I love the German word ver­bes­se­rungs­be­dürf­tig, meaning in need of improvement. I’m not German, but thought this was a cracking word.

    • Lumidaub@feddit.orgEnglish
      39·
      1 month ago

      Anglophonenwortkompositafaszinationsbelustigungsbauchschmerzmittelrezeptdruckerhersteller. Manufacturer of printers for prescriptions for painkillers for belly pain caused by amusement at anglophones’ fascination with word compounds.

    • espentan@lemmy.world
      15·
      1 month ago

      Same in Norwegian.

      Looks like this one is a popular candidate for the longest official word:

      Minoritetsladningsbærerdiffusjonskoeffisientmålingsapparatur.

      It’s an instrument for measuring the distance between particles in crystalline materials.

    • Ephera@lemmy.mlEnglish
      9·
      30 days ago

      Yeah, Wikipedia tells me the longest word that was actually in use is Grundstücks­verkehrs­genehmigungs­zuständigkeitsübertragungs­verordnung. It was a decree from 2003 until 2007.

      Basically:

      • “Grundstück” is a plot of land.
      • “Verkehr” is traffic “trade” in this context.
      • “Genehmigung” is approval.
      • “Zuständigkeit” is responsibility.
      • “Übertragung” is transfer.
      • “Verordnung” is decree.

      So, it decreed that the responsibility of approving traffic on trade of private plots of land should be transferred (to a different government body).

      • Elvith Ma'for@feddit.org
        3·
        30 days ago

        While technically correct, the word Verkehr here does not translate to traffic, but rather belongs to the compound Verkehrsgenehmigung which is roughly a trade permit for selling a plot of land or using it as a collateral on a loan.

        • Ephera@lemmy.mlEnglish
          2·
          30 days ago

          Damn, seems you’re right. For folks reading along: That’s not how that word usually works in German, but I guess, it is how it works in German legalese…

          • Elvith Ma'for@feddit.org
            3·
            30 days ago

            German legalese has Verkehr as a reference to in Verkehr bringen which means put something on the market / put something on circulation.

            But it’s hard to recognize /learn because

            1. Verkehr almost(?) always means traffic outside of legalese and
            2. There are also traffic laws, that also use Verkehr but really mean traffic