German. Pronunciation

[MaxStout]

If you go pretty much anywhere in Germany it sounds nothing like Hochdeutsch since almost noone speaks Hochdeutsch

They learn it in school, but many Germans revert to their local dialects, some of which can be difficult to follow. Go to Köln and try to decipher the Kölsch dialect.

 

[FatDragon]

They learn it in school, but many Germans revert to their local dialects, some of which can be difficult to follow. Go to Köln and try to decipher the Kölsch dialect.

In my experience, in addition to being delicious *cymbal clash*, Hamburgers speak the most standard German I've heard from native speakers.

 

[Qhrumphf]

In my experience, in addition to being delicious *cymbal clash*, Hamburgers speak the most standard German I've heard from native speakers.

*insert something here about FC St. Pauli* I think I know where I'm moving...

 

[OswaldvW]

Well following this line of thinking all cars and their parts should have German names since Mercedes invented the car.
All fireworks and firearms should have Chinese names.
and maple syrup should have Canuck names

In medicine, we use Latin and Greek terms. In music, particularly for those who study Baroque and Classical music, most terms are in Italian. The Italians did not invent music. Even to this day, we use tons of Italian terms in music. Some things just become tradition and we learn not only the words, but their original meanings. I am certainly not advocating using German words or not using German words. My original post just advocates learning the correct pronunciation. People can make up their minds if they want to use German brew words or not, and even if they want to pronounce these brewing words correctly or not.

 

[EoinMag]

In my experience, in addition to being delicious *cymbal clash*, Hamburgers speak the most standard German I've heard from native speakers.

Moin moin, ich lauve dat du nie platt gehört hast mijn jong ? Nordisch by nature.
:-D

Bremen is accepted generally as the seat of high German, this is however debated hotly amongst Germans. I've never heard Hamburg mentioned but it's not too far from Bremen.

 

[skw]

Hochdeutsch = standard German, or is what I learned in schule falsch?

Standard German is an artificial construct as a compromise of all the German dialects: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Standard_German#Origins

It's standard everywhere, but it's the native tongue of nowhere.

 

[FatDragon]

Moin moin, ich lauve dat du nie platt gehört hast mijn jong ? Nordisch by nature.
:-D

Bremen is accepted generally as the seat of high German, this is however debated hotly amongst Germans. I've never heard Hamburg mentioned but it's not too far from Bremen.

To be honest, my "experience" is highly unscientifically based on speaking a little bit of German (or eavesdropping) with a total of roughly three dozen Germans through a couple hostel-hopping trips around China before I got tied down to the wife. The primary conclusion was reached when I couldn't understand most of them very well at all (and was often left wondering if they were actually speaking German in the first place), but I was pleasantly relieved when I chatted with a couple Hamburgers who met by chance in Chengdu one summer.

There was also absinthe that night, along with an Australian guy taking the wheel of our taxi when the driver stopped to ask for directions, and another Aussie peeing for at least a minute and a half in the middle of the road with constant traffic whizzing by (pun not really intended, but recognized), so any reliability you might have been willing to concede to my experience probably goes out the window with that confession.

 

[EoinMag]

To be honest, my "experience" is highly unscientifically based on speaking a little bit of German (or eavesdropping) with a total of roughly three dozen Germans through a couple hostel-hopping trips around China before I got tied down to the wife. The primary conclusion was reached when I couldn't understand most of them very well at all (and was often left wondering if they were actually speaking German in the first place), but I was pleasantly relieved when I chatted with a couple Hamburgers who met by chance in Chengdu one summer.

There was also absinthe that night, along with an Australian guy taking the wheel of our taxi when the driver stopped to ask for directions, and another Aussie peeing for at least a minute and a half in the middle of the road with constant traffic whizzing by (pun not really intended, but recognized), so any reliability you might have been willing to concede to my experience probably goes out the window with that confession.

to be fair you're not far off, they are in the same area roughly.

I lived in North Germany for about 7 years.

 

[PJoyce85]

My god is German hard. I learned proper German in school and it is difficult. My wife is German but she speaks Mainzer "dialect" (I type it with quotations because the dialects are really like a different language. The spelling and pronunciation of words can be completely different depending where you are). I know people that grew up 10 minutes apart and they have different words for the same meaning.

While I rarely hear proper German spoke, it is used with anything official, such as letters, interviews, etc. And even when it is spoke , there are 2 ways to speak it (don't ask me the names because I forgot).

