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Culture

A selection of German 'non-words of the year'

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

  • A protester wearing many layers of masks

    'Corona dictatorship' and 'return sponsorships'

    Many anti-lockdown protesters compared the restrictive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus to a dictatorship. That, however, downplays the experience of people persecuted by actual dictators, which is why the expression was chosen as Germany's Non-Word of the Year 2020. "Return sponsorships," referring to an EU scheme freeing members states from taking on migrants, was also selected.

  • Australia (Getty Images/B. Hemmings)

    'Climate hysteria'

    According to scientists, the bushfires that ravaged Australia last year were just an example of what is to come if we allow world temperatures to continue to rise. Yet those who take the experts' warnings seriously are accused of "climate hysteria." The discrediting expression was chosen as Germany's Non-Word of the Year 2019.

  • Protester holds up a No Deportation sign at Düsseldorf airport (picture-alliance/dpa/H. Kaiser)

    'Anti-deportation industry'

    The 2018 Non-Word of the Year was a right-wing slight on lawyers and activists who it is claimed — somewhat misleadingly, according to the jury — are making money out of support for deportees. Here, a protester holds up a "No Deportation" sign at Düsseldorf Airport in January 2018 during a rally by refugee initiatives against the collective removal of asylum-seekers to Afghanistan.

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

    'Alternative facts'

    The jury of language critics chose 'alternative facts' ("alternative Fakten") as its 2017 "Unwort des Jahres." The jury argued that the term is a misleading expression for the attempt to make using false claims publicly acceptable. The term was first used by a White House spokesperson to defend a lie relating to the size of the crowd at President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017.

  • 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. Far-right individuals have also begun using the term in recent years.

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

    'Victim subscription'

    The 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, as it blanketed all women as liars and minimized 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 turned the relationship between the causes of the crisis and its consequences on its head. Although high-risk, unregulated banking practices 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 a 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.


  • A protester wearing many layers of masks

    'Corona dictatorship' and 'return sponsorships'

    Many anti-lockdown protesters compared the restrictive measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus to a dictatorship. That, however, downplays the experience of people persecuted by actual dictators, which is why the expression was chosen as Germany's Non-Word of the Year 2020. "Return sponsorships," referring to an EU scheme freeing members states from taking on migrants, was also selected.

  • Australia (Getty Images/B. Hemmings)

    'Climate hysteria'

    According to scientists, the bushfires that ravaged Australia last year were just an example of what is to come if we allow world temperatures to continue to rise. Yet those who take the experts' warnings seriously are accused of "climate hysteria." The discrediting expression was chosen as Germany's Non-Word of the Year 2019.

  • Protester holds up a No Deportation sign at Düsseldorf airport (picture-alliance/dpa/H. Kaiser)

    'Anti-deportation industry'

    The 2018 Non-Word of the Year was a right-wing slight on lawyers and activists who it is claimed — somewhat misleadingly, according to the jury — are making money out of support for deportees. Here, a protester holds up a "No Deportation" sign at Düsseldorf Airport in January 2018 during a rally by refugee initiatives against the collective removal of asylum-seekers to Afghanistan.

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

    'Alternative facts'

    The jury of language critics chose 'alternative facts' ("alternative Fakten") as its 2017 "Unwort des Jahres." The jury argued that the term is a misleading expression for the attempt to make using false claims publicly acceptable. The term was first used by a White House spokesperson to defend a lie relating to the size of the crowd at President Donald Trump's inauguration in January 2017.

  • 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. Far-right individuals have also begun using the term in recent years.

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

    'Victim subscription'

    The 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, as it blanketed all women as liars and minimized 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 turned the relationship between the causes of the crisis and its consequences on its head. Although high-risk, unregulated banking practices 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 a 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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