False gallicism
The use of words in the German language that seem to come from French and are usually also pronounced in French are characterized as pseudo-gallicisms . However, these words are unknown in the French-speaking world.
Examples in the German language
| "Mock French" | French equivalent | German meaning (of sham Gallicism) |
|---|---|---|
| Embarrassment | (la) honte, (la) situation embarrassante | embarrassing situation |
| hair stylist | (le) coiffeur | Hair clipper, barber |
| Sophistication | (le) refined | Refinement, sophistication |
| Rummy | (le) rami | (a deck of cards) |
| Amuse bouche | (l ') amuse-gueule ( more rarely also: (l') amuse-bouche) | Appetizers, culinary delights |
| Rigging | (le) gréement | rigging |
| Accessories | (la) decoration | Decoration, accessories |
| curtain | (le) rideau | curtain |
| offer | (l ') offre | offer |
| Jour fixe | (la) réunion de travail régulière (or similar) | Scheduled date |
The word delicacy came into German as a sham Gallicism (délicatesse = fineness, delicacy, weakness ) and was sometimes given a German plural ending, which again came closer to the rather rare French “des délicatesses” = delicacy . As a label for delicatessen shops, the word came to New York mainly through Jewish delicatessen dealers , where it is used exclusively with the German plural ending in the sense of “delicatessen”, “upscale self-service fast food”. There is also the corresponding plural form "Delicatessens". Due to the widespread tendency towards abbreviations in American English, it became “ Deli ”, which in this form now penetrates German again as Anglicism .