Germanising

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. The process of adopting or converting language, culture, or customs to those of the German people or Germania; the act of making something German in style, language, or character; the influence or imposition of German traits on individuals, groups, or institutions
2. The act of transforming speech, writing, or cultural elements to reflect German norms and practices; assimilation into German linguistic or cultural identity; the process of imposing German cultural or linguistic features on a non-German context
3. Changing or adapting a foreign language, tradition, or system to conform with German language rules or cultural habits; the assimilation or absorption of German characteristics; the act of conditioning or altering something to appear or function in a German way

Etymology: "Germanising" is the present participle and gerund of "Germanise", a verb formed from "German" and the suffix "-ise", which turns a noun or adjective into a verb meaning to make something have a particular quality, or to make it conform to a particular type. Here the base is the adjective and noun "German", so the verb means to make something German in character, language, or culture. The pattern is a common one in English. Verbs ending in "-ise" or "-ize" were built this way from many national and descriptive words, such as "Anglicise" and "Frenchify", so "Germanise" follows an established model rather than a special coinage. The suffix itself has a long history in English, coming from French "-iser" and Latin and Greek roots meaning to make or to treat in a certain way. Because the verb carries the sense of making something German, it is most often used in contexts of language, naming, or culture, where a foreign element is adapted or replaced with a German one.

Synonyms: germanizing, germanifying, germanicizing, germanizing, germanification

Antonyms: de-germanising, de-germanizing, anglicizing, denationalizing, internationalizing