Words in German that you don't 'buy'

I don't feel that "Schicksal" says destiny like Destiny does.

@ funf - That's because you are not immersed into German language and culture. Schicksal is a wonderful old word, combining "schicken" = to send and "sal", a Germanic suffix describing an abstract matter. When Germans can use an original German word for something they generally do, hence the prevalance of Lungenentzündung over Pneumonie. A synonym for Schicksal is Geschick, something that is sent to you. Not much difference to destiny, something that is decided for you; both are based on the philosophy of a higher being determining our fate.

See also Scheusal, Mühsal, Labsal. Mmmmmm, Labsal --- I can just feel the salutary shock of a chilled fermented mixture of starch, H2O and cereal hitting my epiglottis after gently stroking my fungiform papillae with the ennervating bitterness of hops, the sweetness of starch and the refeshing sparkle of darred barley. Damn, no beer in the house.

Ungemach doesn't work for me. Gemach is a room, Un is huge (s.a. Unwetter, Ungeheuer), so Ungemach should be a large room. Instead, it's bad luck.

Thanks for that, sara. I "make meaning" to keep certain words in mind. I thought of Ungemach as in made--already made. Ungemach is unmade--your hopes unmade. Now, it probably doesn't originate from the past participle of make--gemacht, actually--but the "meaning" works when I use that. But Schicksal means nothing, as you noted, from my not having a grounding in German culture and language. Of course--schicken is send...If I'd known that, I'd easily "massage meaning" for the word, like I do with Ungemach. Of course, now I can.

Thanks again, and I'll virtually join you for the other sort of -sal!

Not quite, un- is not "huge", it is a negating prefix. Unwetter is not-weather, bad weather. Gemach = (the) convenient (thing/place); Ungemach = the inconvenient thing.

I don't get the word "Pullunder". You don't pull the damned thing under, it goes over the top of your shirt for god's sake, so why call it that?

Gemach as in "comfortable room" is derived from Gemach as in "hasteless, comfortable, effortless doing", with Ungemach also derived from the original meaning. And Un- is of course "not".

Gemach is derived from Old High German "gimah" (Middle High already "gemach") which meant "fitting" or "comfortable". Olde English "gimoec".
Which were in fact adjective forms of "machen", which back then primarily meant "fitting something together".

Because "traditionally" you only wear it under a jacket.

Enttäuscht

it just sounds to upbeat to be disappointed.

A translation closer to it's german origin is "disillusioned" (about something you were looking forward to).

maybe you could explain how you pull it under, then? A pullover is called a pullover because you pull it over. A pullunder must mean that you pull it under something. How do you pull it under a jacket?

Yeah, my English thinking brain thinks it should be enchanted, or something.

Bestimmt. Yes.

Acutally, it's disenchanted. Täuschen = to fool, or to bedazzle; ent- = to reverse. So enttäuschen is to reverse the enchantment, i.e. disappoint, welcome to reality.

You know I love you too, funf.

@luvlein. I didn't know that, but thanks!

Kindergarten vs. Baumschule

Yes, I know there are plenty of examples in English (parkway/driveway), but not so much in German. It's just funny to me that you send kids to a Garten and grow trees in a Schule.