Vocabulary – and then there were none (I)

to crawl kriechen chap umgs.: Kerl, Junge

badger Dachs impatiently ungeduldig

consideration Überlegung custom Gewohnheit leisure Muße,

to consult aufsuchen manner Benehmen penalty Strafe

to receive empfangen to owe schulden; verdanken

apparently offensichtlich queer komisch, seltsam, kauzig

damnable grässlich to leap springen clutch Kupplung

to clutch fest zugreifen, festhalten

Vocabulary – and then there were none (I)

to crawl kriechen chap umgs.: Kerl, Junge

badger Dachs impatiently ungeduldig

consideration Überlegung custom Gewohnheit leisure Muße,

to consult aufsuchen manner Benehmen penalty Strafe

to receive empfangen to owe schulden; verdanken

apparently offensichtlich queer komisch, seltsam, kauzig

damnable grässlich to leap springen clutch Kupplung

to clutch fest zugreifen, festhalten

vvooccaabbuullaarryy –– ddeessccrriibbiinngg ppeeooppllee

��������

hhaaiirr

short – long – shoulder-length / straight – curly – wavy –

spiky – straggly

light brown – dark brown – fair – ginger – black – grey –

white (but: She is a brunette – blonde – redhead)

bald – getting thin on top – sparse hair – thick – thin

pony-tail – afro – bangs(AE)/fringe(BE)

ffaacciiaall hhaaiirr

sideburns – moustache – goatee – beard – clean-shaven

ffaaccee

round – square – thin - chubby

sskkiinn

wrinkles – freckles - mole

ccoommpplleexxiioonn

fair – dark – tanned – pale

eeyyeess

blue – brown – grey – hazel - green

nnoossee

large – small – thick – thin pointed - Roman

hheeiigghhtt

tall – medium height - short

bbuuiilldd

obese – fat – stout – muscular – slim – thin - skinny

aaggee

in his/her teens/twenties/thirties etc

vvooccaabbuullaarryy –– ddeessccrriibbiinngg ppeeooppllee

��������

hhaaiirr

short – long – shoulder-length / straight – curly – wavy –

spiky – straggly

light brown – dark brown – fair – ginger – black – grey –

white (but: She is a brunette – blonde – redhead)

bald – getting thin on top – sparse hair – thick – thin

pony-tail – afro – bangs(AE)/fringe(BE)

ffaacciiaall hhaaiirr

sideburns – moustache – goatee – beard – clean-shaven

ffaaccee

round – square – thin - chubby

sskkiinn

wrinkles – freckles - mole

ccoommpplleexxiioonn

fair – dark – tanned – pale

eeyyeess

blue – brown – grey – hazel - green

nnoossee

large – small – thick – thin pointed - Roman

hheeiigghhtt

tall – medium height - short

bbuuiilldd

obese – fat – stout – muscular – slim – thin - skinny

aaggee

in his/her teens/twenties/thirties etc

Survival Guide - Food

1) Can you name the meat of the animals shown below?

young: old:

2) Now you have decided which kind of meat you want, but there is another decision to make – what part of the animal do you prefer or what should the meat look like?

meatball

pork chops

mince

fillet

sirloin

drumsticks

liver

giblets

3) Try to match the English word with its German equivalent.

1 halibut a Lachs

2 trout b Aal

3 salmon c Hummer

4 tuna d Kabeljau

5 squid e Heilbutt

6 pike f Krabbe (groß)

7 eel g Tintenfisch

8 lobster h Forelle

9 clam i Muschel

10 cod k Thunfisch

11 prawn l Hecht

4) Fish and meat can be cooked in different ways. But what can you expect when fish or meat gets … fried

grilled

roasted

deep-fried

steamed

stir-fried

5) This is the farmer Mr Hillybilly. He wants to sell you some of his products. Unfortunately, due to an encounter with some very mean aliens, he cannot say the names of his products anymore. He will give you descriptions. Give the English name and the German translation of the things he describes.

a long thin green vegetable with a point at one end

a large yellow-brown tropical fruit or its sweet juicy yellow flesh

a hollow red, green, or yellow vegetable, eaten either raw or cooked with other food

a large vegetable with smooth purple skin

a long thin round vegetable with a dark green skin and a light green inside, usually eaten raw

a small thin red or green fruit with a very strong hot taste

a root with a very strong hot taste, or the powder made from this root, that is used in cooking

a plant like a small onion, used in cooking to give a strong taste and bad breath

a long vegetable with dark green skin; used for antipasti; grows like hell

a vegetable with large dark green leaves, Popeye’s favourite food

a large round vegetable with thick green or purple leaves

a tall plant with large yellow seeds that grow together on a cob (=long hard part) , which is cooked and eaten as a vegetable or fed to animals

