Is there not a now an argument that English has a new loanword "uber"? Obviously it's borrowed from German where the spelling would include an umlaut and the pronunciation would be different, but borrowing is done more on the basis of sound than of spelling, so since English no longer has front rounded vowels we would borrow [ue] as [u]. As to meaning, that also changes with borrowing. About the only German use of "ueber" that most Americans are aware of is in the title of the national anthem, and that only because of the notoriety the Nazis gave it. So it gets borrowed with a high back rounded vowel and the sense "excessive(ly)".
Herb
Herbert F. W. Stahlke, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor of English
Ball State University
Muncie, IN 47306
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________________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Linda Di Desidero [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: June 15, 2008 6:40 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "Über"-use
As far as I know, there is no German word "uber";' it is "ueber" (the 'ue' being the alternative spelling to the umlauted 'u') . As Liz points out, the umlaut is often dropped in English, but it should not be.
Pronouncing (or spelling) "ueber" /eeoober/ as "uber" /oober/ is simply inaccurate German pronunciation based on a misspelled prefix.
Linda Di Desidero, Ph.D.
Acting Director, Communication Studies & Professional Writing
University of Maryland University College
3501 University Boulevard, East
Adelphi, MD 20783
________________________________
From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar on behalf of Johanna Rubba
Sent: Thu 6/12/2008 9:17 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: "Über"-use
A minor correction to Liz's post: the 'u' of 'uber' would be
pronounced 'oo' like 'zoo' without the umlaut. We see this in words
like 'Fuss' (foot) and names like 'Huber' (in German). With the
umlaut, it is in fact the same sound as the French 'u', which is an
English 'ee' sound pronounced with the lips rounded. We don't have
this sound in English, but the way most Americans pronounce 'zoo' and
similar words is actually pretty close to the German 'u' with umlaut.
(Oh, the umlaut is the two little dots above a vowel.)
If a 'u' precedes a double consonant in German, it is pronounced like
the 'oo' of 'book', as in 'Mutter' (mother). To my recollection,
German does not have a vowel like that of 'utter'.
Dr. Johanna Rubba, Ph. D.
Associate Professor, Linguistics
Linguistics Minor Advisor
English Dept.
Cal Poly State University San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA 93407
Ofc. tel. : 805-756-2184
Dept. tel.: 805-756-2596
Dept. fax: 805-756-6374
E-mail: [log in to unmask]
URL: cla.calpoly.edu/~jrubba
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