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GERMAN LANGUAGE

German word of the day: Das Totschlagargument

This word literally translates to 'manslaughter argument', and is worth knowing for debates.

A blackboard shows the word: Das Totschlagargument
Photo: Francesco Ungaro / Unsplash + Nicolas Raymond / flickr

This compound noun is made up of ‘Totschlag’, meaning homicide or manslaughter, and ‘Argument’. Together it translates roughly as ‘knockout argument’ or ‘killer argument’. the final point you might make in a debate or dispute which ends the conversation completely. 

However, it does not have the positive connotations that you might find in English when translating it as ‘killer argument’ or ‘knockout argument’. The point is not generally an effective or convincing one, but it is designed to end the conversation in bad faith. 

The argument is intended to divert your listener from the point at hand to a completely irrelevant aspect of the debate, in extreme cases to something which is taboo or sensitive so that the other party has no real way to respond. 

One example is raising a sensitive aspect of a country’s history in order to discredit your debating opponents’ nationalities in debates about international sport, food or music. Even though every party in the discussion recognises that it is spurious and illogical, nonetheless it is guaranteed to kill the conversation because of a prevailing sense of awkwardness or an unwillingness to become embroiled in more serious debate.

READ ALSO: Eight unique words and phrases that tell us something about Germany

The Totschlagargument could also be a red herring, or simply an argument which dampens the imagination of all of the participants by resorting to meaningless platitudes such as “that sounds good in theory but wouldn’t work in practice”, or “if that were a good idea someone would have already tried it before now.”

You can find Totschlagargumente in the workforce, at home or even in politics. It’s a frustrating technique used to distract from important questions, most likely out of pettiness or stubbornness – but we can’t deny that all of us have used it at one time or another. 

Die Killerphrase (killer phrase) is used as a synonym to Totschlagargument and has the same connotations.

Here’s how to use it…

Es ist möglich, die häufigste Totschlagargumente zu kontern, indem man ruhig und vernünftig bleibt. 

It is possible to counter the most commonly used ‘killer arguments’ by staying calm and reasonable. 

Es ist oft schwer, gegen ein Totschlagargument etwas zu sagen. 

It is often difficult to say anything against a knockout argument.

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GERMAN WORD OF THE DAY

German word of the day: Standbein

Once you know what it means, this sturdy German word is likely to become a key part of your vocabulary.

German word of the day: Standbein

Why do I need to know Standbein?

Though it has its roots in sports terminology and sculpture, the metaphorical uses for Standbein have become much more broad than that, and it’s a word you’re bound to come across in German news articles as well as in everyday conversation. 

What does it mean?

Das Standbein (pronounced like this) literally means the standing or supporting leg, and it refers to the leg that holds the majority of the body weight. In sculpture, that means the leg that is carrying the weight of the statue, and in sport, it refers to the leg the athlete stands on, rather than the one they play with.

For example, a football player who tends to play with their right foot would have their Standbein on the left.  

The most common use of Standbein, however, has nothing to do with these specific technical terms. Instead, the metaphor of the supporting leg can be used to describe anything that supports or holds up something else, a bit like English speakers would use the word “pillar”. (Incidentally, you can also use Säule, or pillar, in this way in German.)

Probably the best translation for Standbein in this sense is “mainstay”, meaning an essential component that everything else rests on. For example, you could use Standbein to describe a key part of a region’s economy, or to describe an important policy in a government’s programme. 

READ ALSO: German word of the day`; Umstritten

You can also use Standbein to describe a source of income. Most often, you’ll hear people talking about setting up a “zweites Standbein”, or second source of income, which could be described in English as a side hustle. 

Use it like this:

In schwierigen Zeiten ist es wichtig, ein zweites Standbein zu haben.

In difficult times, it’s important to have a second source of income.

Die Chancenkarte ist ein wichtiges Standbein der Migrationspolitik der Regierung.

The opportunity card is a key component of the government’s immigration policy. 

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