(there are two words for this plant – AE and BE)

6) Try to translate or explain the following words:

German English

Cola Light

peperoni

chowder

BLT

Pommes Frites (try to give 2 English words)

black pudding

white pudding

Lebkuchen

hot and spicy

Pastete

Kartoffelbrei

raisin

sundae

Sahne

liquor

Rühreier

cinnamon

Getränk

side dish

blutig, medium und durch (Fleisch)

Eintopf

entree

seasoned

gravy

7) How can these food phrases best be translated into German.

one man's meat is another man's poison

used to say that something that one person likes may not be liked by someone else

the meat and potatoes of sth the most important or basic parts of a

discussion, decision, piece of work etc

to beef something up to improve something or make it more

interesting, more important etc

to be the apple of somebody's eye to be loved very much by someone

a rotten apple one bad person who has a bad effect on all

the others in a group

to not be your cup of tea to not be the type of thing that you like

to put all your eggs in one basket to depend completely on one thing or one

course of action in order to get success, so that you have no other plans if this fails

the fruit(s) of something the good results that you have from

something, after you have worked very hard

vegetable an offensive word for someone who is alive but who cannot talk or move because their

brain is damaged

there are plenty more fish in the sea used to tell someone whose relationship has ended that there are other people they can

have a relationship with

neither fish nor fowl (Geflügel) neither one thing nor another

to feel like a fish out of water to feel uncomfortable because you feel you

do not belong in a place or situation

to be as happy as a clam to be very happy

Vocabulary 11a 10th December, 2003

German-English False Friends

Translate the words in brackets so that they fit into the sentences.

1. For (familiären) reasons, I’m afraid I can’t attend the conference. 2. Cecil has got so (engagiert) in local politics that he hardly has any time for his family. 3. My brother really knows how to (handeln) in Spanish flea markets. 4. The (aktuelle) situation in Lebanon is not much better than it was six months ago. 5. Wait a moment. I just want to (prüfen) whether the beach is less crowded round the corner. 6. Do you think the statue is made of (massiv) gold? 7. I just can’t help admiring her: she’s so (temperamentvoll) and full of energy all the time. 8. We must take (adequat) measures now! 9. Within three years this (skrupellos) dictator had ruined his country’s economy. 10. There is a fundamental disagreement here over the price of the new product, but somehow or other we have to (uns arrangieren).

� Vocabulary – The Human Body � chest Brust - Brustkorb torso Rumpf/Torso (also der Körper ohne

Arme, Beine und Kopf)

upper arm – elbow – forearm – wrist - hand

Oberarm – Ellbogen – Unterarm – Handgelenk - Hand

thigh – knee – lower leg (or shank) – ankle – foot - shin

Oberschenkel – Knie – Unterschenkel – Fußgelenk – Fuß – Schienbein

bottom – buttocks – bum (BE) – fanny (AE)– tush (AE)– tushie (or: tushy) (AE)

Po (bottom und buttocks sind neutral, der Rest ist eher Umgangssprache) ! fanny sollte man Briten gegenüber vermeiden, da es dort eine andere, beleidigende Bedeutung hat)

liver Leber

kidney Niere lung - lungs Lungenflügel - Lunge stomach Magen belly Bauch belly button Bauchnabel cleavage Dekolleté

pinky / little finger kleiner Finger thumb Daumen

index finger / forefinger Zeigefinger toe Zehe heel Ferse palm Handfläche

abdomen – belly – tummy Bauch abdomen ist der eher medizinische Begriff, belly neutral und tummy umgangssprachlich

to go belly up bankrott gehen // sterben His company went belly up after having invested in a Chinese toy factory.

knee-jerk (adj.) automatisch, reflexartig, spontan The pupils’ knee-jerk reaction to homework was yelling: Boo. And the teacher’s knee-jerk reaction was to give them even more homework to do.

to get sth. off your chest etwas loswerden (und zwar etwas, das einen bedrückt oder Gewissensbisse bereitet) He felt a lot better after he got it off his chest

to elbow one’s way through/past/into sth

sich durch-/vorbei-/hineindrängeln He elbowed his way through the crowd and into the restroom.

