If someone or something in German is described as being 0815, my understanding is that it is someone or something that is "normal" or nothing special.
Anyone know where this originates?
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08/15 - mundane, run of the mill, common
Origin and meaning of this German expression
The number is derived from a machinegun used in WWI named MG 08/15.
Because the soldiers had intensive trainig on this gun the number was referred as a standard procedure.
Info in German here
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_08#Redewen...nfzehn.E2.80.9C
Info in English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maschinengewehr_08
Because the soldiers had intensive trainig on this gun the number was referred as a standard procedure.
Info in German here
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/MG_08#Redewen...nfzehn.E2.80.9C
Info in English
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maschinengewehr_08
QUOTE
umgangssprachlich „etwas ganz Gewöhnliches“ oder „nichts Besonderes“, zurückzuführen auf das leichte Maschinengewehr MG 08/15.
That's interesting trivia. Thanks!
MG 08 is a machine gun which was first developed in 1908. It was a heavy, water-cooled model that was subject to further developement until model 08/15 was produced in 1915. It was used during WWI to defend positions as it was too heavy to carry far.
The expression "08/15" for mediocrity was coined by soldiers who were trained on this weapon and got sick and tired of the pepetual repetition of its name. Furthermore, they were trained on wooden models, not on the weapon itself.
*curses, distracted by work again*
The expression "08/15" for mediocrity was coined by soldiers who were trained on this weapon and got sick and tired of the pepetual repetition of its name. Furthermore, they were trained on wooden models, not on the weapon itself.
QUOTE
Die Redewendung „nullachtfünfzehn“, die abwertend für Gewöhnlichkeit und Mittelmaß steht, entstammt der Soldatensprache und geht auf diese Waffe zurück. Sie entstand aus den ständigen Wiederholungen im Waffenunterricht am MG 08/15, derer die Soldaten schnell überdrüssig wurden. Teilweise wird darauf abgestellt, daß die Waffenausbildung in der Heimat nicht an echten Waffen, sondern an Holzmodellen durchgeführt wurde.
*curses, distracted by work again*
Thanks folk!
and don't forget the Movie
It is also pronounced "null-acht fuffzehn" instead of "null-acht fuenfzehn". "Fuffzehn", much like "zwo" ("zwei") is a colloquial version of the word only used in spoken language.
The meaning of 08 /15 is not "everything is normal".
It is true that the origin of the expression goes back to a WW I machine gun. However, the modern meaning of the expression is "to be average", or even less than average, and originates from a novel by Hans Helmut Kirst, a former officer of the Wehrmacht.
The novel (actually 3 books, a trilogy) describes the suffering of common soldiers in war:
The titles of the 3 books are
- 08/15 in der Kaserne
- 08/15 im Krieg
- 08/15 bis zum Ende
and their main character is "Gefreiter Asch" (meanig "Arsch" - arse, the "r" was left away) and was boycotted in 1954 by many bookstores, since it didn't fit well into the politics of the time - the German army had just been re-established under its new name: Bundeswehr.
It is true that the origin of the expression goes back to a WW I machine gun. However, the modern meaning of the expression is "to be average", or even less than average, and originates from a novel by Hans Helmut Kirst, a former officer of the Wehrmacht.
The novel (actually 3 books, a trilogy) describes the suffering of common soldiers in war:
QUOTE
Was sind wir schon? Wir und einige hunderttausend andere werfen sich in den Dreck, wenn es uns befohlen wird
Translation: What are we then? We and several hundered thousand throw ourselves into the dirt when ordered to do so.
Translation: What are we then? We and several hundered thousand throw ourselves into the dirt when ordered to do so.
The titles of the 3 books are
- 08/15 in der Kaserne
- 08/15 im Krieg
- 08/15 bis zum Ende
and their main character is "Gefreiter Asch" (meanig "Arsch" - arse, the "r" was left away) and was boycotted in 1954 by many bookstores, since it didn't fit well into the politics of the time - the German army had just been re-established under its new name: Bundeswehr.
QUOTE (oli2000 @ Nov 15 2006, 11:22 am) 
The meaning of 08 /15 is not "everything is normal".
Indeed not. I'd say "run of the mill" or "common or garden" or just "everyday"
Edit: after what I just ran off to do the phrase "bog standard" also comes to mind
other meanings of 08/15 are:
cheap, common, easy as a common procedure, not new nor special
cheap, common, easy as a common procedure, not new nor special
"mundane" comes to mind for 08/15
I'd say "mediocre".
QUOTE (BananaJoe @ Nov 15 2006, 12:03 pm)
easy as a common procedure
I usually use it in this context.
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