GERMAN WAR SLANG

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 259, 20 July 1918, Page 8

GERMAN WAR SLANG

You remember that the war had just be*un and the various kinds of shells in use numbered scarcely more than a dozen when Tommy had already ioand nicknames for them? 'Ihere were coalboKS," "Lizzies," "grandmothers, and *We "used to'wonder whether the Germans, with their ponderous sense ot humour, were capable of creating a war slang. Now, utter nearly four yeais of wari some of the brighter minds among them have been inspired and christened the Allied projectiles. The information has como by prisoners in our 'hands. Hero is a short list of names now in USB in the German trenches:— \ French 75mm. shell is a"Ketteji; hund" (watchdog) or a ' Wuidhuiid (greyhound. A French, .5 H.b. shell ms onlv one name: it is a Stink* ieeel" (skunk), while a low-velocity l'rcnch shell is a "Blindschleichc" (slowworm). Tho common heavy shells ot all tne Allies are variously named, but mostiv (■hey are known as "Schwarzc Blester (black beasts) or "Schwarze haue (black 6 °Sheils flying overhead have more names than any'in the German slang dictionnrv They am "Iloehhalineir (elevated railways), "Luftomnibusse" (aerial omnibuses), "D-Zuge" (corridor trams, "Rollwagon" or "Rollwagl' (push-carl). The fiat, heavy trajectory British gnu is called "Langer SchoweV (Wγ George), but 'flic heavy British shell which has been causiiiff Fritz en nvnett annoyance, of Into is hated so badly that it is'omphalieallv snoken of as bchwarzer Teufel" (blaclc devil). Jfachlne-gti.Hs are known by various dcFiffiiations. Among the most e common are "Xfnhmasohine" (mowing machine). "Hnekfleiseli-maschiiifi" (mincing machine), "K'alTeennihle" (coffee mill), • : 'r;i,.«|Miiii"" (r. !\\"r'w. -nn\ "ct"ihkinpfer" (sl.onpbroak.3r), "Drehorgel" barret orqah), and "Stoltertante" (stuttering auntie). A wachinc-Kun compaiiv—for winch, liv tii? wnv, Ibcro bnvo liopu few voliinteers in the Gorman ranks lately—is a "Mordw.'cllpn.kliil , " 'murder,, club), or poniotr'ng equivalent. The movniii!! and evenin? cannonades, which at ore time wore tho onlv nclivity on f'e line, wore nnuiet) Hie "AforTcrsrwn" fnvirninsr blossing), and "Aboiidsnv"" (pvpning blessing).—S.lL, in the "Daily Mail,"