to get out of hand außer Kontrolle geraten The situation got out of hand when Tokio Hotel went on stage.

and a word not to remember: schmaltzy (adj.) = a schmaltzy piece of music, book etc deals with emotions such as love and sadness in a way that seems silly and not serious enough

�Vocabulary – The Internet �

to find/search for sth on

the Internet

to have access to the

Internet

to have the opportunity to use a computer,

mobile phone etc that is connected to the

Internet

to surf the net

homepage the first page of a website, which often

contains links to other pages on that website

(web)site a place on the Internet where you can find

information about something, especially a

particular organization

webpage one of the pages of a website

to webcast to broadcast an event on the Internet, at the

time the event happens

to click a button, link

etc

to press a button on a computer mouse to

choose a link or something from the screen

that you want the computer to do

search engine e.g. Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista etc

to enter (an address /

an URL)

to put information into a computer by

pressing the keys

to type (in your login

and password)

write information on a computer

application a piece of computer software which does a

particular job

web 2.0 refers to the “new organisation” of the

Internet, which focuses more on participation

by the users than on simply offering

information; examples for web 2.0 applications

are blogs, social network services, video sharing

services (MyVideo, YouTube etc) etc

a social network service a social network service focuses on building

online communities of people who share

interests and/or activities, or who are

interested in exploring the interests and

activities of others. (e.g. facebook,

SchuelerVZ, Twitter, Lokalisten etc)

social networking the action of participating in such social

network services

address bar the “window” at the top of your browser

that shows the URL

Back / Refresh button

to launch the browser /

a program

to make a computer program start

to double-click to quickly hit on a button of a mouse twice

icon a small sign or picture on a computer screen

that is used to start a particular operation

to left click / right click

There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home. – K. Olsen, President of Digital Equipment, 1977

�Vocabulary – The Internet �

to find/search for sth on

the Internet

to have access to the

Internet

to have the opportunity to use a computer,

mobile phone etc that is connected to the

Internet

to surf the net

homepage the first page of a website, which often

contains links to other pages on that website

(web)site a place on the Internet where you can find

information about something, especially a

particular organization

webpage one of the pages of a website

to webcast to broadcast an event on the Internet, at the

time the event happens

to click a button, link

etc

to press a button on a computer mouse to

choose a link or something from the screen

that you want the computer to do

search engine e.g. Google, Yahoo, Alta Vista etc

to enter (an address /

an URL)

to put information into a computer by

pressing the keys

to type (in your login

and password)

write information on a computer

application a piece of computer software which does a

particular job

web 2.0 refers to the “new organisation” of the

Internet, which focuses more on participation

by the users than on simply offering

information; examples for web 2.0 applications

are blogs, social network services, video sharing

services (MyVideo, YouTube etc) etc

a social network service a social network service focuses on building

online communities of people who share

interests and/or activities, or who are

interested in exploring the interests and

activities of others. (e.g. facebook,

SchuelerVZ, Twitter, Lokalisten etc)

social networking the action of participating in such social

network services

address bar the “window” at the top of your browser

that shows the URL

Back / Refresh button

to launch the browser /

a program

to make a computer program start

to double-click to quickly hit on a button of a mouse twice

icon a small sign or picture on a computer screen

that is used to start a particular operation

to left click / right click

There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home. – Ken Olsen, President, Digital Equipment, 1977

Fairy Tale Language (also good for fantasy novels)

mythological/fantastic beasts and creatures

dwarf / dwarves Zwerg gnome Wicht/Wichtel/Gnom elf / elves Elf(e) dragon Drache fairy/fairie Fee unicorn Einhorn witch Hexe goblin Kobold sorcerer/warlock Hexer leprechaun irischer Kobold wizard Zauberer mermaid Meerjungfrau giant Riese merman Wassermann magician/conjurer Zauberkünstler wraith/ghost Geist/Gespenst pixie Fee/Kobold

klein, Flügel, grüne Kleidung, spielt den Menschen Streiche

sprite feen-/koboldartiges Wesen oder aber ein Geisterwesen

animals

toad Kröte hedgehog Igel owl Eule snake Schlange goat Ziege serpent große Schlange raven Rabe magpie Elster crow Krähe eagle Adler bear Bär donkey Esel tortoise / turtle Schildkröte (turtle wird

