While I have some linguistics background, I am at best an amateur. So I begin with a caveat: these are merely observations and, if false, please take my amateurishness into consideration before you read me the riot act. =)
After 2 weeks of intensive German a few lingo-cultural observations have made their way into my brain. Based partly on general background knowledge compounded by experience I have noted a few words/actions/phraseology that reflect cultural biases.
1. Schnell: (Many) Germans answer before they have completely heard the question, mostly personally observed in my teacher but confirmed by others as well (on both sides). German is said to be a difficult language to master and as the poor learner is struggling to get the question out (with some semblance of correct grammar and comprehension) the teacher, efficient, direct, saves the learner the trouble and answers ahead of the entire question. Of course, this at my level often takes longer in the end because the answer does not pertain to the question. Rarely it does, occasionally I give up and let the incorrect answer stand if the question is deemed inessential, but mostly I am forced to say "Danke, aber das ist nicht meine Frage" and then struggle to (schnell!) make my question understood.
2. If/when: English has 2 subordinating conjunctions that are translated as the same word in German: wenn. If I am sick/When I am sick I must miss class looks the same. Splitting hairs in English you might now note but yet, in my heretofore limited experience the definiteness of the German culture comes through. Yes, the language is completely capable of handling hypothetical situations but it prefers not to.
3. Punctuality: This is a well-worn theme in teutonic cultural analysis but a new slant emerges when you learn how to tell time. For English speakers, when asked the time the "now" usually takes precedence and 6.40 is given for example. Some might say "half past", referring to the previous top of the hour, and occasionally you might hear "almost" or the minutes remaining to the top of the hour, when it is, say, under 10 minutes. Not so for the Germans. At 21 minutes past the hour that hour is finished and ALL further answers to "Wie viel Uhr ist es?" must pertain to the coming hour. Already in German is one thinking forward to the time when one must be somewhere/do something. Then, of course, there are multiple words for "hour" and "time": spät/mal/zeit/stunden/uhr...
And then there is a non-linguistic note here: in the town of 37k that I am privileged to be staying in there are no less than 3 clock towers I can hear from my apartment EVERY hour telling me the time. Some do 15 minute notes as well, and I'm pretty sure I hear a special wake-up tower at 6.30 every morning.
Ah, c'est la vie when one is culturally adjusting. Fascinating, frustrating, exciting and exhausting!
Bis später!
After 2 weeks of intensive German a few lingo-cultural observations have made their way into my brain. Based partly on general background knowledge compounded by experience I have noted a few words/actions/phraseology that reflect cultural biases.
1. Schnell: (Many) Germans answer before they have completely heard the question, mostly personally observed in my teacher but confirmed by others as well (on both sides). German is said to be a difficult language to master and as the poor learner is struggling to get the question out (with some semblance of correct grammar and comprehension) the teacher, efficient, direct, saves the learner the trouble and answers ahead of the entire question. Of course, this at my level often takes longer in the end because the answer does not pertain to the question. Rarely it does, occasionally I give up and let the incorrect answer stand if the question is deemed inessential, but mostly I am forced to say "Danke, aber das ist nicht meine Frage" and then struggle to (schnell!) make my question understood.
2. If/when: English has 2 subordinating conjunctions that are translated as the same word in German: wenn. If I am sick/When I am sick I must miss class looks the same. Splitting hairs in English you might now note but yet, in my heretofore limited experience the definiteness of the German culture comes through. Yes, the language is completely capable of handling hypothetical situations but it prefers not to.
3. Punctuality: This is a well-worn theme in teutonic cultural analysis but a new slant emerges when you learn how to tell time. For English speakers, when asked the time the "now" usually takes precedence and 6.40 is given for example. Some might say "half past", referring to the previous top of the hour, and occasionally you might hear "almost" or the minutes remaining to the top of the hour, when it is, say, under 10 minutes. Not so for the Germans. At 21 minutes past the hour that hour is finished and ALL further answers to "Wie viel Uhr ist es?" must pertain to the coming hour. Already in German is one thinking forward to the time when one must be somewhere/do something. Then, of course, there are multiple words for "hour" and "time": spät/mal/zeit/stunden/uhr...
And then there is a non-linguistic note here: in the town of 37k that I am privileged to be staying in there are no less than 3 clock towers I can hear from my apartment EVERY hour telling me the time. Some do 15 minute notes as well, and I'm pretty sure I hear a special wake-up tower at 6.30 every morning.
Ah, c'est la vie when one is culturally adjusting. Fascinating, frustrating, exciting and exhausting!
Bis später!
