I think I'll move to Austria

I always find it strange that, when I ask my students in class what their favourite English words are, they mostly give me a blank stare, as though I've asked something absolutely ludicrous. And yet there seem to be regular surveys in the UK as to what people's favourite words are. I can only recall the answer of one student, the youngest in my Friday class (17), who said he liked the word 'petrichor', which is a word I had heard of but I couldn't recall its meaning. This is its definition: "a pleasant smell that frequently accompanies the first rain after a long period of warm, dry weather."

That's a pretty nice word, wouldn't you agree? My favourite in terms of meaning is 'serendipity' - "Occurring or discovered by chance in a happy or beneficial way. 'Her career was a collection of serendipitous and fortuitous events that entice one to believe she was fated to succeed." (according to the Oxford Dictionary).

When it comes to German words I do not like, however, there is one clear winner: 'lecker' (in English: 'tasty'). I hate hearing the word 'lecker'. For me, the sound of that word is like the sound of a knife scraping against a plate or fingernails scratching a blackboard for other people. The worst thing is that it's a word that's not limited to Germany. No, South Africa and the Netherlands also use the very same adjective. And it crops up in ordinary conversation as well as in advertising - in print as well as on the radio and TV. The word is ubiquitous. You can't escape it.

It's not the sound per se that I dislike. I can cope with hearing the word 'Bäcker' ('baker' - which rhymes with 'lecker'). Maybe it's because I have visions of a long tongue unhygienically licking the tasty morsel in question, since 'lecken' means 'lick'. 

So what has this go to do with Austria, I hear you asking. I'll tell you what this has to do with Austria. Yesterday, I stumbled across an article online that listed seven German words that the Austrians can't stand and word No. 7 was 'lecker'. You should never say "Die Kekse sind lecker" ("The biscuits are tasty") in Austria. No, you should say "Die Kekse schmecken gut" ("The biscuits taste good") and that is a phrase that doesn't make me shudder at all.

And if you're wondering what the other 6 German words that the Austrians can't stand are, here is the full article for your delectation and enlightenment:

https://metropole.at/7-german-words-will-piss-off-austrians/