außerhalb der USA oft nur für Wasserschildkröten verwendet)

fox Fuchs

mule Maultier cock/rooster Hahn hen Henne goose (pl: geese) Gans

craftsmen and “professions”

miller Müller carpenter Tischler/Schreiner/ Zimmermann

blackmith (Huf)-Schmied mason Steinmetz/Maurer bricklayer Maurer tailor Schneider king - queen König - Königin huntsman / hunter Jäger prince - princess Prinz - Prinzessin logger / lumberjack Holzfäller hunter Jäger beggar Bettler apprentice Lehrling journeyman/apprentice Geselle knight Ritter squire Knappe

other useful words

witchcraft Hexerei stepmother/-father Stiefmutter/-vater spell Zauberspruch rags Lumpen (Kleidung) poverty Armut mother-in-law Schwiegermutter mushroom Pilz well Brunnen sword Schwert shield Schild club Keule dungeon Kerker bucket Eimer riddle Rätsel cave Höhle wand Zauberstab to enchant mit einem Zauber

belegen, be- /verzaubern

to curse so. mit einem Fluch belegen, verfluchen

Drama:

Drama is the art of writing and performing a play. The author of a play is called

a playwright.

A play may consist of several acts which can be subdivided into scenes. The

roles or parts are played by actresses and actors, who make up the cast. The

characters talk to each other in dialogues (if somebody talks to himself it is

called a monologue). The director stages the play and helps the actors put the

stage directions into practice. The people who watch the play are called the

audience.

(The New Skyline, page 20)

Other words useful for describing a drama:

hero (male)

heroine (female)

The main character of a play. The hero/heroine doesn’t

have to be a good person, but can also be utterly evil.

protagonist Protagonist is another word for the hero/heroine of a

play/novel etc.

antagonist The character opposing the hero.

soliloquy (plural:

soliloquies)

Another word for a monolgue.

stage The place within a theatre the play is performed on.

setting The time and place of the action of a literary, dramatic, or

cinematic work

plot The main story of a literary work.

conflict The opposition of persons or forces that gives rise to the

dramatic action in a drama or fiction

tragedy A serious drama typically describing a conflict between the

protagonist and a superior force (as destiny) and having a

sorrowful or disastrous conclusion that excites pity or

terror.

comedy A drama of light and amusing character and typically with

a happy ending.

exposition The beginning of a play or narrative, which provides

information vital to an understanding of the conflict and

the events that are to come.

head-of-state the main representative of a country, such as a queen, king, or president, who may not have duties in the country's government

bureaucracy a) a complicated official system which is annoying or confusing because it has a lot of rules, processes etc

b) here: the officials who are employed rather than elected to do the work of a government, business etc

chancellor the leader of the government or the main government minister of some countries

to veto sth to refuse to accept a particular plan or suggestion

commander-in-chief

someone of high rank who is in control of all the military organizations in a country or of a specific military activity

approval a) when a plan, decision, or person is officially accepted

b) when someone likes something or someone and thinks that they are good (e.g. He nodded in approval)

abortion/ termination

a medical operation to end a pregnancy so that the baby is not born alive

to appoint to choose someone for a position or a job (to appoint sb as sth / to appoint sb to sth)

capital punishment/ death penalty

punishment which involves killing someone who has committed a crime

incurable impossible to heal/cure

term a fixed period of time during which someone does something or something happens

gross national product (GNP)

Bruttosozialprodukt

gross domestic product (GDP)

Bruttoinlandsprodukt

ambassador a) an important official who represents his or her government in a foreign country

b) someone who represents a particular sport, business etc because they behave in a way that people admire

treaty a formal written agreement between two or more countries or governments

civil service the government departments that manage the affairs of the country

civil servant someone employed in the civil service

state of the union address

a speech given in January each year by the President of the US to Congress and the nation, in which he gives his opinion of the condition of the country and explains his plans for the future

