The Awful German Language

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mimzy
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The Awful German Language

Post by mimzy »   1 likes

Night457 wrote: Wed Jul 27, 2022 5:35 pm
pillowbaker wrote: Wed Jul 27, 2022 7:30 amOdd, but 1996 might not be considered to be that long ago for an orthography reform.
It was fun reading about the controversy it engendered. A butch of self-appointed so-called "experts" got together and wanted to change how people wrote their language. Who the f*** do those snobs think they are, that they somehow OWN the language?!?!? Was it put to a multi-nation popular vote? Did people elect representatives to control their language? It is a good thing I opted out of learning German in high school, because I would have just learned it WRONG! I can certainly understand how some native speakers were annoyed. I learnt my English real good back in school, and I don't like nobody messing around with the rules! ;)

One choice quote from mimzy's link: "The so-called s rule makes up over 90% of the words changed by the reform." The whole point of the reform was simplification, and the new s rule leaves me completely bewildered! So if the OLD rules were even HARDER to understand ... ooh boy.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Awful_German_Language
https://www.destination-munich.com/mark ... erman.html

:mrgreen:
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Night457
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by Night457 »   0 likes

I almost threw up in my mouth from laughing just when I saw this thread title! I probably read the original essay decades ago when I read a whole lotta Twain. I bookmarked this to read it again. Thanks!
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Tiny Blondie
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by Tiny Blondie »   2 likes

The same could be said for French, with people trying to change it, to make it easier, more popular, specially for the illiterate and lazy young generations. The classic French language is based on the one that was used in Versailles, it means it was the language used by the King, later imposed to the other parts of France. The language is beautiful, rich but also complex, especially its grammar with its endless rules and exceptions. Just like the music, the cooking, the paintings... of that time, it's baroque in many ways.

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mimzy
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by mimzy »   1 likes

Tiny Blondie wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 1:17 pm The same could be said for French

Absolutely. As the Wikipedia article points out, many other languages contain some or all of the idiosyncrasies that Twain pokes fun at. Most EU languages are more complex than German, I think. For example, Uncyclopedia has this lovely story about midsummer in Finnish:

-Kokko, kokoo kokoon koko kokko!------Kokko, gather the whole bonfire together!

-Koko kokkoko?------------------------The whole bonfire?

-Koko kokko.--------------------------The whole bonfire.

Kokooko Kokko kokoon koko kokon!?-----Will Kokko gather up the whole bonfire!?

Kokko kokoo kokoon koko kokon.--------Kokko will gather the whole bonfire

Did not want to offend anyone.
ferdi111
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by ferdi111 »   1 likes

German... easy to prounounce but grammar is quite complicated
One fun thing in each language are false friends
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mimzy
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by mimzy »   0 likes

ferdi111 wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:26 pm German... easy to prounounce but grammar is quite complicated

Still, only 4 cases, compared to 6 in Russian and 15 in Finnish...

ferdi111 wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:26 pm One fun thing in each language are false friends

:huh
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Night457
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by Night457 »   0 likes

mimzy wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 12:27 am
ferdi111 wrote: Wed Aug 03, 2022 11:26 pm One fun thing in each language are false friends

:huh
I admit that was my reaction too. But there is a clear explanation:
false friend-
a word or expression that has a similar form to one in a person's native language, but a different meaning (for example English magazine and French magasin ‘shop’).
See also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_friend

OK, I get it now!
ferdi111
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by ferdi111 »   0 likes

German gift... (poison) I once read a story when parents sent a christmas present from America to their son who was studying in Germany
and wrote a warning (gift do not open before christmas) to the package but german postman was quite suspicious because that "poisoned" package :D
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Night457
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by Night457 »   0 likes

ferdi111 wrote: Thu Aug 04, 2022 7:15 am german postman was quite suspicious because that "poisoned" package :D
:lol:
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Re: The Awful German Language

Post by ferdi111 »   2 likes

And another example
A foreigner wished to buy a pillw (Kisse) went to the shop and asked for it
and wondered why female shop assistents ´were more red with every time he repeated his question
Later they explained that it sounded like "Küsse" (kiss)
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