
“an unflattering term for a gathering of people over 30. The word ‘gammelfleisch’ was in the news frequently during the year when it was discovered that meat packers had been regularly supplying some kebab restaurants with past-due products.” (Many thanks to my old friend Alan Blattberg for the tip.)
There are so many things wrong with the above, I don’t know where to begin. First off, while raw flesh is consumed with gusto in various cultures (mmm…sushi!) nowhere on Earth is rotting meat considered a delicacy; not even the genius who coined the word cougar as it pertains to libidinous older women would argue that gammelfleishparty is anything but “unflattering.” What’s more, sending putrid meat to restaurants serving primarily immigrants, while sadly unsurprising, is PR nightmare for those who seek to present the “new” Germany as a nation welcoming of races other than blonde. Oh yes, and cruel and totally gross and potentially lethal.
Memo to those clever young Germans and their word wizardry: Kiss my decaying posterior flesh in Macy’s window. We maggot-ridden, bacteria-encrusted over 30s who drag our decomposing carcasses out to be social in the face of certain public derision and bad pop music deserve free drinks, free childcare and free kebabs, not to be skewered ourselves.
I need a drink. It appears that I’m unterhopft. After I have a few beers, I’ll be laughing just a little bit louder and perhaps in German.
Photo by: stu_spivack, CC Licensed
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