The Current State of Awesomeness in Germany (Now that I’m Here)
Embrace Being Acceptable.
It’s Easier Being Awesome in the U.S. or Canada than in Germany.
I’ve been awesome in Canada a few times — it didn’t come often, but it did happen now and then that a friend said “You’re awesome!”, or thought that whatever I did was “awesome”. Okay, okay…if you twist my arm, I’ll admit that there was a lot of alcohol involved in 80% of that awesomeness. I take what I can get!
There is none of that awesomeness going around in Germany. Did I leave all of mine back in the home country? In Germany, I would say that I am acceptable, mostly dependable and — considering I’m Canadian — surprisingly punctual.
But awesome? Please.
It’s More than Just the Translation
You can’t expect every language to make the same unique change to the use of ‘awesome’ that Americans have. The word that used to mean ‘inspiring awe’ is now a compliment for just about anything — a subversion comparable to Sauron evilly morphing humans into orcs. We have morphed ‘awe-inspiring’ into ‘pretty good’.
I remember when my friend’s daughter showed me a challenging piece of art that seemed to hit on themes of tornadoes, whirling rainbows and vomit, and my friend shamelessly pointed to it and said “Awesome! Right?!”
It was Sauron’s work.
I believe that this type of awesomeness hasn’t made it across the pond at all (correct me if I’m wrong). In Britain, for example, the only awesome things may still be awe-inspiring Mountains and the such. Since they don’t really have mountains…well, keep your upper lip stiff. You’re doing brilliantly, I’m sure.
Germany does have words for ‘awe-inspiring’ such as ‘ehrfurchtgebietend’ — a word I’m going to go out on a limb and say that I’ve never heard in normal conversation. I’VE certainly never said it despite being awed in the Alps and Saxon Switzerland…it’s just that I have troubles saying the ‘r’s in ‘ehrfurcht’ without choking. I prefer my awe without choking.
And nobody, not even the very drunk, will refer to me here in Germany as ‘ehrfurchtgebietend’ or anywhere near awesome. Really, I think it’s quite sensible that the Germans haven’t felt the need to take an ‘awe-inspiring’ word and morph it into a common compliment for a common Canadian.
The Case For Being “Not-Awesome”
I’m glad that Germans are sensible…I don’t like being awesome! I feel it raises the expectations of everyone just a little too high. When the beer runs out, people are disappointed that the awesomeness of the night now has a hangover and bed head in the cold, cold morning light.
But not in Germany. Don’t get me wrong — there are high expectations here (and hangovers). But if you meet those expectations, then you are ‘acceptable’ and not right away ‘awesome’. Looking at it logically, acceptable doesn’t need a compliment.
Is There Life Above Acceptable?
Now you might have already guessed: it’s not just that there isn’t much awesomeness here, there are also WAY less compliments in Germany. It just isn’t necessary.
Let me give you an example: in some sort of annual review meeting, my supervisor realized he COULD compliment me on my work. He was clever, though. Instead, he decided to teach me a German saying and compliment me indirectly at the same time. He said this saying was popular in this corner of Germany: “Nicht geschimpft ist gelobt”…which means something like “If no one complains, that’s high praise indeed”. He didn’t complain during the review. So… compliment received?
But, you ask yourself, do Germans ever give a compliment? Consider the example of your friend’s daughter’s picture of Sauron’s twisted rainbow vomit? Surely any person with some humanity wouldn’t tell an innocent child “Nicht geschimpft ist gelobt”?
Of course they would compliment the picture! Sauron be damned! Clearly, they wouldn’t call it ‘awe-inspiring’, but they would certainly be supportive and compliment it generously (they may even suspect that, with a picture like that, the child needs all the help they can get.).
What I mean to say, is that it isn’t that there aren’t any compliments in Germany, just a lot less. They use their compliments judiciously.
Final Thoughts
If you happen to come from a particularly awesome part of America, you may find it difficult to live in Germany and receive so little positive feedback. I, on the other hand, embraced it as a chance to finally not have to be so positive all the time…
…because being awesome can be exhausting! I feel well-rested here in Germany.
To get back to the title: What’s the Current state of Awesomeness in Germany? I can assure you that the Alps are doing well, don’t miss the Saxon Switzerland. And don’t ask anyone about the new government.
