May the Popular Places in Germany Be Popular Everyone knows Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Cologne or Düsseldorf. Everyone also knows Bavaria, the Black Forest National Park or Neuschwanstein Castle. And certainly, there is a reason why everyone knows these popular places in Germany: they are beautiful, there are many (German) things to do and they overflow with tourists. But Germany has so much more to offer than these big cities and Bavaria. German Cities and Architecture If you really like cities, go to the west of Germany to a region called “Ruhrpott” in North Rhine-Westphalia. In this region there are a couple of big cities close together and well-connected by public transport. It may not be the most colorful place to be in Germany, but definitely worth visiting. In addition, cities like Cologne, Düsseldorf and Bonn are located there. Another city worth mentioning is Cochem. It is a nice colorful city built directly next to the Mosel River. Take a stroll along the promenade, for instance, observed by the Reichsburg Cochem, the Medieval toll castle, rebuilt in fairy tale style in the 1870s. The castle dates back to the 12th century. Meanwhile, modern looking house façades pair up next to half-timbering houses and the stone constructions of the Enderttor, the largest of Cochem’s three Medieval city gates. Cochem, however, is not the only city that offers rivers and castles. You will find them in many other places as well. Half-Timbering Houses If you are interested in architecture, you’ll like the historic old German towns, filled with many buildings in Fachwerk ‘half-timbering’. The UNESCO World Heritage City Quedlinburg, for instance, offers...
How to categorize Austrian German German is a pluricentric language, just like English. This means that there are several standard varieties that exist in different germanophone countries, such as Austrian German. A ‘language variety’ is a general term for a specific version of one language and when it is a ‘standard variety’, it is usually used publicly and considered prestigious. However, a language variety is not to be confused for a ‘dialect’. While dialects mainly appear in the spoken language with different forms of pronunciation or with slightly different grammatical structures, a standard variety manifests itself also in written language and its structures are considered as the correct standard for that country. One example of this is Austrian German, whose relationship to Standard German is comparable to that of British and American English. Austrian German and Standard German vocabulary in comparison One aspect that distinguishes Austrian German from Standard German is the vocabulary. Therefore, unique terms can be found in all areas of life. For example, in Austria, you go to the Kassa (cashier) instead of the Kasse. ‘Stairs’ are called Stiege, but in Standard German you say Treppe. And also, a very common word is Jänner for Januar (January). In the culinary field, there are many differences between Austrian and Standard German. For example, ‘cream’ in Austria is Schlagobers while in Standard German, you say Schlagsahne. In Austria, Aprikosen (apricots) are Marillen, Puderzucker (powdered sugar) is Staubzucker (literally dust sugar) and Quark (curd) is Topfen. And when it comes to drinks, in Austria, you cannot order a Weißweinschorle (sparkling white wine), you have to ask for a Weißer...
The Most Common Perceptions of The German Language February 21st is International Mother Tongue Day. As a German I would like to use this day as an opportunity to learn more about my own language and how other nationalities perceive German in particular. Therefore, I would like to have a closer look at perceptions of the German language. Based on my experiences and quick research on the internet, there are two main perceptions of the German language that I will have a closer look at. German Sounds Harsh and Angry Nice-Sounding Perceptions of The German Language? Opinions diverge on one point, namely if the German language sounds nice or not. On the one hand, people have told me German is a beautiful language. On the other hand, people say it sounds as if we are fighting the whole time! Fun fact: Germans think that about, for example, Arabic. In any case, there are many videos online comparing German to other languages, but if you look at the languages they are comparing, they are Romanic languages that have a totally different melody than German. Furthermore, German is pronounced in an especially harsh way in the videos, so the perception of the language is skewed. These videos are exaggerations for entertaining purposes only. The German Glottal Stop What German does have that most other languages don’t is the glottal stop. Languages like Danish and Arabic have it, too, but German uses it in an excessive way. The glottal stop is used in front of a vowel if the vowel is at the first position of a syllable and is like a...
