Thursday, June 24, 2010

Wanted: Angst Free Zone

Angst is a German, Danish, Norwegian and Dutch word for fear or anxiety. (Anguish is its Latinate equivalent.) It is used in English to describe an intense feeling of strife. The term Angst distinguishes itself from the word Furcht (German for "fear") in that Furcht usually refers to a material threat (arranged fear), while Angst is usually a nondirectional emotion.
In other languages having the meaning of the Latin word pavor, the derived words differ in meaning, e.g. as in the French anxiété and peur. The word Angst has existed since the 8th century, from the Proto-Indo-European root *anghu-, "restraint" from which Old High German angust developed. It is pre-cognate with the Latin angustia, "tensity, tightness" and angor, "choking, clogging"; compare to the Greek "άγχος" (ankhos): stress. (Wikipedia)

I’m going to invent a new cereal with nuts, bolts and sharp tacks–with a vulture as a mascot that toots “follow your angst.” I will call it Angst Loops.
Or perhaps a new game–Ring Around The Angst.
Skip to my Angst?
Red Rover, Red Rover, let Angst come over.
It Angst got that thing, if it Angst got that swing.
“Knock-knock”
“whose there?”
“Angst”
“Angst who?”

Ahh Angst, so glad you could come. Sit, would you like some tea? What’s that? You would like to stay in the guest room for a while? Why sure, let me get you an extra blanket.

~Jenny

1 comment:

Laura Bray said...

When Angst comes to visit here she eats all the chocolate and keeps me up all night. Not a very good house guest at all. Don't bring her along when you come over on Saturday.