Tuesday, April 15, 2014

FLAK - an acronym that means something...

I posted about flak last week, and it got me to wondering...

How many of you knew that "flak" is a shortening of a German word?

It means Flugzeugabwehrkanone.  Pronounced FLOOG-tsoig-ahbver-kan-OHN-a
"You Americans!  You talk funny!"
"Flugzeug" means "airplane."

Period appropriate visual aid

"abwehr" means "defense."

NO!  That doesn't even...  Sigh...
"Kanone" means "cannon" or "big gun."

WHAT!
Airplane.  Defense.  Cannon.

FLugzeugAbwehrKanone

Flak.
This is one.  Right here.

1 comment:

  1. How geeky am I that yes, I already did know that. Since about the fourth grade back in the early 70s.

    ReplyDelete