Jugendsprachliche Entlehnungen im Standarddeutschen − Reflexionen zum Einsatz in der Sprachlehre

This article examines the usage of substandard expressions used in contemporary German press. The first part focuses on the fact that the frequency of lexis lexemes that derives from youth language and other substandard varieties has recently notably increased in German print media and even moreso in online media. The use of substandard speech even in formal or informative press texts results from writers’ aim to create appealing texts that attract readers more than traditional ‘dry’ press releases. After some reflections on the conflict between official language standards and the use of more informal and substandard oral and written linguistic registers in the context of language teaching, the article closes with several suggestions on how to approach this problem in language education, for both German as a first language and German as a foreign language.