A very symbolic Chinese New Year Chinese New Year has come! It’s not only China that celebrates this new beginning, also other countries such as Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Malaysia. Chinese New Year, also known as Spring Festival or Lunar New Year, is a big event for all who celebrate it all over the world. This festive period is full of symbolism; read on to find out more! Not only the Year of the Pig Chinese symbolism is everywhere from Chinese New Year’s Eve to the famous Lantern Festival. For instance, one of the most well-known symbols is marked by the Chinese lunar calendar: the Chinese zodiac. 2019 is the Year of the Pig. However, many other images also come into play during a special evening: New Year’s Eve. What happens on Chinese New Year’s Eve? Basically, communities celebrating will eat all day long with people they love. This very important get-together meal is not just about food. It is also full of auspicious symbolism. Let’s immerse ourselves into Chinese culture! More than just a fish – auspicious symbolism Myths and customs dictate that Chinese New Year’s Eve includes a perfect and complete dinner, symbolizing a good start for the new year. To do so, food that is considered lucky is served to bring good luck for the coming year. The way dishes are prepared, served, eaten, and how they are called is what matters most when it comes to meanings. Indeed, the appearance of the dishes is an important aspect, but puns are not uncommon too. Take the fish, for example. In order to do it the right...
The Use of German Terms of Endearment It doesn’t matter if they are partners, friends, children or pets: If you want to show verbal affection, you can use terms of endearment. And German is no exception. So, what are German terms of endearment? Are they very different from English? Most Common German Terms of Endearment The most used German terms of endearment seem to be the most boring ones, like Schatz ‘treasure’ with its variations Schatzi or Schätzchen. That one is so common that people make fun of it. Furthermore, some German people don’t use terms of endearment at all, which probably fits in with the German stereotype. Why invent a name if you already have one? Other common German terms of endearment are Maus/Mäuschen ‘mouse’, Hase/Häschen ‘rabbit’, Süße/-r ‘sweetie’, Liebste/-r ‘the most loved one’, Engelchen ‘little angel, and Bär/Bärchen ‘bear’. So, maybe German people do like their endearing names! Especially animal names, although this might not be only a German trait, since, for instance, Polish also uses animal names for their terms of endearment. As you can tell, you can call your loved one pretty much any animal name. Besides, you can make the name even cuter by adding the suffix –chen. This way you don’t call your loved one ‘bear’ but ‘little bear’, which shows even more affection. The suffix –i /y works in the same way: Hasi, Mausi, Bärli, and with first names Isy, Benni, Matthi. Less Used, But More Creative German Terms of Endearment There are German terms of endearment that are a little bit more creative, such as Schnucki, Schnuffi, Knuddel, Knuffi, Schmusi. They...
Wrap Your Head around German and English Idioms Do you think idioms are a pain in the neck? Or do you have a soft spot for them? Well, let’s face it, if you learn a new language they will be part of your learning experience, come rain or come shine. Native speakers, however, use them most of the time without even realising it. So no need to beat around the bush, let’s get down to business and take a closer look at German and English idioms! How Idioms Developed Idioms are fixed phrases or expressions with a figurative meaning. Most of the time, the literal meaning does not express the figurative one at all, as in to kick the bucket. And it would sound weird to say, for instance, to kick the pail. Therefore, the words are set in stone. Sometimes, however, it is funny to play with idioms and deliberately change them according to the context you are in. Nevertheless, many idioms used to be literal, but became disconnected from their original meanings. Consequently, they only exist in their figurative meaning nowadays. For some idioms you can trace this development, for example, to let the cat out of the bag. Others, in contrast, are very ambiguous and it is not clear what their origin is, for instance, to pull one’s leg. Read further for the origins of these idioms. Some idioms have a transparent meaning. In other words, even as a non-native speaker you can figure it out, because they are logical, like the early bird catches the worm. Maybe it is a concept that you also have...
