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NAMIBIA

Namdeutsch: How has the German colonial period left its mark on Namibian culture?

When you think of German speaking minorities, this southwest African country may not be the first to come to mind. Though the relationship between Namibia and Germany is fraught, the influence of German culture can still be seen across Namibia’s urban areas. 

Namdeutsch: How has the German colonial period left its mark on Namibian culture?
Archive photo from 2018 shows a street in Windhoek with German name. However, many streets commemorating the colonial era are being changed. Photo: picture alliance / Florian Pütz/-/dpa | Florian Pütz

In May, Germany recognised for the first time that it had committed genocide in Namibia during the colonial occupation of the African country, which was at that time known as German South West Africa. Between 1904 and 1908, German forces massacred tens of thousands of Namibian people in what is considered the first genocide of the twentieth century.

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Germany’s actions in Namibia poisoned relations between the two nations during the last century, but the influence of German occupation can still be seen in modern Namibia. From the teaching of German in schools, to the selling of traditional German dishes, Namibian-German culture is certainly still alive and kicking. 

German influence permeates deep into the culture of urban Namibia. If you visit Windhoek, the country’s capital, you will see street names, churches and schools all bearing German names. There is even an Evangelical Lutheran congregation in the capital with around 4.5 thousand members. 

Over the last few decades, a number of cities have started changing the names of streets and schools to better honour black Namibian figures and traditional elements of the culture, rather than German colonialists. English has been the only official language in Namibia since 1990, in an attempt to move on from the bloodied history of the German colonial period. 

A memorial for victims of the genocide committed by German colonial troops against Herero and Nama people in the centre of the Namibian capital Windhoek. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Jürgen Bätz

German language in Namibia

German is the mother tongue of around 30,000 Namibians, while several hundred thousand more people are said to speak German as a second or third language. Afrikaans and English are also spoken across Namibia and show the influence of Dutch and British colonial efforts in Southern Africa. The traditional language of Oshiwambo remains the most widely spoken in Namibia. 

Namibian German is considered its own dialect and is the most common form of the language used in the country, but there are also a number of patois versions of German that will often be used by older Namibians. German is rarely spoken in rural communities, and most speakers of the language live in major cities in the centre and south of the country. 

READ ALSO: What you need to know about Germany’s four minority languages

The German spoken in Namibia today is called Namlish or Namsläng by younger Namibians, while German academics tend to refer to it as Namdeutsch. The number of students learning German schools is actually increasing, despite fears from some that the Namibian-German is dying out. 

Modern Namdeutsch includes a lot of influence from English and Afrikaans. Here are a few of the most common Namibian-German words, along with their translations, that you might hear on the streets of Windhoek:

Morro-tse! Guten Morgen – Good morning!

DeutschländerDeutscher – a German, or a white Namibian with German heritage

Biekie/bikie bisschen – a bit, or a small amount

Drankwinkel Getränkemarkt – a shop selling alcohol

Lekker lecker – tasty

Nüffel Kind – a child 

Trockenzeit/KaltzeitWinter – winter (literally ‘dry time’ or ‘cold time’) 

Uitlander Ausländer – foreign national

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EURO 2024

The German words and phrases you need for Euro 2024

With the Euros being hosted by Germany this summer, it's a great opportunity to broaden your German football vocabulary. Here are a collection of words and phrases to know to get into the games.

The German words and phrases you need for Euro 2024

Auf geht’s!

You’ll usually hear this as the match gets underway and it means: let’s go! Another common expression that means the same thing is Los geht’s! and Fans will often stick their team on the end – Auf geht’s Deutschland! or Los geht’s Dänemark!

You can also shout: Deutschland vor! (Go Germany!) and Weiter, weiter! (keep going) as the match goes on.  

If you’re not feeling so confident at screaming these phrases at a TV, a simple way of explaining which team you’re supporting in a conversation is by saying: Ich bin für Deutschland or Ich bin für Italien. 

Tor!

