Zompist Bboard Again

We've been hearing a lot about records during the recent heatwave, how they've "tumbled", been "broken", "smashed", and "not just broken but shattered"¹. And as soon as you break a record, a new and more formidable one appears in its place.² Do curious metaphors of this sort exist in other languages?³

¹ All of which suggests an obstinate attachment to shellac instead of the obviously superior vinyl, but never mind.
² The industry should really have taken note of this sooner.
³ "Les platines du temps sont tombées"???

Some may say the news media is becoming a bit of a broken record on this topic.

In German you can also break a Rekord, and they can fall. So, if you want to do hyperbole, you can use more expressive sysnonyms for falling and breaking. But in German, the word doesn't have any association with paper records (Akten) or music records ((Schall-)Platten). It is only used for the sports / Guinness Book kind. "To record" is aufnehmen for sound specifically and aufzeichnen generally. (A cassette recorder is a Kassettenrekorder, but that alone isn't enough to establish any association).

I also have to think of that there are two different kinds of recorders in English: one to play music, and one to capture it.

hwhatting wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 6:29 am In German you can also break a Rekord, and they can fall. So, if you want to do hyperbole, you can use more expressive sysnonyms for falling and breaking. But in German, the word doesn't have any association with paper records (Akten) or music records ((Schall-)Platten). It is only used for the sports / Guinness Book kind. "To record" is aufnehmen for sound specifically and aufzeichnen generally. (A cassette recorder is a Kassettenrekorder, but that alone isn't enough to establish any association).

Do you guys actually use English "break" when referring to breaking a Rekord?

Travis B. wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 11:27 am

hwhatting wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 6:29 am In German you can also break a Rekord, and they can fall. So, if you want to do hyperbole, you can use more expressive sysnonyms for falling and breaking. But in German, the word doesn't have any association with paper records (Akten) or music records ((Schall-)Platten). It is only used for the sports / Guinness Book kind. "To record" is aufnehmen for sound specifically and aufzeichnen generally. (A cassette recorder is a Kassettenrekorder, but that alone isn't enough to establish any association).

Do you guys actually use English "break" when referring to breaking a Rekord?

Nope! It's einen Rekord brechen, of course.

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 11:51 am Nope! It's einen Rekord brechen, of course.

Oh good, you at least are using the German verb here (I expected the Denglisch to be even worse from what you'd originally said).

Travis B. wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 12:09 pm

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 11:51 am Nope! It's einen Rekord brechen, of course.

Oh good, you at least are using the German verb here (I expected the Denglisch to be even worse from what you'd originally said).

The worst Denglisch I have ever experienced myself was in a role-playing group where we used English-language rules. We spoke German at the game table, but many of the terms referring to the game mechanics were in English. Yuck.

Also, there are the infamous Scheinanglizismen: words of English origin which are used in ways alien to English, such as Oldtimer 'historical motor vehicle' or Handy 'mobile telephone'. Some German tourists embarrass themselves by asking in an English leather goods store whether they can buy a Bodybag there.

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 1:38 pm

Travis B. wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 12:09 pm

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 11:51 am Nope! It's einen Rekord brechen, of course.

Oh good, you at least are using the German verb here (I expected the Denglisch to be even worse from what you'd originally said).

The worst Denglisch I have ever experienced myself was in a role-playing group where we used English-language rules. We spoke German at the game table, but many of the terms referring to the game mechanics were in English. Yuck.

Also, there are the infamous Scheinanglizismen: words of English origin which are used in ways alien to English, such as Oldtimer 'historical motor vehicle' or Handy 'mobile telephone'. Some German tourists embarrass themselves by asking in an English leather goods store whether they can buy a Bodybag there.

Pseudo-Anglicisms are always amusing like that.

quinterbeck wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 5:18 am Some may say the news media is becoming a bit of a broken record on this topic.

Thankyou for winning me a bet

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 1:38 pm

Travis B. wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 12:09 pm

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 11:51 am Nope! It's einen Rekord brechen, of course.

Oh good, you at least are using the German verb here (I expected the Denglisch to be even worse from what you'd originally said).

The worst Denglisch I have ever experienced myself was in a role-playing group where we used English-language rules. We spoke German at the game table, but many of the terms referring to the game mechanics were in English. Yuck.

Also, there are the infamous Scheinanglizismen: words of English origin which are used in ways alien to English, such as Oldtimer 'historical motor vehicle' or Handy 'mobile telephone'. Some German tourists embarrass themselves by asking in an English leather goods store whether they can buy a Bodybag there.

In French and (if I'm not mistaken) German, there's also youngtimer, from oldtimer: a historical motor vehicle manufactured in the 80s.

Ares Land wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 4:15 pm

In French and (if I'm not mistaken) German, there's also youngtimer, from oldtimer: a historical motor vehicle manufactured in the 80s.

This is the first time I see that word, though I admit that I've been very much out of touch and generally the opposite of hip with the kids for a while.

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 8:42 am I also have to think of that there are two different kinds of recorders in English: one to play music, and one to capture it.

The reason for this is that before anyone had had the idea of using a needle to etch a tiny spiral into a rotating wax cylinder, record meant "practice music". (If you like that, you'll love the etymology of broadcast.)

Raphael wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 5:40 pm

Ares Land wrote: ↑Fri Jun 26, 2026 4:15 pm

In French and (if I'm not mistaken) German, there's also youngtimer, from oldtimer: a historical motor vehicle manufactured in the 80s.

This is the first time I see that word, though I admit that I've been very much out of touch and generally the opposite of hip with the kids for a while.

Youngtimer is not very widespread beyond classic car aficionados, but I know of it.

WeepingElf wrote: ↑Sat Jun 27, 2026 1:59 am

Youngtimer is not very widespread beyond classic car aficionados, but I know of it.

Thank you!