Hyper-literal Danish words
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- jagara
English is so ineffective and so full of redundancies. We (the Danish) have a more practical system of hyper-literal compound words. So much smarter. So much more retarded-sounding.
I've compiled this list for your perusal and/or entertainment:
A
Airplane
Flyvemaskine (or simply fly) - "fly machine"
Alien (space-)
Rumvæsen - "Space being"
Appendix
Blindtarm - "Blind intestine"
Armchair
Lænestol - "Lean chair"
Armpit
Armhule - "Arm hole" / "Arm cave"
Attention
Opmærksomhed - "Up-mark-some-ness"
Autumn
Efterår - "After year"
Astroturf
Kunstgræs - "Art grass"
Average
Gennemsnit - "Through cut / through slice"
---
B
Baby onesie
Kravledragt - "Crawl suit"
Beef
Oksekød - "Ox meat"
Breakfast
Morgenmad - "morning food"
Blood clot
Blodprop - "Blood cork"
Bedroom
Soveværelse - "Sleep room"
Bat
Flagermus - "Flutter mouse"
Bookworm
Læsehest - "Read horse"
Bra
Brystholder - "Breast holder"
Bumper
Kofanger - "Cow catcher"
Burglary
Indbrud - "In-break"
Buttermilk dessert, traditional danish dessert
Koldskål - "Cold bowl"
---
C
Carrot
Gulerod - "Yellow root"
Cat burglar
Klatretyv - "Climb thief"
Cat litter
Kattegrus - "Cat gravel"
Charger
Oplader - "Up-loader"
Chewing gum
Tyggegummi - "Chew rubber"
City hall
Rådhus - "Advice house"
Cold cuts / Sandwich toppings
Pålæg - "On-lay"
Concussion
Hjernerystelse - "Brain shaking"
Cotton swab
Vatpind - "Cotton stick"
Cricket
Fårekylling - "Sheep chicken"
Cotton
Bomuld - "Tree wool"
Coward
Bangebuks - "Scared pants"
---
D
Dentist
Tandlæge - "tooth doctor"
Decade
Årti - "Year-ten"
Dictionary
Ordbog - "word book"
Dining room
Spisestue - "Eat room"
Dishwasher
Opvaskemaskine - "Up-wash machine"
Dinner
Aftensmad - "evening food"
Diary
Dagbog - "Day book"
Driveway
Indkørsel - "In-drive"
Driver's license
Kørekort - "Drive card"
Drill
Bor - "Bore" or electric: Boremaskine - "Bore machine"
Drunk driving
Spritkørsel - "Booze driving"
Dustpan
Fejebakke - "Sweep tray"
Dumbbell
Håndvægt - "Hand weight"
Dandelion
Mælkebøtte - "Milk bucket"
Desk
Skrivebord - "Write table"
Disservice
Bjørnetjeneste - "Bear service"
---
E
Energetic (possibly hyperactive) child
Krudtugle - "Gunpowder owl"
Electric razor
Barbermaskine - "Barber machine"
Electrical outlet
Stikkontakt - "Stick-in contact"
Escalator
Rulletrappe - "rolling stairs"
Esophagus
Spiserør - "Eating pipe"
Eyeball
Øjeæble - "Eye apple"
---
F
Fire extinguisher
Ildslukker - "Fire out-putter"
Flashlight
Lommelygte - "Pocket lantern"
Fistfight / Brawl
Slagsmål - "Battle-goal"
Flesh wound
Kødsår - "Meat wound"
Fried egg
Spejlæg - "Mirror egg"
Faucet / Tap
Vandhane - "Water rooster"
Fire pit
Bålfad - "Bonfire dish"
Fist
Knytnæve - "Knot fist"
Fountain
Springvand - "Jump water"
---
G
Garlic
Hvidløg - "White onion"
Gear
Tandhjul - "Tooth wheel"
Glove
Handske - "Hand shoe"
Goosebumps
Gåsehud - "Goose skin"
Goalkeeper
Målmand - "Goal man"
Gums
Tandkød - "Tooth meat"
Grandchild
