{"id":10130,"date":"2022-11-04T18:33:06","date_gmt":"2022-11-04T18:33:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/?p=10130"},"modified":"2022-11-04T18:33:06","modified_gmt":"2022-11-04T18:33:06","slug":"vorsprung-durch-technik-meaning","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/vorsprung-durch-technik-meaning\/","title":{"rendered":"Vorsprung Durch Technik \u2013 Meaning, Origin and Usage"},"content":{"rendered":"

Have you heard or seen the phrase 'vorsprung durch technik' <\/strong>somewhere and would like to know more about what it means? The saying is a common marketing slogan for a German car manufacturer, but the phrase has also become a pop culture sayng. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of the saying.<\/p>\n

Meaning<\/h2>\n

The phrase 'vorsprung durch technik' <\/strong>is a common German vehicle marketing slogan<\/u> that is often referenced or used in English.<\/p>\n

'Vorsprung durch technik' <\/strong>was first used as a vehicle advertisement, though became so popular that the phrase was amost instantly absorbed into popular culture from the 1970s forward.<\/u><\/p>\n

When used, the phrase 'vorsprung durch technik' <\/strong>refers to a literal translation of the phrase that would mean 'progress through technique'.<\/u><\/p>\n

The phrase can be either a literal reference to the marketing campaign used by Volkswagen<\/u>, or it can be used to be another sarcastic or joking way for someone to say 'I know what I'm doing' to someone else.<\/u><\/p>\n

The phrase is most common as a joking or sarcastic reference than it gets used as a serious phrase.<\/u><\/p>\n

While the saying can be translated into English for use, the original German phrase is the most common<\/u> although not everyone who uses the saying knows its direct translation.<\/p>\n

Example Usage<\/h2>\n

\u201cWhen he told me to mix the dough slower, I told him that I've been making the recipe for the past fifty fucking years. I know what I'm doing: vorsprung durch technik.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI know how to fix a car, I don't need my grandfather telling me which electronic nipple I'm supposed to tweak on my Tesla. Vorsprung durch technik.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you don't know what you're doing, get out of my kitchen. Vorsprung durch technik.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cVosprung durch technik. If you don't know why you're here, you shouldn't be touching the red button on that there desk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Origin<\/h2>\n

According to most online language resources, the phrase 'vorsprung durch technik' is one that came from an advertising campaign ran in the early 1970s by Volkswagen.<\/p>\n

The marketing campaign was launched abroad, though would become popular all over the world as a sarcastic and joking reference either to the company or to say that someone 'knows what they are doing'.<\/p>\n

The phrase does not require translation to be understood, which is rare for phrases originating from other languages that are said in English.<\/p>\n

Sometimes the English version of the saying can still be used, though the original German phrase is usually sufficient for most people who already know the phrase.<\/p>\n

Since the origin of the saying as marketing campaign, it has continued as a saying into the modern century.<\/p>\n

The saying 'vorsprung durch technik' appears to be equally common in American, UK and Australian English.<\/p>\n

Phrases Similar to Vorsprung Durch Technik<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • N\/a<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Phrases Opposite to Vorsprung Durch Technik<\/h2>\n
      \n
    • N\/a<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      What is the Correct Saying?<\/h2>\n
        \n
      • Vorsprung durch technik<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        Ways People May Say Vorsprung Durch Technik Incorrectly<\/h2>\n

        There are several ways in which someone can misunderstand or misuse the phrase 'vorsprung durch technik' in conversation.<\/p>\n

        The most common way for the phrase to be misunderstood is for someone to misunderstand the serious or sarcastic meaning of the saying.<\/p>\n

        Someone can also completely misunderstand what the phrase means, and not understand that it is a common reference to a marketing slogan that has been adapted.<\/p>\n

        It is possible though not common to translate the phrase into English when using it.<\/p>\n

        Acceptable Ways to Phrase Vorsprung Durch Technik<\/h2>\n

        There are several acceptable and common uses for the phrase 'vorsprung durch technik' in conversation, with the meaning usually either serious or sarcastic.<\/p>\n

        Someone who says 'vorsprung durch technik' could be making a reference to the advertising campaign, but it is more likely that they are using the phrase as a means to sarcastically or jokingly say that they know what they are doing \u2013 thus, that they know their technique.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

        Have you heard or seen the phrase 'vorsprung durch technik' somewhere and would like to know more about what it means? The saying is a common marketing slogan for a German car manufacturer, but the phrase has also become a pop culture sayng. This post unpacks the meaning and origin of the saying. Meaning The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10130"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10130"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10130\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10132,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10130\/revisions\/10132"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10130"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10130"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/english-grammar-lessons.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10130"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}