W.A.G. #4

Guten Tag, lovely readers of SUWA. Yes, it is that time again: WAG time! This week's word was inspired by my recent flirtations with Alzheimer's. I'm going to take you on a little trip down Mad Hatter's Memory/Nostalgia Lane. Cut to 13-year old Hattie on a trip to Austria. Momma and Baby Hattie are touring the streets of Salzburg, getting their first taste of German, when what should they stumble upon but something called "Mozarts Geburtshaus." And it should come as no surprise to any of you that this is the WAG of the week: Geburtshaus.

So what in the world is a Geburtshaus? Well, it is both literally and in reality a "born-house:" it is the house of one's birth. Or I guess the house where you grew up if you weren't physically shoved out of your mother's vajayjay there. The reasons I like this word are manifold:

1) Y'all know how I feel about the German passive tense. It's just so Gott verdammt funny.

2) You also know how much I looooove portmanteauing. The Germans do it better than anyone in the world, and for their dedication and willingness to mash pretty much any combination of words into one, I salute them.

3) How in the name of holy heck is a Geburtshaus a concept that anyone felt needed a special name? I can just imagine the conversation between the people putting up those fancy golden letters.

"Hold your Pferde, Johann, this is getting kinda crazy. Couldn't we just call it a Haus?"

"Nein, Werner, we must be as descriptive as possible with our words! Just calling it ein Haus is so boring! We shall have Geburtshäuser and Sterbehäuser (I am not making this Scheiße up) and maybe even Erstkussenhäuser (first kiss houses? I may have made that one up, but I also wouldn't be surprised if that turns out to be real)."

"You're so right, Johann! This system is so much besser! Jawohl!"

Oh Germany, how I love you. Danke, my friends. Danke.