Today, I'm going to start this new series about different languages. Each week, I will give an overview of one of the languages I speak (and maybe extend it to languages I don't yet speak later on). I will start with German as it is the first language I ever learnt. Watch out for English next week, followed by French, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Chinese (Mandarin) and Swedish for sure.
German
Geographical Extension
German is spoken in Germany and Austria as well as in Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Belgium, some parts of Switzerland and even Namibia and northern Italy as official language. Brazil, the United States and some parts of France as well as many other countries have a huge population of German speakers as well although German is no official language there.
Spoken by
German is spoken by approximately 90 million native speakers.
Language Family and History
German belongs to the western Germanic languages. It is very close to Dutch and shares quite a few words with English and the Scandinavian languages as well. German has developed a whole bunch of dialects due to the fact that Germany was split in many independent parts throughout the Middle Ages. Some of the dialects, especially in northern Germany, are closer to Dutch than to German. The German language has been influenced by Latin, Greek, French, Jiddish, and lately English, and has quite a lot of foreign words from any of those languages included into the German vocabulary.
Grammar Difficulty
German grammar is difficult to learn for English native speakers. First of all, German has three different definite articles (male, female, neutral). Adjectives are changed due to gender and number of things they define and due to the case in which the noun stands. German knows a total of four cases, each of which comes with different endings. Word order and sentence structure can differ greatly from English sentences.
Pronunciation Difficulty
German can be tricky to pronounce for English native speakers as the German language has certain sounds which simply don't exist in English. Other than that, German isn't that difficult. Most combinations of letters only have one way, or two ways at most, to be pronounced so once you get the hang of pronunciation, you will be able to pronounce even unknown words.
Special Facts
German spelling and punctuation have been changed twice in the past decades. The last changes came into effect in 2006 and were a try to fix the mess they had made with the first changes. Even now, five years later, many Germans are confused by the old and new rules. Some things have been made more logic while others just lost all logic there might have been. Some newspapers even went back to use the old spelling and punctuation altogether.
Language ... the bridge of communication, the magic creator of worlds, the brush and paint of authors. Language is magic. It gives us power. It is something you just have to love.
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
Monday, 4 April 2011
You Never Know...
Just a week into my trip to the States, I was able to use some of my language skills I thought I would never use in person: Chinese (Mandarin)! We met this nice Chinese couple in the streets and I was actually able to communicate with them although their English skills were even worse than my Chinese language skills. The best thing: They understood me! Now you might ask why that is such a great success for me...ok, let me explain: Chinese pronunciation is - well, difficult, to say the least. Each and every syllable has four or five ways to be pronounced, and every different pronunciation has a different meaning. So, when I talked to them and they weren't offended but responded in the proper way, I knew I had got the pronunciation right and actually had said what I had wanted to say.
I was really disappointed, though, that I wasn't able to talk to them about more than just the basics. I definitely have to get my Chinese skills polished and extended. All I was able to say is "How are you?" and "I am from Germany" ... not really the greatest of al conversations, huh? This incident has shown me once more the importance of language skills. I mean, they both only knew rudimentary English and my Chinese was hardly any better so I wasn't able to talk to two fascinating and nice persons although I wanted to.
My conclusion: You never know when you might need language skills so if you're interested in learning a different language, don't let anything deter you from it. Make time for it, even if it is only five minutes a day. Learn a new phrase or word every day and stick to it. Take your list of new words or phrases with you if you have to take the bus or train, or if you need to wait somewhere. Make sticky notes with the foreign names of furniture and other stuff and stick the notes to it. Talk to yourself in the foreign language. Yes, just do it! Yes, even if other people think you've lost your mind, just do it! Because, you never know...
I was really disappointed, though, that I wasn't able to talk to them about more than just the basics. I definitely have to get my Chinese skills polished and extended. All I was able to say is "How are you?" and "I am from Germany" ... not really the greatest of al conversations, huh? This incident has shown me once more the importance of language skills. I mean, they both only knew rudimentary English and my Chinese was hardly any better so I wasn't able to talk to two fascinating and nice persons although I wanted to.
My conclusion: You never know when you might need language skills so if you're interested in learning a different language, don't let anything deter you from it. Make time for it, even if it is only five minutes a day. Learn a new phrase or word every day and stick to it. Take your list of new words or phrases with you if you have to take the bus or train, or if you need to wait somewhere. Make sticky notes with the foreign names of furniture and other stuff and stick the notes to it. Talk to yourself in the foreign language. Yes, just do it! Yes, even if other people think you've lost your mind, just do it! Because, you never know...
Monday, 28 March 2011
Spring Cleaning
Ok, spring is approaching (at least outside of Idaho - we got snow this morning) and with spring comes spring cleaning.
