Redensart

German

Pronunciation
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Noun

Redensart f (genitive Redensart, plural Redensarten)

  1. a commonly used expression, sentence, or proverb

Usage notes
  • Typically, a Redensart is something in between a Redewendung (“expression, idiom”) and a Sprichwort (“proverb”), meaning that it is a full sentence with little or no variation but does not express a particular wisdom or truth.
  • For example, auf keine Kuhhaut gehen (“to be unbelievable”, literally “to be more than fits on a cow's skin”) is a Redewendung because it can be used freely in various sentences; whereas da brat mir doch einer 'n Storch (“that's unbelievable!”, literally “someone fry me a stork now!”) is a Redensart because it is used only in this sentence form. Neither of the two is a Sprichwort because there is no wisdom or morale.

Further reading
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