If you already speak some German, you might recognise this word, which means ‘”gate” or “door” (think Brandenburger Tor) However, in football terminology, it is probably the most joyous word you’ll hear at a match because it means goal. Shout it out when your team gets one in the back of the net!

Italy's defender #05 Riccardo Calafiori reacts after scoring an own goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Italy at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 20, 2024.

Italy’s defender #05 Riccardo Calafiori reacts after scoring an own goal during the UEFA Euro 2024 Group B football match between Spain and Italy at the Arena AufSchalke in Gelsenkirchen on June 20, 2024. Photo by KENZO TRIBOUILLARD / AFP

This is a chant involving Tor that you might hear at a match or screening: “Los geht’s Deutschland, schießt ein Tor” (Let’s go Germany, score a goal!).

Meanwhile, the goalkeeper is called der Torwart or der Tormann. Some fans will use the English – goalie. 

READ ALSO: Where are the fan zones for Euro 2024 in Germany?

Elfmeter

For England fans – this is an important one, as England has had some famous trip-ups at penalty shootouts during international tournaments over the years.

The word for penalty kick in German literally means “eleven meters” – the distance from the penalty spot to the goal.

You’ll sometimes hear German fans shouting Elfer! If they think a player has been wronged and deserves a penalty.

Gut gehalten!

This is an excellent Fußball phrase to use if your team’s goalkeeper has just saved an Elfmeter. Literally translating to “well held”, this phrase means “good save”.

Denmark supporters cheer in front of a group of England supporters in Frankfurt on June 20th.

Denmark supporters cheer in front of a group of England supporters in Frankfurt on June 20th. Photo by Kirill KUDRYAVTSEV / AFP

Schiedsrichter

Der Schiedsrichter – or referee – is often the most unpopular person on the pitch. When watching a match with disgruntled German football fans, you might hear this word shortened to Schiri!, similar to how Ref! is used in English.

Schwalbe

The German word for the bird swallow – Die Schwalbe – is used as a rather poetic description for when a player takes a dive. In these situations, when a footballer dramatically falls to try to earn a free kick or a penalty, they often lie on the ground with their arms and legs spread out, resembling a swallow with its forked tail.

IN PICTURES: Football fans take over German cities for Euro 2024

A swallow in the night sky.

A swallow in the night sky. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Karl-Josef Hildenbrand

Abseits

You’ll hear this term frequently, especially if your team plays an attacking game. It’s the German word for “offside,” and fans will call it out whenever the linesman’s flag goes up. 

Meanwhile, der Freistoß is free kick and der Anstoß is kick off. 

Raus!

You’ll hear this being shouted out when things get tense. Raus! which means ‘out!’ is signalling for the players to quickly get the ball away from the box near their goals to avoid danger. 

Arschkarte

Getting shown die Arschkarte (literally arse card) is another word for getting a red card or Rote Karte. 

It dates back to the 1970s and is connected to referees keeping the yellow card in their shirt pocket and the red card in their back pocket, next to their butt. So it is literally an Arschkarte. You’ll also hear fans shouting Gelb! (yellow) or Rot! (red) if they think someone deserves a booking. Or simply Foul! or Foulspiel! (Foul or foul play). 

By the way, there’s an idiom that is used off the pitch. Die Arschkarte ziehen – ‘pulling the arse card’ is the equivalent to the English ‘drawing the short straw’. So if someone says: ‘Du hast die Arschkarte gezogen’, they mean – ‘you’re out of luck’ or ‘you drew the short straw’.

READ ALSO: How to watch the Euro 2024 tournament in Germany 

Das war knapp! 

Das war Knapp means ‘That was close!’ or ‘that was a close call!’ The Euro 2024 tournament is already proving to be nailbiting so this little phrase is a perfect one to call out in a variety of circumstances such as when your team nearly lets in a goal or when the game finishes, but you just made it. If your team wins by a whisker, you can also use the phrase: Um ein Haar! which translates to ‘by a hair!’

For example – Die deutsche Mannschaft hat um ein Haar gewonnen! – ‘The German team won by a whisker!’

With reporting by Rachel Loxton and Sarah Magill 

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