German Loan Words in English

Katharine ("Kerry") Close won the 2006 Scripps National Spelling Bee by correctly spelling the German word "Ursprache." The runner-up, Canadian Finola Hackett, misspelled the German word "Weltschmerz," starting with a "v" instead of "w." She should have studied the words and expressions in our glossary of terms that English has borrowed from German. Take a look at this annotated list of Lehnwörter—from "Alzheimer's" to "zinc."

When Languages Collide: Denglisch: English in German
Wort des Tages: What's today's German Word? (advanced or beginner)