There’s much to love about German language and culture, yet like any language it has its own set of quirks.
One example is German words’ three genders, which can make counting time confusing. For instance, hearing “halb drei” might make you assume it means 3:30; in reality it actually stands for “half two and a half,” meaning it actually means 2:30!
1. German is the second most popular language in Europe
Globally, 97 million people speak German as their mother tongue – which places it second only to English among European languages. Additionally, German has one of the widest-spread presences worldwide with over 100 million native speakers across Germany alone as well as Austria, Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.
German has long been recognized for its contribution to art, music, literature, history, philosophy and science. It is the language spoken by Goethe, Nietzsche and Kafka; Marx Hegel Weber Bach Beethoven Mozart as well as fairy tale collectors Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm; it remains the most commonly used scientific language and produced some of the most significant scientific works across chemistry, biology medicine and engineering fields.
German is the premier business language and fourth largest economy globally, making it highly desirable among learners worldwide. Now more people than ever before are studying German at school.
German is one of the most studied languages in US high schools, and continues to gain more interest each year. Some experts predict it could soon overtake Spanish and French as one of America’s top three spoken languages.
Germany is an intriguing culture to learn more about. With so much variety among its people and traditions, Germany can often surprise and even shock those unfamiliar with its ways; some may find it surprising that grocery stores in Germany typically close on Sundays or that nudity is often tolerated in public areas.
2. It’s a Romance language
Germany is an engaging nation with an intriguing past and diverse traditions, as well as being highly advanced economically and home to some of the world’s leading artists and architects. Additionally, punctuality is part of German culture and considered an act of respect.
German and English both belong to the West Germanic languages family, so it should come as no surprise that their vocabulary overlaps substantially. Indeed, German and English share over 60% of each others vocabularies! But it’s important to keep in mind that some words might appear similar but have completely different meanings; an example being how “gift” in German would be written as “gabe”, while in English this would be read “poison.”
German has elements of Romance languages within it; however, it should not be classified as such in a strict sense. Romance languages typically express gender distinctions within nouns whereas German does not; however German does display Romance influences through grammar such as nominative/accusative word order and SOV verb conjugation due to Latin’s influence on Old High German.
German shares many lexical elements with English, while also being heavily influenced by Latin and Slavic languages. It’s thought that its name, Deutschland, is derived from a Slavic root which links back to Latvian and Lithuanian words for voice (vacija and vakietija), with this root also likely having origins in Baltic tribal name Vacija.
3. It’s the official language of Germany
Germany boasts a vast array of cultural treasures, from the magnificent Cologne Cathedral to Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm’s fairy tales, not forgetting UNESCO World Heritage sites such as Dresden or Cologne Cathedral and famous authors like Walther von der Vogelweide or Wolfram von Eschenbach who call German their home.
German is the official language of Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein and is recognized as a minority language in Hungary, Romania, Denmark and Poland. Additionally it’s taught widely as part of foreign language studies at schools worldwide.
There is no universally-spoken standard form of German; however, its vocabulary and grammar consistency is exceptionally high. Courtly literature encouraged standardized forms, while printing presses increased their need for uniform conventions; consequently creating an immensely complex written language.
Language diversity exists between regions as a result, with various regional dialects dominating spoken conversations in Germany. Standard German is most often heard used by government and media; other dialects include Low German which blends colloquial speech with standard German and Bavarian German spoken by members of royalty or notable people.
German is just one of the many languages spoken in Germany, though. Immigrants from around the globe have greatly expanded its linguistic landscape by sharing their native tongues – adding both cultural diversity and cross-cultural understanding. Turkish, Arabic and Polish languages are all widely spoken throughout Germany as well as French and Russian; many schools also teach these languages for an all-rounded education and fostering tolerance within schools.
4. It’s a spoken language
Are You Celebrating Oktoberfest in Munich, Wearing Lederhosen to Dachshund Derby Race at Local Brewery, or Attending Annual Polo Dancing Competition in Santa Catarina Brazil – German is alive and kicking – continuing to have influence and have an effect on society globally.
German — known by its abbreviated form “Deutsch” – is one of the world’s most widely spoken languages and serves as an official language in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Additionally, English has taken many words from German over time.
Given German’s rich literary and intellectual legacy, it’s no surprise that its language is known as “Das Land der Dichter und Denker.” German has long been associated with great thinkers such as Goethe, Schiller, Heine, Beethoven, Mozart, Fred Klimt and Einstein and continues to influence global literature, writing and communication today. Punctuality is highly prized among Germans who respect each other’s time – so be sure to show up promptly the next time you meet a German acquaintance!
5. It’s a written language
Germany is home to an extensive history and many fascinating traditions, some well-known (Oktoberfest and lederhosen come to mind), while others less so. Some might come as a surprise such as grocery stores being closed on Sundays or rumor has it that knocking on wood surfaces brings good luck!
German stands out as a fascinating written language due to being part of the Indo-European family and using Latin alphabet. Furthermore, German is well known for creating new words through combination existing nouns such as Hand and Schue – creating new words like Handschuhe that combine two existing nouns (for instance hands and shoes). Furthermore, German uses capital letters in every noun – giving its writing style its distinct aesthetic appearance.
German stands out from other languages by using an exclusive letter: the ss. This letter indicates when words or phrases should be spoken with emphasis on their second syllable; additionally, the ss also helps differentiate words that sound alike but have different pronunciations, like schwartz and schwert.
German is also an extremely structured language, making it easy for readers and writers to read and write with precision, which contributes to clearer communications – one reason many consider German powerful as a language.
As German is one of the world’s most fascinating languages, its rich culture of poets and thinkers makes it no surprise why it’s known as “Das Land der Dichter und Denker”, meaning ‘The Land of Poets and Thinkers”. If you are keen on learning more, make sure you visit one of our German courses today.