German doggerel

Form
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

Want to hear it? Click the Listen button to hear the browser speak the word using text-to-speech!

The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Rough, irregular, and often humorous verse in the German tradition

Detailed Definition
German doggerel refers to humorous, often satirical verse in German characterized by irregular meter, forced rhymes, and colloquial diction; historically used for political critique or folk entertainment, it prioritizes wit and accessibility over formal polish, exemplified by the works of Christian Morgenstern or Bertolt Brecht’s more irreverent lyrics.
Example
Example in poetry:
Christian Morgenstern’s “Das Nasobēm”; Wilhelm Busch’s Max and Moritz verses; Bertolt Brecht’s “Legende von der Entstehung des Buches Taoteking” (playful doggerel); Kurt Tucholsky’s satirical rhymes in Rheinsberg
Additional Notes
German doggerel refers to humorous, irregular, or intentionally crude verse in German tradition; often satirical, it uses rough meter and colloquial language for comic or subversive effect.
Also Known As
Knittelvers rough German rhyme comic doggerel folkish jingle
Skip to main content