Falling down does not signify failure but staying there does. – English Proverb

Vocabulary – Advertising to address sb to say sth directly to sb to appeal to sb

to seem attractive and interesting to sb

at first sight / at first glance

when you first look at sth

to evoke (e.g. interest in sth)

to produce a strong feeling or memory in someone

subconscious subconscious feelings, desires etc are hidden in your mind and affect your behaviour, but you do not know that you have them

to seduce sb into doing sth (noun: seduction)

to make someone want to do something by making it seem very attractive or interesting to them

client customer art director someone whose job is to decide on how pictures,

photographs etc will look in a magazine, film, advertisement etc

copywriter someone who writes the words for advertisements jingle a short song used in a commercial exaggerated made to seem better/worse than it actually is target group a particular group of people an ad is amed at trademark a name, symbol or design a company uses for its

products and that cannot be used by anyone else (e.g. the Nike Swoosh)

brand a type of product made by a particular company, that has a particular name or design

logo the name and/or symbol of a company set in specially designed lettering

to glamorize to make sth bad appear attractive market population representing possible customers flashy attracting attention by being bright, large etc artificial not real/natural; made or produced to copy sth

natural

to purchase (noun: purchase)

to buy something

promotion activities used to encourage the purchase of a product

sweepstakes a sales promotion in which prizes are awarded to the customers

to convince sb to make someone feel certain that something is true

Advertising is legalized Lying. – H.G. Wells

The Arts – Painting

canvas Leinwand oil paint Ölfarbe watercolour Wasserfarben drawing Zeichnung charcoal drawing / charcoal sketch

Kohlezeichnung

masterpiece Meisterwerk piece of art Kunstwerk ceiling fresco Deckengemälde forgery / fake Fälschung reproduction (of) Reproduktion forger Fälscher notorious (he is known as a notorious forger) berüchtigt genuine (he owns a genuine Van Gogh) echt portrait Porträt lanscape Landschaftsgemälde still life Stillleben bright / pale / soft colours leuchtende / blasse / weiche

Farben pastel-coloured pastellfarben frame Bilderrahmen contemporary zeitgenössisch to cause an uproar Aufruhr verursachen demand for Nachfrage (nach etwas) to commission so. with sth. etwas in Auftrag geben exhibition Ausstellung exhibit Ausstellungsstück brush Pinsel easel Staffelei sketch Skizze gallery Gallerie / Kunstmuseum to sign / to autograph sth signieren

A painting in a museum hears more ridiculous opinions than anything else in the world. - Edmond de Goncourt

<‘Vocabulary - Transportation?>

pedestrian someone who is walking, especially along a street or other place used by cars

pedestrian area/zone/precinct

a shopping area in the centre of a town where cars, trucks etc cannot go

pedestrian (adj.) a) relating to pedestrians or used by pedestrians (only appears in combination with a noun) b) ordinary and uninteresting and without any imagination, e.g. a pedestrian story (boring)

means of transport(ation)

a way of travelling, for example using a car, bus, bicycle etc or the thing you use to get to another place (e.g. a car, a bike etc)

to ride a) to sit on an animal, especially a horse, and make it move along b) to travel on a vehicle with two wheels (a bike or a motorbike) c) to travel in a bus, car, or other vehicle that you are not driving

a ride a journey in a vehicle, when you are not driving Can you give me a ride to the city centre?

van a vehicle used especially for carrying goods, which is smaller than a truck and has a roof and usually no windows at the sides or [AE] a large box-like car that can carry a lot of people

truck [AE] / lorry [BE]

a large road vehicle used to carry goods

convertible a car with a soft roof that you can fold back or remove

multi-storey car-park [BE] / multi-story car-park [AE]

a building with several floors or levels you can park your car on There is a multi-storey car-park within the Atrium.

parking garage a building in a public place where cars can be parked

garage [BE] / gas station [AE]

a place where you buy petrol ( a garage can also be a place where you get your car repaired)

plane / aircraft a vehicle that flies in the air and has wings and at least one engine

rocket a vehicle used for travelling or carrying things into space, which is shaped like a big tube or pipe

spacecraft a vehicle that is able to travel in space (sth. lie the Spaceshuttles or the Millenium Falcon)

to fly to travel by plane or to be at the controls of a plane and direct it as it flies

to go by car, plane, bus etc.

to move or travel in a particular way, whether you are in control of the car, plane etc or not

to drive to make a car, truck, bus etc move along and you are the driver

speeding the offence of driving faster than the legal limit

to speed (+adverb or preposition)

to go quickly He sped down the highway.

to speed by if time speeds by, it seems to pass very quickly

to speed up to move or happen faster, or to make something move or happen faster (opposite: slow down)

to speed sth. up to make sth. work or move faster

… and a word not worth remembering: to schlep (informal) - to carry or pull something heavy