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"
---
- Continuity3
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
- TMYK★Continuity
- jagara1
Its not that it’s weird, I just find it funny how Danish words can sound so simplistic and childish.
Maybe it’s just me and my mom (she’s German) that laugh our asses off over Danish words like tooth-meat (gums), lick-stick(lollipop) and breast-holder (bra) :)