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Culture

A selection of German 'Non-words of the Year'

Each year a jury of linguists choose a derogatory buzzword popularized through public discourse. The initiative is meant to raise critical awareness of language use. Here are some examples.

  • The words alternativen fakten sit on a scrabble board (picture-alliance/APA/picturedesk/G. Hochmuth)

    'Alternative facts'

    An independent jury of language critics chose 'alternative facts' ("alternative Fakten") as its 2017 "Unwort des Jahres" (literally, "non-word of the year"). The jury argued that the term is a misleading expression for the attempt to make using false claims publically acceptable. The term was first used by a Trump White House advisor to defend a lie relating to the size of the inauguration crowd.

  • Marchers carry a banner with the word Volksverräter written on it in paint (picture-alliance/Eibner-Pressefoto)

    'Traitor to the nation'

    The jury chose "Volksverräter," or a traitor to the nation, for its 2016 "non-word." The linguists criticized the expression as it hinders a democracy's essential debates. The word's original roots date to the early 19th century; it was widely used during the Nazi era. Recently, far-right individuals have used the term.

  • A woman holds her head in her hands (Colourbox/Artem Furman)

    'Victim subscription'

    The jury's selection for 2012 was the term "Opfer-Abo," literally "victim subscription." The term, which refers to the idea of women using sexual assault accusations to get ahead of men, was used by Swiss TV celebrity Jörg Kachelmann after he had been accused and acquitted of rape. The jury called the phrase unacceptable for blanketing women as liars and minimizing the dignity of assault victims.

  • A hand holds a gun in front of a newspaper showing victims' faces and names (picture-alliance/dpa)

    'Döner murders'

    Just months after police discovered the individuals behind a wave of murders of Greek and Turkish nationals, the jury selected "Döner-Morde," or Döner murders, as its "non-word" for 2011. Some of the victims had either owned or had been killed in a Döner-Kebab food joint. The linguists criticized the term for its racist reduction of ethnicity and for its trivialization of the murders.

  • The Deutsche Bank flag waves in front of a shiny glass building wall in New York City (picture-alliance/Photoshot)

    'Distressed banks'

    Amid the 2007-2008 financial crisis, "notleidende Banken," or "distressed banks," became the "non-word" of the year. According to the jury, the term turns the relationship between the crisis' causes and its consequences on its head. Although high-risk, unregulated banking practices had caused a global economic meltdown and tax payer bailouts, the term styled the banks as victims — not the cause.

  • Right-wing extremists demonstrators march with a banner protesting cultural infiltration (picture-alliance/dpa/U. Deck)

    'Foreign infiltration'

    While the word "Überfremdung," or "foreign infiltration," saw a renewed spurt of usage in past years with respect to migration, the jury named it "non-word" back in 1993. The term previously had been used during the Nazi era, among other times. It refers to a foreign element that poses an existential threat to a nation or culture. The jury criticized the word as a fake argument against migration.


  • The words alternativen fakten sit on a scrabble board (picture-alliance/APA/picturedesk/G. Hochmuth)

    'Alternative facts'

    An independent jury of language critics chose 'alternative facts' ("alternative Fakten") as its 2017 "Unwort des Jahres" (literally, "non-word of the year"). The jury argued that the term is a misleading expression for the attempt to make using false claims publically acceptable. The term was first used by a Trump White House advisor to defend a lie relating to the size of the inauguration crowd.

  • Marchers carry a banner with the word Volksverräter written on it in paint (picture-alliance/Eibner-Pressefoto)

    'Traitor to the nation'

    The jury chose "Volksverräter," or a traitor to the nation, for its 2016 "non-word." The linguists criticized the expression as it hinders a democracy's essential debates. The word's original roots date to the early 19th century; it was widely used during the Nazi era. Recently, far-right individuals have used the term.

  • A woman holds her head in her hands (Colourbox/Artem Furman)

    'Victim subscription'

    The jury's selection for 2012 was the term "Opfer-Abo," literally "victim subscription." The term, which refers to the idea of women using sexual assault accusations to get ahead of men, was used by Swiss TV celebrity Jörg Kachelmann after he had been accused and acquitted of rape. The jury called the phrase unacceptable for blanketing women as liars and minimizing the dignity of assault victims.

  • A hand holds a gun in front of a newspaper showing victims' faces and names (picture-alliance/dpa)

    'Döner murders'

    Just months after police discovered the individuals behind a wave of murders of Greek and Turkish nationals, the jury selected "Döner-Morde," or Döner murders, as its "non-word" for 2011. Some of the victims had either owned or had been killed in a Döner-Kebab food joint. The linguists criticized the term for its racist reduction of ethnicity and for its trivialization of the murders.

  • The Deutsche Bank flag waves in front of a shiny glass building wall in New York City (picture-alliance/Photoshot)

    'Distressed banks'

    Amid the 2007-2008 financial crisis, "notleidende Banken," or "distressed banks," became the "non-word" of the year. According to the jury, the term turns the relationship between the crisis' causes and its consequences on its head. Although high-risk, unregulated banking practices had caused a global economic meltdown and tax payer bailouts, the term styled the banks as victims — not the cause.

  • Right-wing extremists demonstrators march with a banner protesting cultural infiltration (picture-alliance/dpa/U. Deck)

    'Foreign infiltration'

    While the word "Überfremdung," or "foreign infiltration," saw a renewed spurt of usage in past years with respect to migration, the jury named it "non-word" back in 1993. The term previously had been used during the Nazi era, among other times. It refers to a foreign element that poses an existential threat to a nation or culture. The jury criticized the word as a fake argument against migration.


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