What does Schattenparker mean?
This word is made up from 'shadow' or 'shade' (der Schatten) and der Parker. So a Schattenparker is literally somebody who parks their car in the shade in order to avoid it heating up in the sun.
While this may sound like a sensible idea and not one worth criticising, the word is actually used to dismiss someone as a wimp. Parking in the shade to avoid the sun is seen as a sign of being soft.
Why do I need to know Schattenparker?
Perhaps simply because it's hot out there and we need something to take our minds off the heatwave?
Or perhaps because it's always good to be reminded that even in Germany people are occasionally able to treat logical behaviour as the opportunity for a bit of light-hearted teasing.
Actually, the list of perfectly sensible habits which have become euphemisms for "softie" in German is surprisingly long.
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Stand out examples include:
Der Warmduscher - warm showerer
Der Frühbucher - early booker
Der Chefwitzlacher - someone who laughs at their bosses’ jokes
Der Sockenschläfer - sock sleeper
Der Jeansbügler - jeans ironer
Der Teetrinker - someone who drinks tea
Der Sitzpinkler - (a man) who sits down to pee
Der Handschuhschneeballwerfer - the glove-snowball-thrower (someone who needs to wear gloves when throwing snowballs because the snow is too cold for their hands)
Use it like this:
Er macht es nicht, weil er seine Hände nicht schmutzig machen will. Er ist so ein Schattenparker!
He isn't doing it because he doesn’t want to get his hands dirty. He's such a wimp!
Ich bin kein Schattenparker!
I am not a weakling!
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