A. It's called an Eierschalensollbruchstellenverursacher. Or: Causer of eggs to break in the Sollbruchstelle - the place where it is meant to break. We'll let Tavaron explain it, as she did to the incredulous Post Editor.

'It makes 'pling' when the ball comes down,' according to our resident egg expert.

Editor: 'This is the most German thing I have ever seen.'

'Don't laugh!' says Tavaron. 'It's a perfectly normal German word. Some things have a Sollbruchstelle which breaks instead of the whole item being damaged.'

'Ah,' I said. 'Like a Kitkat bar.'

'Yes!' she replied. 'People also say there is a Sollbruchstelle if a stupid part of a machine or something breaks and forces you to buy a new one.'

'We call that 'planned obsolescence',' I threw in.

Tavaron

29.04.24 Front Page

Back Issue Page