Barnebarn - "Child-child"
Great-grandfather
Oldefar - "Ancient father" / "Elder father"
Great-grandmother
Oldemor - "Ancient mother" / "Elder mother"
Great-great-grandfather
Tipoldefar - "Tip ancient father"
Great-great-grandmother
Tipoldemor - "Tip ancient mother"
Grocer
Købmand - "Buy man"
---
H
Handcuffs
Håndjern - "Hand iron"
Hammock
Hængekøje - "Hang bunk"
Headphones
Høretelefoner - "Hear telephones"
Hedgehog
Pindsvin - "Stick swine"
Highway
Motorvej - "Motor way"
Hindsight
Bagklog - "Behind smart" / "Back smart"
Hippopotamus
Flodhest - "River horse"
Hospital
Sygehus - "Sick house"
Honeymoon
Hvedebrødsdage - "Wheat bread days"
---
I
Ice cream
Is - "Ice"
Instruction manual
Brugsanvisning - "Usage showing"
Invention
Opfindelse - "Up finding"
---
J
Jellyfish
Vandmand - "Water man"
---
K
Killer whale / Orca
Spækhugger - "Blubber chopper"
---
L
Laptop
Bærbar - "Carry-able"
Lawnmower
Græsslåmaskine - "Grass strike machine" / "Grass hit machine"
Leash
Hundesnor - "Dog string"
Lollipop
Slikkepind - "Lick stick"
Lightbulb
Glødepære - "Glow pear"
---
M
Maternal aunt
Moster - "Mother sister"
Maternal grandfather
Morfar - "Mother father"
Maternal grandmother
Mormor - "Mother mother"
Maternal uncle
Morbror - "Mother brother"
Match
Tændstik - "Ignite stick"
Moment
Øjeblik - "Eye glance"
Millipede
Tusindben - "Thousand legs"
Mumps
Fåresyge - "Sheep sickness"
---
N
Nipple
Brystvorte - "Breast wart"
Nuclear weapon
Kernevåben - "Core weapon"
---
O
Octopus / Squid
Blæksprutte - "Ink squirter"
Osteoporosis
Knogleskørhed - "Bone brittleness"
---
P
Paternal aunt
Faster - "Father sister"
Paternal grandfather
Farfar - "Father father"
Paternal grandmother
Farmor - "Father mother"
Paternal uncle
Farbror - "Father brother"
Pacifier / dummy
Sut - "Suck"
Parachute
Faldskærm - "Fall screen"
Pet peeve
Kæphest - "Stick horse"
Puffin
Søpapegøje - "Sea parrot"
Padlock
Hængelås - "Hang lock"
Pedestrian
Fodgænger - "Foot walker"
Pet
Kæledyr - "Caress animal"
Piggy bank
Sparegris - "Save pig"
Placenta
Moderkage - "Mother cake"
Platypus
Næbdyr - "Beak animal"
Playpen
Kravlegård - "Crawl yard"
Pocket lint
Lommeuld - "Pocket wool"
Pocket tissue / tissue
Lommetørklæde - "Pocket dry-cloth"
Post office
Posthus - "Mail house"
Poultry
Fjerkræ - "Feather creature"
Pork
Svinekød - "Swine meat"
Pram / Stroller
Barnevogn - "Child wagon" or
Klapvogn - "Fold wagon"---
Q
Quarry
Stenbrud - "Stone break"
Quotation marks
Gåseøjne - "Goose eyes"
---
R
Raccoon
Vaskebjørn - "Wash bear"
Rearview mirror
Bakspejl - "Backwards mirror"
Rectum
Endetarm - "End intestine"
Refrigerator
Køleskab - "Cooling cabinet"
Reptile
Krybdyr - "Creep animal"
Remote control
Fjernbetjening - "Faraway operator"
Revolving door
Karruseldør - "Carousel door"
Rhinoceros
Næsehorn - "Nose horn"
Roundabout
Rundkørsel - "Round driving"
Rollercoaster
Rutsjebane - "Slide track"
---
S
Sandwich (traditional danish open-faced sandwich)
En mad - "a food" or
Smørrebrød - "smear bread"Shopping cart
Kundevogn - "Customer wagon"
