Dictionary of localisms

STRÜSJE

At the carneval you can get a real flower, the most flowers are roses and tulips. You must shout "Strüsje" at the carneval parade. It`s a flower for free. Only beautiful people get a flower.

... a metaphor that refers to fleas in beds

You can get real flowers wrapped in plastic at the carnival-parades for free. When you want one you have to shout "Strüsje". Costumed people can give it to you or throw it when they can't reach you. But you can only get them at carnival time during the parades.

... is a common word for someone who is crazy after carnival and acts like a (carnival) clown.

SCHULTÜTE

It's like a bag made of cardboard. Every firstgrader gets it on his first schoolday. It's often filled with candies and school supplies and it is very colourful.

A lot of kids make them theirselves with the help of their parents in the kindergarden.

... is a common word for feather blanket.

Melina, Stella Maria and Jolie

... means that  certain groups of people (cliques) help each other in order to achieve something or in order to get benefits. Achieving those benefits depends only on knowing certain people and as a result of networks.  Although sometimes Klüngel is even associated to corruption, in Cologne the word "Klüngel" has a positive connotation. 

... is a common word for sweets which are distributed at carnival.

Lösch

When people don't say the truth then they lie. In kölsch, our regional dialect, its called a "Lösch".

Ich krieg die Pimpernellen

Means when you get angry because another guy does stupid things.

The "Sternsinger" are three humans- mostly children- who are dressed up like the three kings Casper, Melchior und Balthasar and go around houses and collect money for a good charity. A long time ago the three kings followed a star to Betlehem and the christ child. It`s at the 6th January. The Sternsinger blesses the houses of the donors with chalk or a sticker. They write 20*C+M+B+19 that means christ bless this house (Christus mansionem benedicat)

STERNSINGER

...is a common salute typical of our regional carnival (Cologne and surroundings).

Literally, "All af" - which dates back to 1550- meant&nbsp;alles ab&nbsp;- everything down, or everything else falls below it. The cry referred to the bishop, the mayor, or the Cologne region, so people also called "All af Kölle" - everything else under Cologne, meaning "Cologne above everything else". Today, people also call "Kölle Alaaf".

...is someone who talks a lot and doesn´t stop

... is a common word for ,,children / kids"

My heritage- our future: Dictionary of localisms

Curious and unique words of our region

Its a translation for "today". In standard german we say "heute".

The perform  in the ,,Carnival" .They  represent Cologne at the Carnival

The ,,Dreigestirn" is three men who wear costumes. One is dressed as a prince ,the second as a farmer and the third as a woman ("virgin").

... is a common word for potato salad. It´s a very common dish in our region.

Karneval

Karneval is an streetfestival where you wear costumes and get sweets ;-)

There are dance and music groups wich does walk through the city.

Name

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