Students of the German language know that the names of the creatures on Grimm are not literal translations. There has been talk on fan pages and forums almost since the NBC crime drama based on fairy tales began. One viewer, of German descent, went so far as to call the German on the program, an 'abominable molestation of the German language' and a '...pathetic...insult...' on the NBC forum. At Gather.com, Christine went so far as to title her post "NBC's Grimm: TV teaches wrong German, or what did I miss?"
Here is the Grimm Examiner's opinion about this whole debate. First, this television program is fiction, as in, not real and made up. Secondly, never once to this Examiner's knowledge has NBC claimed that watching Grimm would help you learn proper or conversational German. Are people next going to complain that George Lucus didn't use the correct pronouns when naming Jedi or Yoda? What about Harry Potter's creator J. K. Rowling? Is it really Muggles or should it be Muggli?
Yes, Grimm is based on the fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm who originally recorded their stories in German. But this is a fictional program based on fictional characters. In any event, NBC recently posted the Grimm name of creatures and the German translation on its official Grimm website. Here are the creatures that were listed there. They can be viewed in the slide show, as well.
Bauerschwein: Pig creature German: Peasant pig
Blutbad: Wolf creature German: Bloodbath
Eisbiber: Beaver creature German: Ice beaver
Wesen: Any Grimm creature German: Creature
Schneetmacher: A Grimm creature to avoid German: Coldhearted, evil creature
Hexenbiest: Ghoul creature German: Witch bitch
Jagerbar: Bear creature German: Hunter bear
Lausenschlange: Snake creature German: Lousy snake
Mauzhertz: Mouse creature German: Mouse heart
Mellifer: Bee creature German: Honey bee
Siegbarste: Ogre creature German: Devoid of victory
Ziegevolk: Goat creature German: Goat folks
Hasslich: Troll creature German: Nasty and ugly
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