My views have been constantly rising over the past three and a half months - thanks for that!!!
Now, I want you all to think for a moment and tell me what you want to read on here in the next couple of months: which topics do you want me to cover, which languages do you want to explore? Do you want me to continue the series "My Two Cents" or do you want another series? If so, which one?
This blog will stay on this post for the whole week, for two reasons: First, to give you all enough time to think about in which direction you want Language Love to go, and second, because I'm down with a bad cold and can hardly concentrate. Sorry for that!
I hope most of you already have sunshine and nice, warm temperatures (we're fast approaching April, after all)!!! Stay warm and healthy, and comment here!
My views have been constantly rising over the past three and a half months - thanks for that!!!
Now, I want you all to think for a moment and tell me what you want to read on here in the next couple of months: which topics do you want me to cover, which languages do you want to explore? Do you want me to continue the series "My Two Cents" or do you want another series? If so, which one?
This blog will stay on this post for the whole week, for two reasons: First, to give you all enough time to think about in which direction you want Language Love to go, and second, because I'm down with a bad cold and can hardly concentrate. Sorry for that!
I hope most of you already have sunshine and nice, warm temperatures (we're fast approaching April, after all)!!! Stay warm and healthy, and comment here!
Saturday, 26 March 2011
My Two Cents ... XVII
After some sort of blank brain as far as a good phrase for today's post is concerned, I decided to look into the phrase
"to be screwed"
What does it mean?
It means to be cheated or tricked, or to be in a hopeless situation.
What is its origin?
I couldn't find any exact facts on the origin of it being used in this sense but the verb "to screw" has been used in a different than the original meaning (fasten something with a screw) in slang since at least 1725.
My two cents:
I would never have thought that the other slang use (in sexual context) was that old. Maybe because I never realised that people already had slang centuries ago. I mean, I knew that the poorer classes in Victorian England spoke their own slang but somehow...I didn't know it went back that far. It's interesting, though, that I couldn't find an approximate date of origin for the meaning I present here.
"to be screwed"
What does it mean?
It means to be cheated or tricked, or to be in a hopeless situation.
What is its origin?
I couldn't find any exact facts on the origin of it being used in this sense but the verb "to screw" has been used in a different than the original meaning (fasten something with a screw) in slang since at least 1725.
My two cents:
I would never have thought that the other slang use (in sexual context) was that old. Maybe because I never realised that people already had slang centuries ago. I mean, I knew that the poorer classes in Victorian England spoke their own slang but somehow...I didn't know it went back that far. It's interesting, though, that I couldn't find an approximate date of origin for the meaning I present here.
Wednesday, 23 March 2011
Hiding One's Native Culture? - Decisions of an Immigrant
Everyone has probably heard the saying: When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When I emigrated from Germany to the USA at a young age, that was one of the biggest thoughts echoing in my head. Immigrants in my homeland, who chose to dress and speak according to their original nationality, were talked about and stared at by many.
I figured that sort of treatment would be normal in any country because of human nature. It is something I sought to avoid as I had no intention of speaking my native language in my new home country, nor giving any outward sign of being an immigrant.
At the time, I was only armed with my best intentions and very little knowledge because there was no Internet yet. The perception I had gained via books and TV was skewed as it did not apply to the little town in the upper Midwest I moved to.
When you move into small town, it is easy to feel out of place, regardless of your background. At the time, however, I thought it best to raise my American-born children solely the American way, without exposing them to any of my language or culture as to spare them ridicule and to not confuse them.
Regardless, kids and other adults noticed differences. In our case, it was the “non-American” features and a slight accent. But, I have since learned that people who are not open-minded will always find the difference, instead of the similarity, and use it to try to undermine your self-esteem to bring you down to their level.
As adolescents growing into young adults, my children chose on their own to learn my native language. While they did not learn it at home, they were fortunate to be able to take the classes at school, eventually. Both now embrace the best of both worlds but are still as American as anyone else in the sense of this word.
Advances in technology have made it much easier now to connect with others like yourself when you don’t openly want to display your heritage for fear of not blending in. Regardless, how much or how little of your culture you want to display when moving to another country is a personal decision that varies for everyone. However, it is one of the toughest decisions I had to make.
This guest post comes from Alexandra Heep, a dear friend I found on Facebook. She is a freelance writer, like me, and writes about her own experiences here. Thanks so much, Alex, for sharing this!
I figured that sort of treatment would be normal in any country because of human nature. It is something I sought to avoid as I had no intention of speaking my native language in my new home country, nor giving any outward sign of being an immigrant.
At the time, I was only armed with my best intentions and very little knowledge because there was no Internet yet. The perception I had gained via books and TV was skewed as it did not apply to the little town in the upper Midwest I moved to.
