Why do I need to know Feindlichkeit?
You may unfortunately recognise Feindlichkeit from many news articles and broadcast shows recently - especially when questions are raised around fairness, discrimination, and intolerance. It's a noun that can easily be compounded with many other words depending on exactly what you're discussing.
What does it mean?
Feindlichkeit is a state of mind most closely translated in English to "hostility" or "intolerance" - with the root word feind translating to "enemy".
It's most commonly used in combination with other nouns to give it more exact context - a famous attribute of the German language. For example, given Germany's currently charged debate over migration and the government's internal "security package" - you may have come across Ausländerfeindlichkeit - or "hostility to" or "intolerance of" foreigners.
Feindlichkeit can further be combined to describe just about any form of intolerance. Queerfeindlichkeit would describe a hostile attitude to members of the LGBT community. Behindertenfeindlichkeit denotes an intolerance of disability.
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Once you've learned the word Feindlichkeit, you'll find that it pops up in all kinds of situations - from everyday conversation to formal speeches, in polling data and media appearances, and even scientific reports.
Use it like this:
First, add on the type of intolerance to the beginning of the word and compound it to specify exactly what kind of intolerance you are describing - unless you are describing the concept in general.
Viele junge Deutsche sind besonders besorgt über Ausländerfeindlichkeit.
Many young Germans are particularly concerned about intolerance towards foreigners.
Or, you can change the noun into an adjective in some contexts.
Die Zahl queerfeindliche Hasskriminalität in Deutschland ist gestiegen
The incidence of queer-hostile hate crimes in Germany has risen.
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