Have you ever felt you had to order dessert, buy the latest gadget or stay late at work simply because everyone else was doing it? Then you need to know this word.
Whether it’s joining colleagues for after-work drinks, buying the same trainers as your friends or separating your recycling exactly like the neighbours, social pressure exists everywhere.
What does Gruppenzwang mean?
Gruppenzwang is the standard German word for “peer pressure”. Literally translated, it means “group compulsion” or “group constraint”.
Grammatically, it is a masculine noun: der Gruppenzwang. It’s also a compound noun made up of the words for “group” (die Gruppe) and “force” (der Zwang).
When the words are joined together, a linking -n- appears to produce Gruppenzwang.
Once you know Zwang, you’ll start spotting it in other useful compounds. These might include Kaufzwang (compulsive buying), Sparzwang (forced budget cutting) and Handlungszwang (the pressure to take action).
An added fun fact is that Zwang is related to the English word “twinge” – a sudden sharp pain or squeeze – which may be one way to think of the uncomfortable feeling that comes of giving in to peer pressure.
Why do I need to know Gruppenzwang?
For foreigners living in Germany, Gruppenzwang is one of those words that unlocks an entire cultural conversation.
Whether it’s in schools, workplaces, politics, sports clubs (Vereine) or even debates about recycling, Germans often enjoy a conversation about the pros and cons of social conformity.
READ ALSO: German word of the day – Überreden
But interestingly, the word Gruppenzwang is almost always negative.
If you want to talk about the potential benefits of peer pressure – for example when it comes to studying German vocabulary! – then you’re better off reaching for words like positiver Gruppeneinfluss (positive group influence) or Vorbildfunktion (role-model function).
Use it like this:
Ich wollte eigentlich keinen Nachtisch bestellen, aber es war reiner Gruppenzwang.
I didn’t actually want to order dessert, but it was pure peer pressure.
Viele Jugendliche stehen in der Schule unter Gruppenzwang.
Many young people suffer from peer pressure at school.
Gib nicht dem Gruppenzwang nach.
Don’t give in to peer pressure.
Wir sollten darauf achten, dass in den Meetings kein Gruppenzwang entsteht.
We should make sure that peer pressure doesn’t develop during meetings.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: thelocal.de
