The Awful German Language
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mad jew
Moderator emeritus
mac_head101 said:
Yeah, it's pretty cool. Not the easiest considering it's so completely different from anything else though. Check out this teacher's guide for some quirky facts.
alexstein
macrumors 6502a
mac_head101 said:Now to throw a twist into the thread... what do German speakers think of ß?
Actually the written German language got rid of ß it's now (who would have guessed) ss.
My native language is german and I have been learning english (so to speak) for the past 6 years.
clayj said:
You were very close
Ich spreche nur ein bisschen deutsch! or you can say
Ich spreche nur ein wenig deutsch! (both works)
cslewis
macrumors 6502a
alexstein said:
WHAT!?!
When? I thought that only Swiss German was without it, but that Standard German retained it on a smaller scale after the 1996 language reform. The ß is a great part of the German language that makes it unique. I think it would be absolutely terrible if it was taken from the language! And besides, when you're texting, it's only one letter
alexstein
macrumors 6502a
mac_head101 said:WHAT!?!
Sorry I was misinformed.
You are right!!
(It's just when you technically can't write ß then you can use ss instead. Sorry I was misinformed.
There was a change but not as tremendous as I thought. I got this from Wikipedia.
Sounds and letters
The reform aims to systematise the correspondence between sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes), and to strengthen the principle that declinations should follow the spelling of the root.
ß and ss: the letter "ß" appears only after long vowels and diphthongs.
der Fluß ? der Fluss (the river)
A short vowel is followed by "ss" or "s".
Ich möchte, daß du kommst. ? , dass du kommst (I want you to come)
but das Haus ? das Haus (the house)
As a consequence, the German spelling of anschluss, for example, is now closer to the English spelling.
der Anschluß ? der Anschluss
As before the reform, Switzerland and Liechtenstein continue to use "ss" for "ß". In Germany and Austria the ß is maintained under the new simplified rules. The "ß" may be replaced with "ss" if the "ß" cannot be written for technical reasons.
As before, "ß" is not used in uppercase. In uppercase "SS" always substitutes "ß": for example, Fußball becomes FUSSBALL when uppercased.
Triple consonants before a vowel are no longer reduced (but hyphenation is often used in these instances anyway):
Schiffahrt ? Schifffahrt from Schiff + Fahrt (boat trip)
Doubled consonants after short vowels at the end of certain words, to conform with derived forms
As ? Ass because of plural Asse (ace, aces)
Vowel changes, especially "ä" for "e", to conform with derived or otherwise close forms
Stengel ? Stängel (stalk) because of Stange (bar)
Additional minor changes aim to remove a number of special cases or allow alternative spellings
rauh ? rau (rough) because of blau, grau, genau
Several loan words now allow spellings that are closer to German. Especially, the affixes -phon, -phot, and -graph can be spelt with f for ph.
cslewis
macrumors 6502a
alexstein said:Sorry I was misinformed.
You are right!!
Sorry I was misinformed.
There was a change but not as tremendous as I thought. I got this from Wikipedia.
Sounds and letters
The reform aims to systematise the correspondence between sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes), and to strengthen the principle that declinations should follow the spelling of the root.
ß and ss: the letter "ß" appears only after long vowels and diphthongs.
der Fluß ? der Fluss (the river)
A short vowel is followed by "ss" or "s".
Ich möchte, daß du kommst. ? , dass du kommst (I want you to come)
but das Haus ? das Haus (the house)
As a consequence, the German spelling of anschluss, for example, is now closer to the English spelling.
der Anschluß ? der Anschluss
As before the reform, Switzerland and Liechtenstein continue to use "ss" for "ß". In Germany and Austria the ß is maintained under the new simplified rules. The "ß" may be replaced with "ss" if the "ß" cannot be written for technical reasons.
As before, "ß" is not used in uppercase. In uppercase "SS" always substitutes "ß": for example, Fußball becomes FUSSBALL when uppercased.
Triple consonants before a vowel are no longer reduced (but hyphenation is often used in these instances anyway):
Schiffahrt ? Schifffahrt from Schiff + Fahrt (boat trip)
Doubled consonants after short vowels at the end of certain words, to conform with derived forms
As ? Ass because of plural Asse (ace, aces)
Vowel changes, especially "ä" for "e", to conform with derived or otherwise close forms
Stengel ? Stängel (stalk) because of Stange (bar)
Additional minor changes aim to remove a number of special cases or allow alternative spellings
rauh ? rau (rough) because of blau, grau, genau
Several loan words now allow spellings that are closer to German. Especially, the affixes -phon, -phot, and -graph can be spelt with f for ph.
Thanks a lot for clearing up the confusion, alexstein!
cslewis
macrumors 6502a
From my original post, an excerpt from The Awful German Language translated exactly from German to English.
