Published: 2026-10-29

Entwicklungstendenzen im Wortschatz der deutschen Gegenwartssprache

Věra Höppnerová
Germanistische Werkstatt
Section: Linguistics
DOI https://doi.org/10.25167/pg.6391

Abstract

Trends in the vocabulary of contemporary German

One of the most striking trends in vocabulary is the adoption of Anglicisms, which most Germanists see as an enrichment and a necessity. This is followed by the controversial effort to achieve gender-equitable language, which is seen by its proponents as a means of achieving gender equality. Opponents, on the other hand, consider it unnecessary and scientifically untenable. Today’s German is also characterized by youth language, which young people use to distinguish themselves from adults. The frequent use of social and political euphemisms serves to disguise and gloss over unpleasant realities or to increase the prestige of certain 84 Věra Höppnerová professions. The trend towards informal forms of address (du) is becoming increasingly prevalent, especially in international companies and in the creative industries.

Keywords:

anglicisms, gender-inclusive language, youth language, euphemisms, informal address du

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Citation rules

Höppnerová, V. (2026). Entwicklungstendenzen im Wortschatz der deutschen Gegenwartssprache. Germanistische Werkstatt, (15), 83–95. https://doi.org/10.25167/pg.6391

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