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Mindslave
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17 Jul 2011, 7:13 pm

I've always said I'm secretly German. (I don't mean ancestry, I mean personality wise, although I do have German roots) Apparently Germans have a close social circle...and I forget everything I learned in German class. I just know that I'd make a good German.



FadeAway
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17 Jul 2011, 7:30 pm

I'm amazed that people would think of Germany or Germans as "laid back" and friendly. Personally I think Germans have a tendency to be judgemental and narrow minded, overly rigid in their expectations. I feel there is a higher percentage of people who like to put down others, who enjoy other people's misfortune and so on.
I guess it's all a matter of perspective, but I wouldn't recommend immigrating to Germany to anyone, especially if you look foreign and maybe have a foreign name, you will have a lot more difficulty on the job market, for example.
German as a language is a different matter, I think it's a pretty interesting language, if one likes languages.



wefunction
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25 Jul 2011, 3:18 am

VIDEODROME wrote:
I'm of German-Irish decent and I have an interest in learning German. I feel like I take after that side of the family more while my brother takes more after the Irish side. I would like to visit there some day and it would be nice to know the local language. Either for conversation or even just reading signs and restaurant menus.

I've been curious about contributions to film such as Fritz Lang's movies and some of my favorite music comes from there. Also of course I like good German beer.

Recently I've tried a German language program from Mango.com that seems reasonably priced. If anyone lives near a good Public Library system you should check their website. Some of them have Mango or Rosetta Stone you can log into with a Library card.

I hope sometime to get through Mango German and then take a regular class.


I learned German by living in Germany. There are many people who are willing to speak English with you, especially once they realize their English is far better than your German, but they teach English in schools (it's British English, not American English) so naturally they're better at the foreign language. It's still pretty easy to catch on by living there because of signs, stores, products, television and newspapers.



wefunction
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25 Jul 2011, 3:26 am

FadeAway wrote:
I'm amazed that people would think of Germany or Germans as "laid back" and friendly. Personally I think Germans have a tendency to be judgemental and narrow minded, overly rigid in their expectations. I feel there is a higher percentage of people who like to put down others, who enjoy other people's misfortune and so on.
I guess it's all a matter of perspective, but I wouldn't recommend immigrating to Germany to anyone, especially if you look foreign and maybe have a foreign name, you will have a lot more difficulty on the job market, for example.
German as a language is a different matter, I think it's a pretty interesting language, if one likes languages.


Wow. What in the hell is your opinion based on? I lived there. Not only are they laid back and friendly, they adore children and mothers traveling alone with their kids aren't looked down upon and treated poorly like in America. They have manners and consideration. If they see you in need, they will try to help you.

The current job market is difficult. It's extremely poor right now and barely anyone is getting a job. If employers can tell an applicant is not German, it would not surprise me that such an applicant would be passed over in favor of an equally qualified German. Isn't it nice when companies hire the citizens of their own country before they resort to the cheaper labor of foreign people? It's not widely known in America just how poorly the German economy is doing right now. The country is suffering. It will undoubtedly survive but these are very hard times for the people.

Germany is the country where the Third Reich came into power and killed hundreds of thousands of people in cold blood. No one is more aware and ashamed of that than the modern German citizen. While "schadenfreude" is a German word with no direct English equivalent, I could say with certainty that more Americans adore and use the word than Germans.



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25 Jul 2011, 3:28 am

When I was taking German as a foreign language, I remember thinking that their culture seemed very much like how I would run things. I'm thinking a large percentage of Germans have more autistic traits than the rest of the population, on average.


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starryeyedvoyager
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25 Jul 2011, 6:37 am

As with all nations, generalizations only get you so far. I agree that there are parts in east Germany where, if the colour of your skin is anything but white, you just should not go there. Sad but true. That said, from all European countries, we probably have the least amount of rightwing nationalists, racists and prejudiced pricks. Not saying it because I am partiotic, but I have been around. I would agree that in Germany, people tend to be a little square and like if everything is in order. However, due to our history of immigration after the second world war, at least in larger cities, multiculturism is slowly starting to be accepted. I'd say due to the fact that after two attempts, someone came and told the Germans that trying to conquer the world is not the way to go, we somehow settled down and focused our powers in different directions. From an economic point of view, learning German is a very good idea. Some years ago, I've read an article that said that German was the thridmost used language in the web, only English and - to my surprise - Japanese being more relevant (lucky for me, I am rather fluent in the former and at least capable of understanding and having conversation in the latter).
However, German is a difficult language to learn, even for native speakers. I'd say go for it, being able to speak another language is a skill that might very well pay off later in your life.

Oh, and while we are at it:

WeThePeople wrote:
YoshiBaby wrote:
I am taking German next year because I like the language, and from what I've noticed the people are not overtly full of themselves. They don't hang their flags

Your memory is short. The Germans used to hang swatzikas all over the place.


I doubt YOU have been around to remember that particular event, as well. Spare me your brainless hating, especially if you cannot even f*****g spell the word swastika! Apart from almost any other country in the world, displaying a swastika - along with other symbols - today is a criminal offence (usage or display of insignia of unconstitutional organizations). Pardon me for being so blunt, but bringing out that tired old Nazi-thing when discussing Germany is just ridicilous and proves that you are a narrow-minded, dim-witted jerk that probably got all of his education in four years, during first and second grade in elementary school.



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31 Jul 2011, 9:18 am

starryeyedvoyager wrote:
As with all nations, generalizations only get you so far. I agree that there are parts in east Germany where, if the colour of your skin is anything but white, you just should not go there. Sad but true. That said, from all European countries, we probably have the least amount of rightwing nationalists, racists and prejudiced pricks. Not saying it because I am partiotic, but I have been around.....


yes of course , forgot to mention , my hair is black and my skin is yellow 8)
which is very dangerous for me to walk around alone @ east germany, if you should go, take bunch of peps with you, should be safe with 4-5 group people lol


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22 Aug 2011, 9:58 pm

I've never been to Germany,
but I'd like to visit some day. I have German friends online,
we talk in Deutsch, or English interchangeably, and I love it

I guess I kind of understand why you're asking about what its like there, but imo its better to just forget about stereotypes by country or race or any of that. Maybe I just don't get it.

Trotzdem, Deutsch Sprache ist sehr sehr spaß. ^-^

I say go for it. The language has been a lot of fun for me,
really rewarding in online conversations, but I'm yet to have a face to face German conversation (not a lack of opportunity actually, but a lack of confidence lol)