Zigarrettenautomat
but also

Cigarretten Automat

Both is right.

GERMAN IS WEIRDER.

That has simply to do with the history, and that what many americans believe to be one single country, was always many different smaller one in a union.

That is the same for the modern high deutsch,
which is simply the federal language by more or less randomness and a long way of development.

One of that is, that since a big grammar reform back in the 18th century,
the before a bit more to netherlands and english related grammar turned more funny and into modern german.


I still don't see any point why you write Zigarren with Z, Ice creme nowaday Eiskrem (I hate that word!) and etc.

Or that we use modern replacement words for older one ;

Like Intention is now Absicht, Prefärenz is Vorliebe and so on.

*Rummages through your pockets for loose vocabulary*

Why not?

backwards = back
forwards = for?

I can use 'back' or 'backwards' in a sentence, but I'm forced to use forwards, even though it's the most common of directions.

'to the for' is proper english, just outdated :)

Ah, that's an interesting twist I hadn't considered. I suppose, when surrounded by other words, for can mean forwards. However...

'to the back'?

All I want is consistency.

again, it used to be 'to the rear' which became 'rearwards' and then 'backwards'

There is "To the front" and "To the rear" and "To the side".
There is "Before" and "Behind" and "Beside".
There is "Fore" and "Aft" and "Side".

There are many ways of being consistent with bearings.

I dont get it

beds don't wear clothes, silly! they are sheets or bed linens!

And they're still called "bed clothes"!