Wurzelbacher

English translation: person from Wurzelbach

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
German term or phrase:Wurzelbacher
English translation:person from Wurzelbach
Entered by: BrettMN

04:00 Oct 17, 2008
German to English translations [Non-PRO]
Names (personal, company)
German term or phrase: Wurzelbacher
Everyone today in the USA is talking about Joe Wurzelbacher, better known as "Joe the Plumber," who was mentioned more than 20 times last night in the presidential debate.

I got the sense from skimming the German media that his last name is a bit funny to some. What, if anything, does it mean or signify in German? "Root of a wild sow"? Something like that? Or does it not really have a meaning beyond being a surname. Thank you.
BrettMN
Local time: 07:51
below
Explanation:
Wurzelbach (from Wurzel = root and Bach = creek) is a town in Germany. Wurzelbacher just means person from Wurzelbach.

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Note added at 18 mins (2008-10-17 04:19:25 GMT)
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http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&q=wurzelbach&um=1&ie=UT...
Selected response from:

Allesklar
Australia
Local time: 23:21
Grading comment
This is a straightforward answer, so I'm selecting it. Thank you!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +3below
Allesklar
Summary of reference entries provided
comment
Bernhard Sulzer

  

Answers


16 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +3
below


Explanation:
Wurzelbach (from Wurzel = root and Bach = creek) is a town in Germany. Wurzelbacher just means person from Wurzelbach.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 18 mins (2008-10-17 04:19:25 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

http://maps.google.com.au/maps?hl=en&q=wurzelbach&um=1&ie=UT...

Allesklar
Australia
Local time: 23:21
Native speaker of: German
Grading comment
This is a straightforward answer, so I'm selecting it. Thank you!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Sabine Akabayov, PhD
17 mins

agree  Nicole Schnell
3 hrs

agree  Rebecca Garber
11 hrs
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Reference comments


4 hrs peer agreement (net): +1
Reference: comment

Reference information:
it could be funny to some, thinking of the German word Wurzelsepp - (Sepp being the short form of Joseph) and because of "Wurzel" (root) referring to something forest-like or "urig/urtümlich/rustic" but it's the man's real name and he's a cool guy - once you see/hear him, any possible funny connotations of his name will/should be unimportant:

http://cbs13.com/watercooler/joe.plumber.wurzelbacher.2.8417...

PS: anything is funny to some people.

Bernhard Sulzer
United States
Native speaker of: German

Peer comments on this reference comment (and responses from the reference poster)
agree  Ingeborg Gowans (X): I enjoyed this website, yes, we hear more abou it here on "the other side of the ocean"; the fact that Canada hadan election on Oct. 14, is barely noticed by Americans (no insult intended) :)
2 hrs
  -> thank you, Ingeborg!.:)
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