Basically what it says in the title

I remember reading years ago in some chapter of what I think is a Kurt Vonnegut book, that the Germans have a word for someone you meet who represents who you could become, but would prefer not to, and how that person is significant as a symbol and drives you to become who you should be or want to be.

Did I dream this? What book was it and what was the word?

  • tal@lemmy.todayEnglish
    57·
    2 days ago

    gemma3:27b suggests “Abschreckungsbeispiel”.

    ** User: What does “Abschreckungsbeispiel” mean in English?

    ** Ellama: “Abschreckungsbeispiel” translates to deterrent example or cautionary example in English.

    It refers to someone or something that serves as a warning to others, discouraging them from following the same path or making the same mistakes. The idea is that seeing the negative consequences experienced by this person will deter (discourage) others from doing the same thing.

    Think of it like a “look what happens if…” example.

    For instance:

    • “Er ist ein abschreckendes Beispiel für Workaholismus.” - “He is a deterrent example of workaholism.” (Seeing his burnout and ruined relationships discourages others from working too much.)

    • “Die hohe Kriminalitätsrate in dieser Gegend ist ein abschreckendes Beispiel für soziale Ungleichheit.” - “The high crime rate in this area is a cautionary example of social inequality.”

    It’s a strong term, implying a clear and negative consequence that should be avoided.

    I don’t see any references online to Vonnegut referencing it, though. Online, it appears to normally be hyphenated as “Abschreckungs-Beispiel” or written with a space between the two components, but I don’t know enough German to know the significance of the hyphen or space or single word. I imagine that a fluent German speaker would know, though. It seems to be translated as “cautionary example”, “warning example”, or “deterrence example” online.

    • Porco@feddit.org
      8·
      2 days ago

      I’m a native German speaker but never heard ‘Abschreckungsbeispiel’. But ‘abschreckendes Beispiel’ is quite common.

      There is a (mean) saying: -Niemand ist unnütz, er kann immer noch als abschreckendes Beispiel dienen ’ - No one is useless, they can still be a bad example.

    • Wrufieotnak@feddit.org
      91·
      2 days ago

      Gemma is wrong. Or at least I have never heard it as one combined word. As the examples themselves show, it is normally used as adjective+noun. And while you can combine it, I have never seen that till now.

      And to OPs question: I don’t know any such word in the German language. It might be a regional thing or it might just be something Vonnegut invented himself.