What are the Arabic or Russian words for “home address,” “cleaning schedule,” and “party room”? Illustrated Dormitory Dictionary Now Available in Eight Languages.
Home address, cleaning schedule, party room: What is everyday vocabulary for German students living in dorms—with all its quirks and nuances—can be quite incomprehensible to international students. Since 2011, the multilingual Illustrated Dormitory Dictionary, published by the German Student Services (DSW), has been helping international students navigate the world of student dormitories. The DSW is now releasing new editions in French, Spanish, Arabic, Polish, and Russian, with funding from the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF).
The first edition of the dormitory dictionary was published in 2010 in the language combination German-English-Chinese as a joint project between Bielefeld University and the Bielefeld Student Services Organization, funded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) as part of its “Program to Promote the Integration of International Students” (PROFIN). The texts and translations were written by the international students themselves.
“The demand from students, universities, and the student services organizations themselves is enormous,” says DSW Secretary General Achim Meyer auf der Heyde with satisfaction. “With the dormitory dictionary, student services organizations can do a wonderful job of explaining the microcosm of dorm life to international students.”
The 58 student services organizations operate more than 1,000 student housing facilities at German universities, providing approximately 183,000 beds. Dormitories are the most popular housing option among international students; currently, about 65,000 of them live in Studierendenwerk dormitories. There are currently about 250,000 international students studying in Germany.
Printed copies of the dormitory dictionary can be ordered here for 50 cents each:
Intercultural Competence Service Center of the German Student Services Association