Scarf
Halstørklæde - "Neck dry-cloth"
Scarecrow
Fugleskræmsel - "Bird frightener"
Slug
Skovsnegl - "Wood snail"
Slippers
Hjemmesko - "Home shoes"
Suicide
Selvmord - "self murder"
Sloth
Dovendyr - "Lazy animal"
Spring
Forår - "Fore year"
Square
Firkant - "Four edge"
Submarine
Undervandsbåd / U-båd - "Underwater-boat"
Sunrise
Solopgang - "Sun up-going"
Sunset
Solnedgang - "Sun down-going"
Suspicion
Mistanke - "Mis-thought"
Sweet tooth
Slikmund - "Candy mouth"
Sink
Håndvask - "Hand wash"
Sinus
Bihule - "Side cave"
Strawberry
Jordbær - "Earth berry"
Straw (for drinking)
Sugerør - "Suck pipe"
Slow lane
Kravlespor - "Crawl track"
Stepdaughter (colloquial)
Papdatter - "Cardboard daughter"
Stepfather (colloquial)
Papfar - "Cardboard father"
Stepfather (modern colloquial)
Bonusfar - "Bonus father"
Stepmother (colloquial)
Papmor - "Cardboard mother"
Stepmother (modern colloquial)
Bonusmor - "Bonus mother"
Stepson (colloquial)
Papsøn - "Cardboard son"
---
T
Tailwind
Medvind - "With wind"
Tape recorder
Båndoptager - "Ribbon up-taker"
Television
Fjernsyn - "Distant vision"
Thesaurus
Synonymordbog - "synonym word book"
Theme park
Forlystelsespark - "Pleasure park"
Towel
Håndklæde - "Hand cloth"
Tool
Værktøj - "Work stuff"
Toy
Legetøj - "Play stuff"
Toothpick
Tandstikker - "Tooth stick"
Typewriter
Skrivemaskine - "Write machine"
Trachea
Luftrør - "Air pipe"
Transparent
Gennemsigtig - "Through-sight-y"
Treadmill
Løbebånd - "Run ribbon"
Tram
Sporvogn - "Track wagon"
Triangle
Trekant - "Three edge"
Truck
Lastbil - "Load car"
Turtle
Skildpadde - "Shield toad"
---
U
Umbilical cord
Navlestreng - "Navel string"
Undertaker
Bedemand - "Pray man"
---
V
Vacuum cleaner
Støvsuger - "Dust sucker"
Veterinarian
Dyrlæge - "Animal doctor"
Vegetable
Grøntsag - "Green thing"
Vehicle
Køretøj - "Drive stuff"
Vocabulary
Ordforråd - "Word supply"
---
W
Wallet
Pengepung - "Money pouch" or
Tegnebog - "Draw book"Wardrobe
Klædeskab - "Cloth cabinet"
Wanderlust
Udlængsel - "Out longing"
Weeds
Ukrudt - "Un-herb"
Whipped cream
Flødeskum - "Cream foam"
Windshield wiper
Vinduesvisker - "Window wiper"
Windshield
Forrude - "Front window pane"
Wizard
Troldmand - "Troll man"
Wristwatch
Armbåndsur - "Arm band watch"
---
X
...
---
Y
...
---
Z
Zebra crossing / Crosswalk
Fodgængerfelt - "Foot-walker field"
Zipper
Lynlås - "Lightning lock"
Zip code / postal code
Postnummer - "Mail number"
---
- Continuity2
Half those words are basically German, and another quarter are Dutch.
I'm afraid Denmark hasn't cornerned the market on lexical weirdness, sorry.
- *corneredContinuity
- Zipper = "Lightning lock"
Fermeture éclair in French.
Which makes more sense because it's the act of closing, not the lock itself that is quick.palimpsest - Unless they meant the pastry.palimpsest
- ^Continuity
- Fermeture éclair is also decidedly better than "zig-zaggy pully thing".Continuity
- Zipper was definitely a design by committee name. By the same team that named the Frisbee.palimpsest