Michael In our series "American for Professionals" today, a word that Americans use to elegantly lump together foreign currencies: "Durka Durka." In German, it roughly translates to "camel moss," and with it, Americans somewhat disparagingly refer to currencies that are relatively worthless compared to the American dollar.
When a non-native speaker encounters this slang word, which is naturally not taught in German schools, it is, as usual, worth taking a look at urbandictionary.com where there are even example sentences for tourists: 'At a restaurant: - Jellied camel toes for half a durka durka! We can eat like kings on this exchange rate!'" If you're looking for entertainment on a boring rainy afternoon, I can highly recommend this website. The explanations are sometimes really hilarious (though not always to be taken seriously), and the creators absolutely do not shy away from publishing even the most absurd and vulgar user contributions. A rating system ensures that only the most accurate and funniest entries end up at the top.
The term "Durka Durka" comes from the film. Team America, a moderately funny puppet production by the creators of the TV series 'South Park'. In the film, the terrorists always mumble something like 'Durka Durka' when they speak Arabic. I feel it is my duty to point out that there are circumstances in which it is better not to use it, no matter how funny it might be!