In Spotlight 13/19, we present the language used to talk about funerals. Here, you can find the German translations for this issue’s Picture It.
- funeral procession, funeral cortègeTrauerprozessionfuneral procession, funeral cortège
- coffin, casketSargcoffin, casket
- pall-bearerSargträger(in)pall-bearer
- gravediggerTotengräber(in)gravedigger
- hearseLeichenwagenhearse
- bierTotenbahrebier
- pallSargtuchpall
- cemetery, graveyardFriedhofcemetery, graveyard
- inscriptionGrabinschriftinscription
- urnUrneurn
- graveGrabgrave
- wreathKranzwreath
- floral tributeBlumengrußfloral tribute
- gravestoneGrabsteingravestone
- mournerTrauergastmourner
A perfect send-off
The older I get, the more time I seem to spend at funeralBeerdigungfunerals — a regular reminder of my own mortalitySterblichkeitmortality. I don’t plan to to kick the bucketden Löffel abgebenkick the bucket just yet, but at 65, it’s time to start thinking about where and how I want to be laid to rest: burialBeerdigungburial or cremation, religious or secularnicht-kirchlichsecular ceremony? Or maybe I could to donatespendendonate my body to science. These are decisions I shouldn’t leave to my loved ones. I don’t want them to have to worry about funeral arrangements when they’re to grievebetrauerngrieving my death.
The last funeral I attended was that of a dear neighbour of mine. Helen had lived to the ripe old age of 97. Her family held a wakeTotenwachewake at a funeral home, where Helen was laid out in an open coffin. Friends and acquaintanceBekannte(r)acquaintances came to pay their to pay one’s respectsdie letzte Ehre erweisenrespects to the the departedder, die Verstorbenedeparted and offer their to offer one’s condolences to sb.jmdm. sein Beileid ausdrückencondolences to the the bereaveddie Hinterbliebenenbereaved.
The next day, a hearseLeichenwagenhearse transported Helen’s mortal remainssterbliche Überrestemortal remains from the funeral parlour to the village church. The vicar delivered a eulogyGrabredeeulogy. There were prayers and hymnKirchenliedhymns, and then, as the church bells to tollläutentolled, eight pall-bearerSargträgerpall-bearers carried Helen’s coffin past some impressive tombGrabmal, Grufttombs to her final resting placeletzte Ruhestättefinal resting place and lowered it into the ground. The mournerTrauergastmourners to scatter(ver-)streuenscattered soilErdesoil on to the coffin and threw flowers into the grave. Then we all gathered at Helen’s house and shared our memories of the the deceasedder, die Verstorbenedeceased until deep in the night. It was the perfect send-offVerabschiedungsend-off to celebrate a life well lived.
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