The Deppen apostroph: How the German language mocks itself!

The Deppen apostroph: How the German language mocks itself!

In a surprising turn, the Council for German Spelling practically legalized the use of the so -called "Deppen apostroph". This affects spellings such as "Oli’s Grillimbiss" or "Anja’s Friseursalon", which were previously controversial in the German language. The decision, which was already taken in July, now allows the apostrophe to delimit the genitive-S on proper names if the entire construction is interpreted as a proper name. This decision means that the controversial spelling in company signs and everyday applications is now considered correct.

Language experts criticize this step and describe it as a knee against reality, since the wrong spellings have become increasingly popular in recent decades. Many who see themselves as a gourmet of the German language must now get used to the fact that this is supposedly false. Bizarre examples such as "Handy’s" in a Munich media market or "more for money" at Aldi in Switzerland show the absurdity of the topic. The use of the depostrophic ensures heated debates among language lovers, as the rules change in such a way that the traditional spelling is no longer valid alone. More information about this linguistic change can be found at www.schwaebische-post.de .