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The downside of English as the universal language

by | Mar 3, 2009 | , , | 4 Comments


Why is it that many Anglophones seriously consider going to Germany to work when they have zero German skills? A German would never for an instant think that he/she could go to Britain or the United States to work without knowing English well. So why would it be OK for English-speakers to live and work in Germany with minimal German skills?

Well, it’s obvious, isn’t it? After all, isn’t English the universal language? Don’t many global companies in Germany use English as their “official” language? Everyone in Germany speaks English, right? — Well, the answer is a definite jein (German for “maybe” or “yes and no”).

ice cream

Just because German businesses often use English in their advertising does not mean expats do not need to learn German.
PHOTO: Chloë D

If you don’t know that English has become the de facto universal language (Weltsprache in German), what cave have you been living in? English dominates academia and the world of international business, especially in Europe. A 2008 survey found that 90 percent of European students study English at some stage of their education. (“Study” does not always mean “learn.” French and German are the most popular but distant runners-up.) A recent article in The Economist states that about 60 percent of young Europeans speak English “well” or “very well.” (Note that it does not say 60 percent of “all” Europeans, just those in the 15-24 range, and even that figure should be taken with a grain of salt, since it includes young native speakers of English.) Even in China, nearly 60 percent of primary school children now get English lessons!

The Economist article also mentions that many European newspapers and magazines, including Germany’s Der Spiegel news magazine, now publish online editions in English, in addition to the local language. This means that many Europeans (and Americans) can follow events and issues that they otherwise would not know about — in English. In fact, Der Spiegel is trying to establish a “pan-European network” that aggregates English websites published by periodicals in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, France, and other European countries. A Dutch journalist points out that “very fine pieces” are published in Dutch that “the rest of the world never notices.” English makes such articles accessible to many more readers who don’t know Dutch. read more…

You Can Du Me: The Du/Sie Question

by | Feb 21, 2009 | , , , , , | 0 Comments

The question of du or Sie, informal versus formal “you,” is a perennial one for expats in a place like Germany. Many European languages make a linguistic distinction based on interpersonal relationships. These distinctions have fallen out of use in modern English.

Lucky for those learning English. But expats learning the German language and culture frequently struggle with the question of informal versus the formal. When you are in the midst of a strange culture, you are constantly out of your safety zone. Any faux pas, no matter how slight, becomes a major drama in your own mind. Getting du/Sie wrong can lead to self-doubt and undermining yourself as you try to acclimate in a land of strangers who never quite act the way you think they should. read more…

Airing Out a German Phobia: The Killer Draft

by | Feb 13, 2009 | , , , , | 5 Comments


One definition of a split second: the time it takes between opening a window on a hot train and hearing a German say the two most dreaded words in the German language: “Es zieht!” (“There’s a draft!”)

In the summer on German trains, in the days before most were air conditioned, I can remember betting with friends how long it would take before a German would close the window when the train began to pull out of the station. It was usually under 10 seconds. An open window while the train was standing still was okay, but the minute air began to flow through the window as the train picked up speed, you could hear the slam of windows being shut — even if it was 90 degrees Fahrenheit (32°C) outside! Today on local commuter trains it’s no different.

Fensterklinke

This is a German glass door with a 3-way latch system (Fensterklinke) that allows it to tilt open vertically, horizontally, or wide open, also known as a Kippfenster (see below). Germans prefer a vertical tilt (open at the top) that prevents killer drafts! PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

In my book When in Germany, Do as the Germans Do, I have a chapter devoted to the most common German phobias and ailments (“Killer Drafts and Kreislaufstörung“). Sarah’s previous blog (“Blowing Hot and Cold“) inspired me to revisit the topic of “killer drafts” (“…the grim reaper’s mocking breath”). Most Europeans – it’s not just the Germans – have a deathly fear of what Americans regard as a pleasant breeze. Basically, Germans believe that a draft coming through an open window or door can kill you — or at the very least can cause ailments ranging from a sore throat to pneumonia. After suffering in stuffy S-Bahn commuter trains last summer in Berlin, and being reminded that a German would rather die of heatstroke than open a window in a hot, crowded train, I wanted to try to analyze this German phobia of air in motion. read more…

Tatort

by | Feb 8, 2009 | , | 1 Comment

One of my favorite German-made TV shows is “Tatort”. In general, I am not a TV kind of person. Most of the time I would just prefer to read a book while my husband zaps through the channels. But Sunday nights at 8:15 (which is when prime-time shows come on here), you will often find me on the couch watching the familiar opening credits roll, which amazingly enough, have not changed since the show began on November 29, 1970. “Tatort” (English: crime scene) is a crime show with an interesting concept. The show is filmed in larger German cities and each city has its own set of criminal investigators. For instance, you know when you are watching the Ludwigshafen (my favorite because it is close to home — Mannheim) episodes because the detectives are Lena Odenthal and Mario Kopper. The Ludwigshafen episodes are always filmed by SWR (Südwestrundfunk), which makes them even more local. Austria and Switzerland also has have their own detectives and the episodes are filmed by local channels. read more…

Homeschooling verboten

Homeschooling verboten

by | Feb 3, 2009 | , , , | 4 Comments


I recently wrote about the German School System, but a German court decision on homeschooling put that unique aspect of German education in the spotlight. A Bremen couple who have been trying to get permission to homeschool their two young sons had all their legal arguments rejected. A Bremen superior administrative court (Oberverwaltungsgericht) told Dagmar and Tilman Neubronner (and their two attorneys) that they must send Moritz and Thomas to a normal German school and not teach them at home.

Berlin classroom

A secondary school classroom in Berlin. Students in Germany have to learn in a classroom, not at home. PHOTO: Hyde Flippo

Unlike most European countries, including next-door neighbors Austria and Switzerland, Germany requires that children attend school, and outlaws homeschooling except in rare cases. The Bremen court ruled that the Neubronners had not demonstrated that they qualified for such an exception. This state ruling followed a November 2007 German federal court (Bundesgerichtshof) decision that termed homeschooling a form of parental child abuse! Most would-be German homeschoolers laid low after that, but not the Neubronners. They soon become Germany’s most famous (or notorious) Heimschul-Familie, determined to fight the Bremen state law (as in all of Germany’s 15 other Länder) that forbids homeschooling. read more…

Blowing Hot and Cold?

by | Jan 25, 2009 | , , | 2 Comments

One of my favorite topics of discussion with my German friends has to be the difference between perception of temperature and whether a person gets cold easily. I don’t know whether it is due to the fact that many Americans come from climates where there is extreme weather, or if we are used to wearing less clothing and just plain like our shorts, but many a time have I had to defend my clothing choices to those around me, whether it be old ladies on the street, neighbors or colleagues. This problem only got worse when it comes to my kids. read more…

Rx for Drugs in Deutschland

by | Nov 10, 2008 | , , , | 0 Comments

German Apotheke logo

The official German Apotheke logo.

One of the more important items on the pre-departure checklist for expats or travelers headed to Germany concerns any prescription drugs they may require during an extended stay. Those who need certain medications can bring their own prescription drugs with them when they travel to Germany — in their carry-on or checked luggage. That’s not a problem. The hassles only begin when you want or need to “import” your own prescription drugs to Germany from the U.S. or some other country. I have some personal experience with the complications that can arise when you have your own medications sent to you in Germany by a friend, spouse, relative or anyone outside Germany. You may also want to do this, since your U.S. prescription plan may not cover you in Germany, but it is fraught with peril.

First, let’s talk about how you can avoid such complications and related hassles up front. (In other words, what I should have done, but didn’t.) Then I’ll tell you what happens if you don’t follow this advice! read more…