It extends way beyond inventing new words. o.tel.o (now bust) had a corporate slogan "For a better understanding". And the Austrian Rail dining-cars were run by Trainristo (or something similar). Their wonderful slogan was "Service to have friends". As Jeremy Leaman says, don't they think of asking a native speaker?
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> -----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
> Von: p.h.gaskill [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Gesendet am: Donnerstag, 3. Oktober 2002 17:05
> An: [log in to unmask]
> Betreff: Re: Spelling Reform and Anglicisms
>
> Stephen Barbour wrote:
>
> > The labelling of these anglicisms as 'englische Woerter' is highly
> > misleading causing huge problems, since Germans who speak English then
> > believe they can simply use them without further ado when they speak
> > English. 'Handy' for 'mobile', 'mobbing' for 'bullying, harassment' ,
> > 'start' for 'take-off' and many others are now rife in Germans' English
> > usage, with comic. or even dysfunctional results. The items in question are
> > of course not 'Englische Woerter', but 'DEUTSCHE Woerter englischen
> > Ursprungs', but it is often very difficult to convince German speakers that
> > this is the case.
>
> Very true. Back in the early 70s Tim Buck had an article in *Die Zeit* entitled
> "Merkwuerdiges Anglodeutsch", in which he pointed out that words like
> "Showmaster" were German coinages which were supposed to look like English but
> were unknown in the English-speaking world. As was evident from the angry
> correspondence which ensued, he was simply not believed.
>
> But as for the Brits being resolutely monolingual, I note with interest that my
> digital TV receiver offers me subtitles in Welsh and Scots Gaelic. Does the
> German equivalent provide them in Sorbian?
>
> Howard Gaskill
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