A few minutes after the post "Studying heroes" was released into the wild wild web, we ran across one of the few accepted uses of the German "held" (hero).
It was a Spiegel review of the works of American writer George Saunders.
The reviewer makes liberal use of the plural Helden when he talks about the main characters or protagonists in Saunder's writings.
On the continuum that represents the many meanings of "hero", this German use is very much like this definition from Wikipedia: "Hero or heroine is sometimes used to simply describe the protagonist of a story, or the love interest, a usage which can conflict with the superhuman expectations of heroism."
Which brings us to another interesting cultural difference: naming public buildings or institutions after living people.
A federal building named after a senator or a football star, an airport named after a living hero - that's still a no go area for Germans.
You want a street named after you around here: sure, but you need to be dead.
Call it prudent, or call it risk averse, we prefer the more low key approach. On the other hand, it makes satire more work and smacks of seriously deferred gratification.
Imagine the easy pickings for German comedians if there was a stretch of autobahn right now named after current social democrat candidate for chancellor Steinbrueck?
Don't need reason, don't need rhyme.
[Update 9/2015] The German media recently called the unarmed passengers who overpowered a gunman on a French train heroes. We absolutely agree.
No comments:
Post a Comment