TALE OF THE FISHWIFE AND ITS SAD FATE [2]
2. I capitalize the nouns, in the German (and ancient English) fashion.
It is a bleak Day. Hear the Rain, how he pours, and the Hail, how he rattles; and see the Snow, how he drifts along, and of the Mud, how deep he is! Ah the poor Fishwife, it is stuck fast in the Mire; it has dropped its Basket of Fishes; and its Hands have been cut by the Scales as it seized some of the falling Creatures; and one Scale has even got into its Eye, and it cannot get her out. It opens its Mouth to cry for Help; but if any Sound comes out of him, alas he is drowned by the raging of the Storm. And now a Tomcat has got one of the Fishes and she will surely escape with him. No, she bites off a Fin, she holds her in her Mouth -- will she swallow her? No, the Fishwife's brave Mother-dog deserts his Puppies and rescues the Fin -- which he eats, himself, as his Reward. O, horror, the Lightning has struck the Fish-basket; he sets him on Fire; see the Flame, how she licks the doomed Utensil with her red and angry Tongue; now she attacks the helpless Fishwife's Foot -- she burns him up, all but the big Toe, and even she is partly consumed; and still she spreads, still she waves her fiery Tongues; she attacks the Fishwife's Leg and destroys it; she attacks its Hand and destroys her also; she attacks the Fishwife's Leg and destroys her also; she attacks its Body and consumes him; she wreathes herself about its Heart and it is consumed; next about its Breast, and in a Moment she is a Cinder; now she reaches its Neck -- he goes; now its Chin -- it goes; now its Nose -- she goes. In another Moment, except Help come, the Fishwife will be no more. Time presses -- is there none to succor and save? Yes! Joy, joy, with flying Feet the she-Englishwoman comes! But alas, the generous she-Female is too late: where now is the fated Fishwife? It has ceased from its Sufferings, it has gone to a better Land; all that is left of it for its loved Ones to lament over, is this poor smoldering Ash-heap. Ah, woeful, woeful Ash-heap! Let us take him up tenderly, reverently, upon the lowly Shovel, and bear him to his long Rest, with the Prayer that when he rises again it will be a Realm where he will have one good square responsible Sex, and have it all to himself, instead of having a mangy lot of assorted Sexes scattered all over him in Spots.
Interesting... I really think that English's noun-gender system makes the most sense... if you know the REAL sex, then it's that sex, and if you don't or it's neuter it's it. I just don't see the logic in assigning nouns non-real sex that serves to complicate the language.
TALE OF THE FISHWIFE AND ITS SAD FATE [2]
2. I capitalize the nouns, in the German (and ancient English) fashion.
It is a bleak Day. Hear the Rain, how he pours, and the Hail, how he rattles; and see the Snow, how he drifts along, and of the Mud, how deep he is! Ah the poor Fishwife, it is stuck fast in the Mire; it has dropped its Basket of Fishes; and its Hands have been cut by the Scales as it seized some of the falling Creatures; and one Scale has even got into its Eye, and it cannot get her out. It opens its Mouth to cry for Help; but if any Sound comes out of him, alas he is drowned by the raging of the Storm. And now a Tomcat has got one of the Fishes and she will surely escape with him. No, she bites off a Fin, she holds her in her Mouth -- will she swallow her? No, the Fishwife's brave Mother-dog deserts his Puppies and rescues the Fin -- which he eats, himself, as his Reward. O, horror, the Lightning has struck the Fish-basket; he sets him on Fire; see the Flame, how she licks the doomed Utensil with her red and angry Tongue; now she attacks the helpless Fishwife's Foot -- she burns him up, all but the big Toe, and even she is partly consumed; and still she spreads, still she waves her fiery Tongues; she attacks the Fishwife's Leg and destroys it; she attacks its Hand and destroys her also; she attacks the Fishwife's Leg and destroys her also; she attacks its Body and consumes him; she wreathes herself about its Heart and it is consumed; next about its Breast, and in a Moment she is a Cinder; now she reaches its Neck -- he goes; now its Chin -- it goes; now its Nose -- she goes. In another Moment, except Help come, the Fishwife will be no more. Time presses -- is there none to succor and save? Yes! Joy, joy, with flying Feet the she-Englishwoman comes! But alas, the generous she-Female is too late: where now is the fated Fishwife? It has ceased from its Sufferings, it has gone to a better Land; all that is left of it for its loved Ones to lament over, is this poor smoldering Ash-heap. Ah, woeful, woeful Ash-heap! Let us take him up tenderly, reverently, upon the lowly Shovel, and bear him to his long Rest, with the Prayer that when he rises again it will be a Realm where he will have one good square responsible Sex, and have it all to himself, instead of having a mangy lot of assorted Sexes scattered all over him in Spots.
Interesting...
I really think that English's noun-gender system makes the most sense... if you know the REAL sex, then it's that sex, and if you don't or it's neuter it's it. I just don't see the logic in assigning nouns non-real sex that serves to complicate the language.
LethalWolfe
macrumors G3
G5Unit said:
Hm. Sounds like you probably have a lot of passive/aggressive tendencies.
I took 2yrs of German in HS and 2yrs of Spanish in college. And I've pretty much forgotten most of it. Although when I went to Germany in '00 I remembered a surprising amount. Too bad the "2nd coming" of my German completely obliterated all the Spanish I learned.
