The end of the year is the time for several yearly awards like sportsman of the year etc. Today has been announced that the German 'word of the year' award goes to Rumsfeld for 'das alte Europa' ('the old Europe'). The award is given for new words or a new sense in a combination of words that is likely to make a lasting contribution to the German language (Tschernobyl, holocaust, Aids are examples of winners in other years). The committee said that the expression 'the old Europe' has added to the coherence of Europe and has increased the proudness for an independent position. Whether this has been the purpose of the author of that expression, the committee said, is immaterial for the award (it is an immaterial award which goes to the word and not to the person, though mostly the persons mentioned are proud about it).

Thank you, Donald, for giving us this expression. We are proud to make use of it, though a tiny bit differently from what you may have had in mind.

Wolfgang