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...
Charming German Compound Words In case you haven’t heard, the German language is full of huge words! The most popular example used by Germans (who also make fun of these long, weird words) is Donaudampfschiffahrtsgesellschaftskapitän. It translates into ‘Danube steamship company captain’. But they don’t always have to be that long and complicated. You will never hear the above word in a daily conversation, for example. However, there are smoother and easier ways to use German compound words. How To Built German Compound Words Firstly, German compound words are made of two or more words you would like to combine and can be any word type from nouns to prepositions. The combination of words or ‘parts’ can also result in any kind of word type: nouns, verbs, adjectives, etc. The last part of the compound word determines which type of word it will be. This is how Germans know that they are referring to grandparents (Großeltern ‘grand- or big parents’) and not to something that is as big as parents. One little tip for German language learners that struggle with articles: the gender of German compound words is also determined by the last part of the word. If you know that Kind ‘child’ is grammatically neutral, you know that words like Kleinkind, Spielkind, Enkelkind are neutral, too, even if you don’t know what they mean. How They Convey Meaning Another good thing to know about German compound words is how the different parts influence each other. On the one hand, the first part describes the second part in more detail and specifies it. That is why Zeitungsindustrie means ‘newspaper...
