German word of the day: Der Vokuhila
Today's word is a haircut that is 'short in the front and long in the back': VOrne KUrz, HInten LAng.
It includes bangs, the sides may be shaved, and the hair in the back reaches down to the shoulders or even below.
The Vokuhila is (or was) mostly worn by men, and can look similar to the British hockey hair mullet. It's a rare flexible German word which can be either Der or Die Vokuhila.
Indeed, the Vokuhila connects British and German pop culture in a subtle way: In the 1970s, David Bowie sported an early version with a quite bushy top head and not-so-long back.
In the 1980’s, the Vokuhila started its career amongst popular German musicians: Peter Maffay wore one, as did Matthias Reim, Wolfgang Petry and David Hasselhoff.
The latter is, of course, not German, but Germans pretty much see him as one of them due to his Berlin gig around the time the wall came down, when he sang “I’ve been looking for freedom”.
Today, after almost three decades spent in the abyss of total un-coolness, the Vokuhila is being re-adapted by hipsters around the world.
Advanced learners combine theirs with a moustache (Oberlippenbart), earning it the full name of Vokuhila Oliba.
German football player Rudi Völler sporting a 'Vokuhila' in 1990, along with a model in the same year. For some people, the Vokuhila is again in vogue in 2019. Photo: DPA
Examples:
Bitte schneiden Sie vorn etwas mehr ab. Aber Vorsicht, ich will keinen Vokuhila!
Please cut off a little more of the front. But be careful, I don't want a mullet hair cut!
Wenn du nicht bald zum Friseur gehst, hast Du einen Vokuhila.
If you don't go to the hair dresser soon, you will have a mullet.
Ich mag die Achtziger – ich lasse mir jetzt einen Vokuhila schneiden.
I like the 80s - I'm getting a mullet now.
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It includes bangs, the sides may be shaved, and the hair in the back reaches down to the shoulders or even below.
The Vokuhila is (or was) mostly worn by men, and can look similar to the British hockey hair mullet. It's a rare flexible German word which can be either Der or Die Vokuhila.
Indeed, the Vokuhila connects British and German pop culture in a subtle way: In the 1970s, David Bowie sported an early version with a quite bushy top head and not-so-long back.
In the 1980’s, the Vokuhila started its career amongst popular German musicians: Peter Maffay wore one, as did Matthias Reim, Wolfgang Petry and David Hasselhoff.
The latter is, of course, not German, but Germans pretty much see him as one of them due to his Berlin gig around the time the wall came down, when he sang “I’ve been looking for freedom”.
Today, after almost three decades spent in the abyss of total un-coolness, the Vokuhila is being re-adapted by hipsters around the world.
Advanced learners combine theirs with a moustache (Oberlippenbart), earning it the full name of Vokuhila Oliba.
German football player Rudi Völler sporting a 'Vokuhila' in 1990, along with a model in the same year. For some people, the Vokuhila is again in vogue in 2019. Photo: DPA
Examples:
Bitte schneiden Sie vorn etwas mehr ab. Aber Vorsicht, ich will keinen Vokuhila!
Please cut off a little more of the front. But be careful, I don't want a mullet hair cut!
Wenn du nicht bald zum Friseur gehst, hast Du einen Vokuhila.
If you don't go to the hair dresser soon, you will have a mullet.
Ich mag die Achtziger – ich lasse mir jetzt einen Vokuhila schneiden.
I like the 80s - I'm getting a mullet now.
--
Do you have a favourite word you'd like to see us cover? If so, please email our editor Rachel Stern with your suggestion.
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