I love the German word verbesserungsbedürftig, meaning in need of improvement. I’m not German, but thought this was a cracking word.
Theoretically you can make infinitely long words in German.
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 ontrade of private plots of land should be transferred (to a different government body).While technically correct, the word
Verkehrhere does not translate totraffic, but rather belongs to the compoundVerkehrsgenehmigungwhich is roughly atrade permitfor selling a plot of land or using it as a collateral on a loan.German legalese has
Verkehras a reference toin Verkehr bringenwhich meansput something on the market/put something on circulation.But it’s hard to recognize /learn because
Verkehralmost(?) always meanstrafficoutside of legalese and- There are also traffic laws, that also use
Verkehrbut really meantraffic
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.
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Anglophonenwortkompositafaszinationsbelustigungsbauchschmerzmittelrezeptdruckerhersteller. Manufacturer of printers for prescriptions for painkillers for belly pain caused by amusement at anglophones’ fascination with word compounds.
