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What's The Deal With Long German Words?

When Germans need a new word, they often merge existing words together.

What's The Deal With Long German Words?
Michael Sohn / AP
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"The most valuable of all talents, that of never using two words where one will do it."

Thomas Jefferson said that. 

And Germans evidently took it to heart. 

The country that gives us pretzels and great beer also gives us a lot of really long words. Why is that?

Germans piece nouns together to create words. When they need a new word, they often merge existing words together.