Useful German
With respect to Greg Ross’ Futility Closet
- Feierabend: a festive frame of mind at the end of a working day
- Drachenfutter: (“dragon fodder”) a peace offering to a wife from a guilty husband
- Erminenfloh: (“ermine flea”) a sycophant to the powerful
- Fachmensch: a narrow specialist
- Fingerspitzengefühl: (“fingertipfeel”) intuitive sensibility, confident sureness of touch
- fisselig: nagged and flustered to the point of incompetence
- pomadig: “like hair oil,” resourceful, confident, able to slip through difficulties
- Schlimmbesserung: an intended improvement that has made things worse
- Stammplatz: a favorite, usual spot, as a table at a café
- Torschlusspanik: (“gate closing panic”) fear that time is running out to act
- Wundersucht: a passion for miracles
- Zivilcourage: courage to express unpopular opinions
- Zwischenraum: the space between things
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