I guess my brain is only wired for 1 secondary language at a time. Lethal
EricNau
Moderator emeritus
Guten Tag!
Ich spreche nicht gut Deutsch.
I'm taking my first year of German in High School, and I have a test tomarrow! And I don't know anything on the test that well!
And I forgot: I know a very little French (took a beginners course in Middle School).
Ja ne sais pas! I love shouting that!
oooh! and this one : Fermez la bouche!
Ich spreche nicht gut Deutsch.
I'm taking my first year of German in High School, and I have a test tomarrow! And I don't know anything on the test that well!
And I forgot: I know a very little French (took a beginners course in Middle School).
Ja ne sais pas!
I love shouting that! oooh! and this one : Fermez la bouche!
oh cool, I spent a few hundred bucks learning beginner German and now still considering whether to proceed on to advanced and spend more money on it. Considering the state of my business.... I think I will wait. but thanks for the lesson.alexstein said:Sorry I was misinformed.
You are right!!
Sorry I was misinformed.
There was a change but not as tremendous as I thought. I got this from Wikipedia.
Sounds and letters
The reform aims to systematise the correspondence between sounds (phonemes) and letters (graphemes), and to strengthen the principle that declinations should follow the spelling of the root.
ß and ss: the letter "ß" appears only after long vowels and diphthongs.
der Fluß ? der Fluss (the river)
A short vowel is followed by "ss" or "s".
Ich möchte, daß du kommst. ? , dass du kommst (I want you to come)
but das Haus ? das Haus (the house)
As a consequence, the German spelling of anschluss, for example, is now closer to the English spelling.
der Anschluß ? der Anschluss
As before the reform, Switzerland and Liechtenstein continue to use "ss" for "ß". In Germany and Austria the ß is maintained under the new simplified rules. The "ß" may be replaced with "ss" if the "ß" cannot be written for technical reasons.
As before, "ß" is not used in uppercase. In uppercase "SS" always substitutes "ß": for example, Fußball becomes FUSSBALL when uppercased.
Triple consonants before a vowel are no longer reduced (but hyphenation is often used in these instances anyway):
Schiffahrt ? Schifffahrt from Schiff + Fahrt (boat trip)
Doubled consonants after short vowels at the end of certain words, to conform with derived forms
As ? Ass because of plural Asse (ace, aces)
Vowel changes, especially "ä" for "e", to conform with derived or otherwise close forms
Stengel ? Stängel (stalk) because of Stange (bar)
Additional minor changes aim to remove a number of special cases or allow alternative spellings
rauh ? rau (rough) because of blau, grau, genau
Several loan words now allow spellings that are closer to German. Especially, the affixes -phon, -phot, and -graph can be spelt with f for ph.
ibook30
macrumors 6502a
Language
I got a minor in Nonesense in college, but I only speak it sometimes. 'Cause I have to work- I have learned to speak fluent Double Speak and the occasional Gibberish.
I was in a play once where I spoke Cockney, and understudied where I had to learn Australian.
But when I'm out I like to speak Jive.
I got a minor in Nonesense in college, but I only speak it sometimes. 'Cause I have to work- I have learned to speak fluent Double Speak and the occasional Gibberish.
I was in a play once where I spoke Cockney, and understudied where I had to learn Australian.
But when I'm out I like to speak Jive.
joker2
macrumors 6502a
Hm. i actually had four years of German in high school. (10 years ago, now..) I recall most of the constructs and conjugations, but the translations of words are failing me.
I would like to get back to at least the level of "conversational" German, but I don't have a lot of time to devote to it right now.
I would like to get back to at least the level of "conversational" German, but I don't have a lot of time to devote to it right now.
Jaffa Cake
macrumors Core
I have a smattering of Dutch and French, although I wouldn't pretend for a moment I'd be able to carry out a full conversation in either language, save for saying my name and asking for directions to the station...
Oh, and I speak English of course – albeit strangely.
Oh, and I speak English of course – albeit strangely.
balamw
Moderator emeritus
I'm fluent in English/Spanish/French all three learned by immersion at an early age. I also took three years of German in high school (worst ... subject ... ever. my only "D") and Mandarin Chinese in college.mac_head101 said:
What I find strange is that I often mix up German and Chinese in my head. They're really not similar at all, but being languages I rarely use, I guess my brain has filed them in the same category.
B
Mein wurst ist gross.
Thats about all the german I know.
Know a tiny bit of french aswell.
Je battre mon penis chaque soir, est maintenant, cest rouge . Ton pere mettre une grande banan dans ton dernier hier soir . Tant pis pour toi.
I only only know how to say dirty things and insult people. Go me.
Thats about all the german I know.
Know a tiny bit of french aswell.
Je battre mon penis chaque soir, est maintenant, cest rouge
. Ton pere mettre une grande banan dans ton dernier hier soir . Tant pis pour toi.I only only know how to say dirty things and insult people. Go me.