I could say: (I drove to Berlin)
Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren OR
Ich Fuhr nach Berlin

My wife tells me that they will speak the first (easier to use/remember) but will type the second way as it is shorter.





Sent from my iPhone using Home

 

[masonsjax]

I will be visiting Germany this summer. I've begun studying the language a bit to help me at least make an effort to communicate with locals. Now I'm wondering if it's even worth the trouble

 

[Hopinista]

I will be visiting Germany this summer. I've begun studying the language a bit to help me at least make an effort to communicate with locals. Now I'm wondering if it's even worth the trouble

I've yet to meet a German who doesn't speak English.

 

[EoinMag]

I've yet to meet a German who doesn't speak English.

Hang around there long enough, your average German can count to ten.....

 

[Hopinista]

Hang around there long enough, your average German can count to ten.....

I didn't really want to hang around when I was there

 

[EoinMag]

 

[alane1]

I didn't really want to hang around when I was there

Why was that?

 

[phug]

my exposures to german have been hochdeutsch at saturday school, and schwiizerdutsch. And even then, the regional dialects are so bad. Sometimes My sister has to translate using hochdeutsch between my grandmother and another local who had grown up a few cities away.

 

[Hopinista]

It was too varm und flaky

 

[skw]

I could say: (I drove to Berlin)
Ich bin nach Berlin gefahren OR
Ich Fuhr nach Berlin

My wife tells me that they will speak the first (easier to use/remember) but will type the second way as it is shorter.

The two translate to:
I have driven to Berlin
I drove to Berlin

The same exists in English, several forms of a past tense. The "ich bin gefahren" form is being used more and more frequently.

 

[Conman13]

How about "Reinheitsgebot"?

 

[alane1]

How about "Reinheitsgebot"?

In my German dialect it's pronounced "Hugebzeischietz"

 

[nhindian]

How about "Reinheitsgebot"?

Rine-hites-ga-boat

 

[Qhrumphf]

Rine-hites-ga-boat

Rine-hites-geh-boat.

 

[skw]

Almost. No "boat" at the end though, "boat" is a diphthong where the German "-bot" is not.

click on the little play icon here to hear the pronunciation:
http://dict.leo.org/ende/index_de.h...oc=0&resultOrder=basic&multiwordShowSingle=on

 

[gometz]

Wort = Wert

Also interesting because Wert means "worth". My theory has been that it comes from the run-off having all the value in it while the leftover grains have little to no value.

 

[gometz]

I was born and raised in Germany. English is my second language. I always get a kick out of how people pronounce german words.

My parents are from Germany and I am the only one not to be born in Munich of 4 children (I am the youngest, born in Massachusetts). I lived in Germany from 1-4 years old so it is technically my first language, but my English is much better.
That being said: I get a kick out of talking to people about beer and hearing the various ways to pronounce Hefeweizen, Dunkel-*, Schwarzbier, etc. Sometimes correcting them doesn't do anything, they continue to think their way is correct. They might even be very knowledgeable about beer (more so than me), and will therefore think you are wrong.

Even French words I hear being said wrong. Saison I have hear pronounced about 3 different ways.

 

[GeorgiaMead]

As someone who travels internationally I've noticed natives usually can speak English but are much more friendly if you attempt to communicate in their native language.


Sent from my iPhone using Home Brew

 

[MaxStout]

Almost. No "boat" at the end though, "boat" is a diphthong where the German "-bot" is not.

click on the little play icon here to hear the pronunciation:
http://dict.leo.org/ende/index_de.h...oc=0&resultOrder=basic&multiwordShowSingle=on

Try this one.

 

[skw]

Also interesting because Wert means "worth". My theory has been that it comes from the run-off having all the value in it while the leftover grains have little to no value.

"Wert" means "worth", correct. However, it does not mean "wort" - "Würze" is what a German brewer calls unfermented beer.

 

[rustytypewriter]

Hey guys. I'm new here

It was fun reading through this thread, feels like home. Y'all doing a pretty good job with the phonetics too. If I can be of help, let me know.

This forum is a great place btw.

 

[ArcaneXor]

Hey guys. I'm new here

It was fun reading through this thread, feels like home. Y'all doing a pretty good job with the phonetics too. If I can be of help, let me know.

This forum is a great place btw.

You should tell everyone how things I pronounced in Koelsch!