March 17, 2025 2:59 AM PDT
Germans don’t necessarily “love”
long German words, but their language structure makes it natural to create them. Instead of using multiple separate words, German compounds them into one. This tendency comes from a need for precision, particularly in legal, scientific, and administrative contexts.
For example, instead of saying "law for the delegation of duties for beef labeling", German simplifies it into "Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz" (yes, that’s a real word!). While this might seem excessive, it avoids ambiguity.
Additionally, long words provide efficiency. Instead of explaining an entire concept in a long sentence, Germans use a single word. The famous "Donaudampfschifffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän" (Danube steamship company captain) is long, but it’s more efficient than describing the job role separately.
Ultimately, while these long German words may seem overwhelming to non-native speakers, they serve a practical purpose in a language that values clarity and precision.