English Is A Language Thief

In my Seattle-area high school, I was friends with a German exchange student. She was very happy to be able to practice her English among native speakers and was never afraid to ask for help learning new phrases.

Friend: “What do you say in America when someone sneezes?”

Me: “Gesundheit.”

Friend: “No, in America.”

Me: “We say gesundheit, too.”

Friend: “But in America! Not in Germany!”

Me: “Really, we mostly use the German word. Sometimes people say, ‘Bless you,’ but mostly you’ll hear gesundheit.”

Friend: “But I already know that word!”

Then, I got to tell her about other loan words like kindergarten and schadenfreude!