31 August 2012: Gewohnheitstier

31 Aug: Gewohnheitstier from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: slang

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: das Gewohnheitstier

Closest English Translation: creature of habit

Literal Translation: animal accustomed to something

Thanks Sarah Goodrum!

30 August 2012: das Kind beim Namen nennen

30 Aug: Kind beim Namen nennen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: idiom

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: das Kind beim Namen nennen/kein Blatt vor den Mund nehmen

Closest English Translation: to call a spade a spade

Direct Translation: to call the kid by it’s name/to take no paper from the mouth

29 August 2012: Voll auf dem Keks gehen

29 Aug: Voll auf dem Keks from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: idiom

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Voll auf dem Keks gehen

Closest English Translation: to get on one’s nerves

Direct Translation: to go full on the cookies

Ach, Du heilige Scheiße!

Ach, Du heilige Scheiße! dada poem from kate hers on Vimeo.

dada-poem, ©2012
the first iteration of this poem in a karaoke educational video. learn it. perform it. videotape it. upload it and send in your link with the embed code! I’ll post the best ones to my blog!
mail(a)estherka.com

first shown at Letters from the Field, a curated group show by Node Center for Curatorial Studies at Atelierhof Kreuzberg, August 2012

28 August 2012: Ordnungsnazi

28 Aug: Ordnungsnazi from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: insult

Location: Kreuzberg-Berlin, Germany, Angry Chicken Korean Soju Bar

Word or Expression: Ordnungsnazi

Closest English Translation: neat freak, control freak, someone who is anal

Direct Translation: order nazi

Thanks to video artist Unn Fahlstrøm!

What’s German?

Just thought I’d share something hilarious.

27 August 2012: Wie am Schnurchen

27 Aug: Wie am Schnurchen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Learning Category: idiom

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Wie am Schnurchen

Closest English Translation: like clockwork

Direct Translation: like on a cord, string

26 August 2012: Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei.

26 Aug: Alles hat ein End, nur die Wurst hat zwei from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Alles hat ein Ende, nur die Wurst hat zwei.

Closest English Translation: All things come to an end (?) – not sure about this one. Any suggestions?

Direct Translation: Everything has an end. Only the sausage has two.

25 August 2012: Leisetreter

25 Aug: Leisetreter from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: der Leisetreter

Closest English Translation: Pussyfooter, someone who creeps around, someone who is wishy-washy

Direct Translation: Quiet-stepper

24 August 2012: Von hier bis Meppen

24 Aug: Von hier bis Meppen from kate hers on Vimeo.

Location: Berlin, Germany, my home

Word or Expression: Von hier bis Meppen

Closest English Translation: Timbuktu, boondocks, BFE (Butt-fucking-Egypt), in the middle of nowhere

Direct Translation: From here to Meppen (city in Germany)

Note: The idiom “von hier bis Meppen” can also be used to conote not only a large distance, but a large amount or simply because it took a lot of effort.