When you move into small town, it is easy to feel out of place, regardless of your background. At the time, however, I thought it best to raise my American-born children solely the American way, without exposing them to any of my language or culture as to spare them ridicule and to not confuse them.
Regardless, kids and other adults noticed differences. In our case, it was the “non-American” features and a slight accent. But, I have since learned that people who are not open-minded will always find the difference, instead of the similarity, and use it to try to undermine your self-esteem to bring you down to their level.
As adolescents growing into young adults, my children chose on their own to learn my native language. While they did not learn it at home, they were fortunate to be able to take the classes at school, eventually. Both now embrace the best of both worlds but are still as American as anyone else in the sense of this word.
Advances in technology have made it much easier now to connect with others like yourself when you don’t openly want to display your heritage for fear of not blending in. Regardless, how much or how little of your culture you want to display when moving to another country is a personal decision that varies for everyone. However, it is one of the toughest decisions I had to make.
This guest post comes from Alexandra Heep, a dear friend I found on Facebook. She is a freelance writer, like me, and writes about her own experiences here. Thanks so much, Alex, for sharing this!
Monday, 21 March 2011
Do You Speak Child-ish?
Have you ever noticed that children have their own language before they start to talk in a way others can understand? Most of the time, their parents are the only ones able to understand small children. And sometimes, not even they understand what their children so proudly tell them.
As children get older, they start to speak in an understandable way. Still, they often use words we can't understand, sometimes in the middle of a sentence but most often when they are talking to themselves. Have you ever watched a two-year-old sitting in front of the TV and babbling all to himself? It's so cute...really, watch small children when they think no one does. And listen to them. It definitely will make you smile.
I have noticed that I always need a bit before I start to understand the child-ish dialect of a particular child. And even then, there are moments when I have no clue what they want from me. Luckily, their moms sometimes don't have a clue, either, so that makes me feel a bit less dumb. Nonetheless, it is more often guessing than really knowing when a child approaches me and either tells me something with such a proud face that I feel really guilty for not understanding a word of it or asks me something and I have to guess what he wants from me. My advice: Use his facial expression and his gestures to find out at the first guess what he wants. The problem is, sometimes their own words don't even sound similar to the "real" words!
I think every mom, dad, grandmom, granddad, preschool teacher and every other person dealing with small children needs to get an award for understanding child-ish! If you are such a person, feel yourself decorated with the special "I speak child-ish" award! If you know such a person, feel free to award them. After all, it IS a big achievement!
As children get older, they start to speak in an understandable way. Still, they often use words we can't understand, sometimes in the middle of a sentence but most often when they are talking to themselves. Have you ever watched a two-year-old sitting in front of the TV and babbling all to himself? It's so cute...really, watch small children when they think no one does. And listen to them. It definitely will make you smile.
I have noticed that I always need a bit before I start to understand the child-ish dialect of a particular child. And even then, there are moments when I have no clue what they want from me. Luckily, their moms sometimes don't have a clue, either, so that makes me feel a bit less dumb. Nonetheless, it is more often guessing than really knowing when a child approaches me and either tells me something with such a proud face that I feel really guilty for not understanding a word of it or asks me something and I have to guess what he wants from me. My advice: Use his facial expression and his gestures to find out at the first guess what he wants. The problem is, sometimes their own words don't even sound similar to the "real" words!
I think every mom, dad, grandmom, granddad, preschool teacher and every other person dealing with small children needs to get an award for understanding child-ish! If you are such a person, feel yourself decorated with the special "I speak child-ish" award! If you know such a person, feel free to award them. After all, it IS a big achievement!
Saturday, 19 March 2011
My Two Cents ... XVI
I stumbled upon this phrase on...Facebook:
"to put one's money where one's mouth is"
What does it mean?
It means that you should support your boast with evidence. Don't only talk about something, do it (or risk your money if you believe in it = talk about it).
Where does it come from?
This phrase has first been recorded in 1942. There are hints that it was coined in Ireland but the exact origin is uncertain.
My two cents:
This phrase stuck with me when I read it in a Facebook status of a friend so I decided it would be a good one for my blog. I can imagine that it was coined during some sort of bet, that is, that someone boasted about something and his friends dared him to bet money on it.
"to put one's money where one's mouth is"
What does it mean?
It means that you should support your boast with evidence. Don't only talk about something, do it (or risk your money if you believe in it = talk about it).
Where does it come from?
This phrase has first been recorded in 1942. There are hints that it was coined in Ireland but the exact origin is uncertain.
My two cents:
This phrase stuck with me when I read it in a Facebook status of a friend so I decided it would be a good one for my blog. I can imagine that it was coined during some sort of bet, that is, that someone boasted about something and his friends dared him to bet money on it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)