Tell me more ×
German Language & Usage Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for speakers of German wanting to discuss the finer points of the language and translation. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 0 down vote favorite

I wonder if there is word "Waltzmarsch" in German? What does it mean?

share|improve this question
4  
Es gibt Momente, wo ich mir wünsche Moderator zu sein, damit ich die Ratespiele beenden kann, bevor sie überhaupt begonnen haben. Leute, bitte, postet eure Vermutungen doch lieber mal als Kommentar oder fragt nach mehr Kontext. Mir fallen bestimmt auch noch 2-3 Wörter ein, die hier "passen könnten", aber das bringt doch nix... – Em1 Sep 21 '12 at 8:53
4  
Ich würde sagen, dass es da doch wohl Schlimmeres gibt, oder? Ich find's eigentlich ganz unterhaltsam - und nicht ganz uninteressant, mitzubekommen, wie meine Muttersprache sozusagen von "Außenstehenden" wahrgenommen wird... und wie das dann wiederum bei anderen Muttersprachlern ankommt :) – Mac Sep 21 '12 at 11:16
3  
Naja, die dünne Auftragslage lässt einen schon die Standards vergessen und sich auf jeden Brocken stürzen, egal, wie dürftig er formuliert ist. - Besser fände ich es auch, zunächst auf eine vernünftige Fragestellung hinzuarbeiten und erst dann eine Frage zu beantworten. - Aber das gehört wohl eher nach German Language & Usage Meta – Alexander Kosubek Sep 24 '12 at 12:07

closed as not constructive by Em1, Baz, splattne♦ Sep 22 '12 at 6:03

As it currently stands, this question is not a good fit for our Q&A format. We expect answers to be supported by facts, references, or specific expertise, but this question will likely solicit debate, arguments, polling, or extended discussion. If you feel that this question can be improved and possibly reopened, see the FAQ for guidance.

3 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

There is no word that is written as "Waltz" (with "t" before "z") in German language. Only some people are named "Waltz" like the austrian actor Christoph Waltz who did get an Oscar 2 years ago.

But we have two simmilar words (both without "t") that might fit to a "Marsch": Walz and Walzer

ger: die Walz
engl: journeyman years

In German language there is an old word, that nowadays is unknown to many people. It is "Walz".

When young people did learn a profession they had to travel around all over the country to exercise their jobs in manny different places. This time of traveling took some years, and the german name for this time is "Walz". Another name is "Wanderjahre" and the english translation is "journeyman years". There is the phrase "auf die Walz gehen" meaning that a young professional is marching through the country, practicing his newly learned job.

The German word "Marsch" is in English "marching", meaning that you are walking along a long distance with a rucksack and everything you need to live in that rucksack, and this is exactly what somebody does when he is "auf der Walz".

BUT: I never ever did read or hear the word "Walzmarsch".

ger: der Walzer
engl: valse or waltz

A "Walzer" is a dance. It comes in some different flavours like "English Waltz", "Viennese Waltz" and so on. And a "Marsch" is a type of musik (in englisch: "march"), invented by military to keep the soldiers walking in lockstep when they are marching.

But a waltz is danced to music that is written in three-four time. A march is written in two-four time. You can't dance a waltz to march-musik and you can't march really well when listening to waltz-music.

So maybee "Waltzermarsch" could be a crossover of waltz- and march-music, but I don't believe in this.

share|improve this answer
1  
Offenbar gibt es den Marschwalzer als eine Art Polonaise (Google kennt reichlich Beispiele) – Hagen von Eitzen Sep 27 '12 at 17:27
up vote 1 down vote

You probably heard "Gewaltmarsch" (literally "forced march"), which refers to when soldiers exert themselves more than usual in order to get somewhere quickly. In a figurative sense it is used, often with slightly negative overtones, for something done with force or speed.

share|improve this answer
up vote 0 down vote

Not quite sure, but you could also have heard

Weltschmerz.

It roughly means:

Sadness over the evils of the world, especially as an expression of romantic pessimism.

share|improve this answer

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.