by Kevin Stoda
I have long ago found what many social linguists and language teachers around the world have found to be accurate about the usage of language. Like Li Li Zhangfang (2013:22) we observe that: “[S]peakers use address terms metaphorically to express their emotions…speakers may express positive emotions by choosing negative address terms, or express negative emotions by using positive terms.”
My German girlfriend in German would sometimes call me an Ape or Monkey. It was usually used as a term of endearment.
“Oh, Du Affe, Du.” (You Monkey, You!) is how she would say it.
While I am concerned with how animals are used to show terms of endearment, I want to see the discussion moving on (or follow up on the topic of my prior article on words and how we use and abuse them for pleasing and unpleasing ways.)
Let’s talk about the monkey or ape word (Affe) in German.
This is one discussion from Quorum on this topic: Please read it carefully parts of one discussion from Quorum on this very topic:
How often do Germans use the word “Affe”?
I’m German5y
It’s fairly common to use on someone who is being an annoying idiot or otherwise ridiculous.
You can tell whether or not it’s mean as a racist slur by the context. If you’re just standing there and someone calls you that, they’re obviously being racist.
But if you just threw your lunch at schoolchildren, then they probably mean it the other way.
Frisian, Saxon, German… depends on the context5y
Affe is the German word for “monkey”, yes. It is used for monkeys, of course, and as a swear word or insult of different degree. The context shows whether it is meant as insult or not. “Du Affe! Kannst du nicht …!” expresses just frustration based on something someone (the Affe) has done or has not done. That Affe can be your best friend, but you feel now like wanting to kill him. Grrrr! But it can also be used as a synonym for “subhuman”.
When they call you an ape/monkey while walking by, I’m afraid that this is meant as a racist insult. If they mean you.
I’m sorry for you about that. There are still racists in Germany, and now isn’t a good time for Orientals (especially North Africans) in Germany now, of reasons you probably know. (Some Maghrebinian idiots at Silvester 2015/16… and how they changed the view of Germans on Arabics/Maghrebinians.)
Lives in Vienna, Austria5y
Hard to generalize.
“Affe” is monkey, “Affer” does not exist. It may have a racist connotation when used against dark-skinned people, but “affig” (“monkeyish”) can also be used, simply meaning “boorish, stupid, impolite, obnoxious” etc.
In Vienna, “Aff’, blöder!” (“Stupid monkey!”) would simply be “Dumbass!”, “Idiot!”, “Douchebag!”….
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Frisian, Saxon, German… depends on the context5y
Affe is the German word for “monkey”, yes. It is used for monkeys, of course, and as a swear word or insult of different degree. The context shows whether it is meant as insult or not. “Du Affe! Kannst du nicht …!” expresses just frustration based on something someone (the Affe) has done or has not done. That Affe can be your best friend, but you feel now like wanting to kill him. Grrrr! But it can also be used as a synonym for “subhuman”.
When they call you an ape/monkey while walking by, I’m afraid that this is meant as a racist insult. If they mean you.
Germany is not the only place where a loved one uses the words “monkey or ape” as terms of endearment. Lover from other lands have called me “Orangutan” because of the ginger or reddish color of my head and body hair. Lovers from Peru, Europe, and Philippines have called me that.
My daughter, though, who was born in the Philippines, says she doesn’t mind it at all when I call her an “ungoy”, which means monkey in Filipino. She even calls me “ungoy” or “oranguatan”, too, sometimes.
Growing up in a German-American home animal words were used as terms of endearment all of the time amongst us.
Tell me, did people use monkey or animal names as both hateful and pleasant words where you grew up , too?
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