Thus signs large and small, garish and plain, in many a store window across Zagreb. Action, what action? This is a newfangled call to a sale, and sales have become the rage since the economic crisis arrived to the Croatian capital. I have no idea when this moronic term was actually introduced, but it smacks of the reform of the Croatian language that came in the wake of independence. Every word that had a whiff of Serbian had to be removed as soon as possible. Action nation, indeed.

Addendum (April 9, 2009)

We were sitting at Miško’s pizzeria on the lower square when the subject popped up in conversation. There are sales all over the place this late into the year. At any rate, I asked whether anyone knew the origin of the term “action” for “sale.” In no time Hana Posavec came up with the winner: “It comes straight from German!” Several people around the table agreed at once. And Croatia is mimicking Germany in many things, indeed. Action nation, as I already surmised.