Suggestible Girl is Suggestible, and her German is Poor.

I am one of those uber suggestible people who will hear a word or a phrase used a few times then will immediately adopt it into my language. Especially if it’s a word or phrase I particularly like.

A a few weeks back, I heard the good man use a particular phrase, and it kind of rolled off of me. But then a few days later I heard it again on a rerun episode of Boston Legal.

Well, that was that. The phrase is now mine.

However….I’ve used it twice and only realized today I’ve been saying it wrong. I am now one of those pseudo intellectuals who try to talk big and end up sounding like a dope.

The correct phrase is: sturm und drang. Literally translated from German, it means “storm and stress.”

This phrase applies in oh-so-many ways to my current work environment. I have a new employee, I have three major global projects on the front burners, and just for fun, it looks like my team will be moving under the leadership of a different department all together. It’s all good change, but change nonetheless, and it is keeping us hopping.

So I’m at least using the phrase in the right context, but saying it wrong. All along I’ve been saying storm and drung.

No wonder I get so many blank stares. That and the fact I was suddenly speaking (incorrect) German.

Maybe I should just drop an Eastern New Mexico twang on top of it all and say storm and drain.

“Ya’ll, this storm and drain over the past weeks is just about wearing me flat. We need to set us up a little ol’ project plan before things get crazier than a March hare ’round here. Whaddaya say?”

I like it. I haven’t gotten real New Mexico on these folks in a while.

I have a meeting in forty five minutes.

It’s so on.






Today’s Theme Thursday word is: Storm

Photo from the City of Davis Public Works site.


About Author

Karen Fayeth

Comments

  • Anji

    I think that I would probably say druem and strang. Then pretend it was some obscure language from a country no one has ever heard of…

    • Karen Fayeth

      Anji – I like your style!! LOL!!

    • Frank Conway

      I think that I would probably say druem and strang. Then pretend it was some obscure language from a country no one has ever heard of…

      I think I’d spend eighteen or so months reading Schiller and Goethe, get sidetracked by some of the Romantic painters, the Etruscans, the Volkerwanderung, Walther Vondervogleweide, read up on the revolutions of 1848, help my wife pack the car, wave goodbye, sell everything and move back in with my parents.

      Wait, I did do that.

  • Mrsupole

    I would never have expected to see two TT posts about these same three words. I can totally see how they fit in with your work schedule and I hope you master them so that they come out naturally, but with a little New Mexico twang mixed in. That just sounds so cool.

    I hope you have a lot less stormy week at work and have a little more fun.

    Thanks for playing in this weeks Theme Thursday, always fun having you.

    God bless.

    • Karen Fayeth

      Hi Mrsupole – Great TT minds think alike!

      And here I thought I was being super original. (that other post is way better than mine, lol!!)

      Thanks for dropping by!

  • becca givens

    I am one of those suggestible people also … except — I might have had to pass on this one because I couldn’t pronounce it with German accent or English accent for German words … now storm and drain is more my speed!

    Enjoyed reading — good luck with the change and the projects!!

  • brian

    it is pretty cool that you and Kris went the same route with this…it is so true on having new employees to break in as well…feel for you there….hope all goes well with that meeting too…smiles.

    • Karen Fayeth

      Brian – Yeah, but Kris, like, actually knows what Storm and Drain is all about. He’s all smart and stuff.

      And I live to drop odd phrases in work meetings. Gotta keep them on their toes.

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