A short collection of long German words

Herzkreislaufwiederbelebung (heart-circle-run-again-enlivenment) = C.P.R.
Geschwindigkeitsbegrenzung = speed limit
Geschwindigkeitsüberschreitung = speeding (noun)
Hoechsgeschwindigkeitsbegrenzung = maximum speed limit
Gepäckaufbewahrungsschein (luggage-up-hold-certificate) = luggage check ticket
Hubschrauberlandeplatz = helicopter landing pad

This is the current champion (this is the name of a law that has to do with how beef is labeled):

Rindfleischetikettierungsüberwachungsaufgabenübertragungsgesetz

here it is broken into parts:

[[[Rind]fleisch][[etikettier[ungs]][[[über]wachungs][[[auf]gaben][[[über]trag[ungs]][gesetz]]]]]]]

beef meat label ing over watch task over give ing law

"Beef labeling oversight transfer law"

here is another nice name for a law (this one has to do with perscriptions):

Arzneimittelausgabenbegrenzungsgesetz

Arnold Schliewack found this one:

Verantwortungszuständigkeiten (Verantwortung: responsibility, Zuständigkeiten: jurisdiction) = area of responsibility

Megan Carlton sent me this one, don't try to say it before your coffee:

Oberammergaueralpenkräuterdelikatessenfrühstückskäse

This is Deli-style breakfast cheese with mountain herbs from the state of Oberammergau, truly a mouth-full.

Andrew Coffman found this one:

The longest German word in which no character repeats is Heizölrückstoßabdämpfung, which means something like "heating oil recoil absorber."

Liliana Castañeda Rossman found this one:

Rolltreppenbenutzungshinweise (litterally: rolling-stairs-use-tips, or, more colloquially, tips for using the escalator)

Michelle Forschner found this one:

Kreislaufzusammenbruch

A perinial favorite are variations on this gem:

Donaudampfschiffahrtskapitänswitwe = "danube-steam-ship-line-captain's-widow" the lovliest thing about this is that you could substitute just about any word for the final word of the compound (witwe) and get a new word! E.g. if the fellow had a longshoreman's cap it might be a

Donaudampfschiffahrtskapitänsmütze,

or if he had a pipe it might be a

Donaudampfschiffahrtskapitänspfeife, usw.

In fact, Matthew Thomas reports:

I found the following in a novel. It means "The star on the hat of the Captain of the steam ship, on the Four Woods Lake":

das Vierwaldstätterseedampfshiffsfahrtsgeselschaftskapitänsmützensternlein

Thank heavens none of these fellows ever made any laws! Thanks to Dr. Ulrich Demlehner (via email) for this one!

here is one sent to me by Alexander Lorch at Bowdoin College:

das Federkraftlichtbogenschweißen

it means "arc welding with electrode fed by spring pressure" and is 29 letters long.

Kathy Markarian, a German teacher at Crescenta Valley High School offers the following seasonal word:

Adventskranzkerzenanzünder which, of course, is a Advent-wreath candle lighter.

Here is a beauty, contributed by Joe Kooijman:

Eisenbahnknotenpunkthinundherschieber, railroad switchman

Linda Schmieder sends us:
Windschutzscheibewaschanlage windshield wiper squirting device

If you find a good long German word to add to my short collection, let me know: mhughes@csusm.edu

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