Why German? (1 Viewer)

[Lexicographer]

What made you guys want to do German?

It's strange admitting this, but for me it was actually Beethoven. Yup, An Die Freude did it for me. I actually wanted German so I could sing the 9th symphony baritonsolo!

 

[RJ]

That's pretty cool! I was already doing French, and I had to chose another language between Latin and German. I went for German because I wanted to be able to apply my speaking skills. Six years down the track, I get a kick out of the fact that I can communicate in a different language, so I guess that's why I chose it! btw, how come German isn't listed as one of your subjects?

 

[Lexicographer]

Originally posted by RJ
how come German isn't listed as one of your subjects?

Because I don't formally study German at school! I wanted to, but I have always been better at Japanese, and didn't know that I could do more than one until it was too late (year 11). So I've been working through various texts on my own, and I plan on formally picking it up next year in International Studies (Languages).

 

[flyin']

Lexi, why does this thread title look so similar to another thread title in another trivin' Language forum?

 

[Lexicographer]

Because that other forum gave me the idea, and it's so sad to see German deserted like this

 

[Lexicographer]

Originally posted by Lexicographer
I actually wanted German so I could sing the 9th symphony baritonsolo!

I forgot to mention this: now I can

I've had it memorised for years

 

[iambored]

Originally posted by flyin'
Lexi, why does this thread title look so similar to another thread title in another trivin' Language forum?

Originally posted by Lexicographer
Because that other forum gave me the idea, and it's so sad to see German deserted like this

 

[Lexicographer]

Grrr don't destroy my thread with people won't want to answer it!

 

[classics_chic]

What made you guys want to do German?

Warum Deutsch? Warum nicht! Es macht so viel Spass!

Aber in der achte Klasse lernten wir nur Deutsch... und dann war ich in eine andere Schule... da gibt es viele Sprachen, aber ich koennte kein beginnen zu lernen. So hatte ich Deutsch (Extension auch) gestudiert!

... Ach nein, ich habe so viel Deutsch vergessen!...

 

[chepas]

^^Nein! Ich hoffe dass ich kann* so gut Deutsch sprechen/schreiben wie du, wenn ich nicht mehr in der Schule bin!

Also, wie findest du heute den Kursus von alte Griechisch, classics chic? Das ist wirklich nett...

*(Damn beginners course, they don't teach you how to say things in the future Help?)

 

[chicaraca]

*(Damn beginners course, they don't teach you how to say things in the future Help?)[/size]

Na ja, ich spreche auch keine gutes deutsch aber vielleicht kann ich mit dem Zukunft helfen...

Also, wenn man in dem Zukunft etwas sagen will, kann man "werden" benutzen.
(werden hat nicht nur eine meinung - es heisst "will, become")

Zum Beispiel:

ich werde nach Deutschland fliegen
wir werden mit dem Zug fahren

Hoffentlich ist das nuetzlich! Du kannst mich fragen, wenn du noch Hilfe braucht

 

[chepas]

Vielen Dank dafür Ich hab schon ein andere "Thread" gemacht, wo ich einige Frage um die Zukunft gefragt... Aber ich glaube, dass ich nichts verstehen habe.

Mit 'werden' kann man immer mit diesem Wort die Zukunft machen? Oder gibt es andere Wörte, um die Zukunft zu sagen?

 

[chicaraca]

ich glaube, dass man eigentlich werden benutzen muss

aber es ist nicht so schwer...

you just take the other verb to the end in its infinitive form!
but i noticed in the other thread that you said "ich werde pilot (or insert profession)"
that does not mean "i will be" but, rather "i become"
that is because werden has two meanings...

oopss... i shouldve said this in the other forum! oh well!

 

[Ziff]

I had to give up German in year 11 because it was via correspondence and I had too many subjects already. German will be picked up again when I do my arts/law course at ANU.

 

[chepas]

^^ Two-faced 'Werden: Cheers! It didn't sink in until then, reading 'two meanings'

^ Ziff: Bah, correspondence isn't bad at all, given the connotation in your post . "HAD to give it up BECAUSE..." hehe..... Did you do it for year 9/10 Ziff?

 

[Ziff]

Not a big fan of the correspondence. Yeah I did it in year 7/8/9/10, I usually came 2nd (once or twice first). My mate who came first went to Germany for a few terms in year 11, so when he came back he was much better at it (and is really good now).

 

[Iron]

So what's the attraction to German over, say French? Is it the gruffness and the intimidating rants you can do?. I'm attracted to it for some reason, but i'm not convinced that it would be more useful than french...any ideas?

 

[mervvyn]

So what's the attraction to German over, say French? Is it the gruffness and the intimidating rants you can do?. I'm attracted to it for some reason, but i'm not convinced that it would be more useful than french...any ideas?

Well... my dad told me german can be quite useful in eastern europe as well as germany, and i think it has more speakers in europe than french, so between german and english you could get by quite well - however my hope is to learn french and others as well, it's more that german appealed the most when i chose in year 8 and i haven't been able to begin a different language at school since then.

 

[bloodysunday]

i used to do both, but found that they were conflicting quite badly (eg i'd say the french for a number while reading a german passage) and i liked german better so i dropped french, because of that and everyone else in my french class was aeons ahead of me, but thats another story

 

[chepas]

So what's the attraction to German over, say French? Is it the gruffness and the intimidating rants you can do?. I'm attracted to it for some reason, but i'm not convinced that it would be more useful than french...any ideas?

I would actually think the opposite was the case - that there was an attraction to French rather than to German. For me French is sooo much easier, in all aspects. Whereas with German the motivation was prob. because my family is German, so I pretty much grew up around it listening to it and it just sounded natural, so I spose it never really sounded gruff and rough to me. Now that I think about it - it does!

I suppose the attraction to German though is, well - it is quite a challenge. Grammatically and all that (oh god the grammar!), but it's always fun trying to pronounce the rolled "r's" that are so annoying and difficult to get right and authentic (it's also horrible, having been tainted by the French pronunciation of them as well...).

As for German's usefulness - I never really thought of learning languages in terms of where it could get me. It's always just been almost a hobby and a source of fascination. That and opening the doors to understanding that huge array of music pre 20th century that Germany has produced, like Lexi and his baritone solo . (Incidentally, I can't stand English translations of German text in Classical pieces. Especially 'Ode To Joy', and 'Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring' in English. It's just wrong, and should become a crime that Interpol oversees.). So I suppose more musical understanding is another motivator...

My waffling two cents anyway .