Equivalent to the English ‘beanpole’ or ‘hatrack’, Spargeltarzan is an affectionate but disparaging slang word to describe someone (usually male) who is gangly. Invented in the mid 20th century, the word was pulled into the limelight by the German newspaper Bild in the 1970s, after they nicknamed up-and-coming footballer Hans “Hannes” Bongartz “Spargeltarzan” for his unusually skinny frame for an athlete. Asparagus – tall, thin, and in Germany, predominantly pale – implies an appearance very different to the traditionally athletic and stocky depictions of E. R. Burrough’s Tarzan. That said, body image and size can be a trigger for anyone, which is worth considering when using this word. Bongartz is referred to by the media as “Spargeltarzan” to this day.

Source: The Local March 29, 2021 07:41 UTC