Just say Genau

I have been promising to write this since my third day in Regensburg. I kept hearing the word "genau" pop up in coversations. Often at the beginning or end of a set of remarks or in response to a comment or a question--it didn't seem to matter. If said twice "Genau, genau..." it was a signal for the other speaker to continue.













Genau means "precisely/exactly" but as commonly used it is a verbal tick like the ubiquitous use of “like” by Americans. But where “like” sounds, well, like vague, genau is vaguely precise preserving the appearance, if not the fact, of intelligent conversation.
So here, as threatened, is my doggerel to genau.

Genau!

Living here in Germany
We hear it everyday
People speaking German
In a Bavarian sort of way

At Peaches and at Suzie Wong’s
Pam Pam and Zarap-zap-zap
At the Irish Pub and Wunderbar
We're all socially handicapped

We find ourselves in conversations
With nothing much to say
Aber Danke sehr und Bitte sehr
Und immer entschuldigen Sie

Then comes that pause in conversation
Following a comment or two
With which you nodded in agreement
And you’re not sure what to do

Don’t panic!

Just say “Genau!”
Just say “Genau!”
It’s a word that means precisely what it means.
Just say “Genau!”
Just say “Genau!”
It’s all you need to make the happenin’ scenes

Just say “Genau!”
Just say “Genau!”
And you will gain a reputation as a sage
Just say “Genau!”
Just say “Genau!”
It’s by far the most useful German turn of phrase