Why German is unpopular

Guest   Sun Dec 21, 2008 4:42 pm GMT
It's true that history has decided Germans to be unique in Western-Europe, having known both communism and nazism


Communism, nazism and capitalism, which is the worst of the three.
J.C.   Sun Dec 21, 2008 5:07 pm GMT
More hints to master the gender of German nouns:

1)Endings for masculine nouns:
-ich, -ig, -ling, -s, -and, -ant, -är, -ast, -eur, -ör, -(i)ent, -ier, -iker, -ikus, -ismus, -ist, -or.

2) Endings for feminine nouns:
-ei, -in, -heit, -schaft, -keit, -ung, -a, -ade, -age, -aille, -aise, -ance, -äne, -anz, -ation, -elle, -ette, -euse, -ie, -enz, -(i)ere, -ik, -ille, -ine, -ion/-ation, -isse, -(i)tät, -itis, -ive, -ose, -sis/se, -ur, -üre.

3) Endings for neutral nouns:
-chen, -lein, -le, -icht, -tum, eau, -ett, -in, -ing, -(i)um, -ma, -ment, -ma, -ment.

Duden, Die Grammatik pages 205-207

Tschüß!!
K. T.   Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:04 pm GMT
I started to write the endings, but got lazy. Another way to think about nouns and gender in German is to look at them by category. For example, most young animals are "neuter" (das Kalb/the calf), and most trees, flowers, and fruit are feminine. One big exception is apple, though; it's der Apfel.

Days, seasons, calendar months, cardinal directions: Masculine
Cities, and MOST countries, and a large number of metals and chemical elements: neuter
Breiniak   Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:07 pm GMT
<<Communism, nazism and capitalism, which is the worst of the three.>>

Communism in the was from the very start against the will of the Eastern German people. Life under communism in all Warschaupact countries and even the Soviet Union sucked compared to life in Western Europe. We neither are pure capitalist anyway.
Life under nazism also sucked for pretty much simular reasons as life under communism. Human life wasn't worth much, censorship, egoistic people, untrustworthy people, etc...

Most Germans, except for some nostalgists nutjobs, prefer the Germany we know today. Most people who think 'under Hitler/communism life was better' often are ignorant, or don't mean with they're saying. If, for example, health care and employment was better under these regimes doesn't automatically mean life was better.
Victims of modern day capitalism are more outside the western world, but you are allowed to set up movements without fearing repression.

I'd prefer modern day Germany anyday.
Breiniak   Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:11 pm GMT
What I want to say is: the time of all-containing ideologies is behind us. It doesn't work!
K. T.   Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:19 pm GMT
Nazism and Communism are the worst because there is no real freedom of conscience.
Change   Sun Dec 21, 2008 8:28 pm GMT
"Communism, nazism and capitalism, which is the worst of the three. "

None. They were and are all as bad as each other. Capitalism just has delayed consequences.
Ujasha   Sun Dec 21, 2008 10:15 pm GMT
<<What I want to say is: the time of all-containing ideologies is behind us. It doesn't work! >>

Yeah right! The new all-containing ideology is Democracy. Democracy has even changed into a religion for many. Instead of crusades for spreading Christianity to the ignorant heathens, we have crusades for spreading Democracy to the ignorant heathens.
J.C.   Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:08 am GMT
As one can see German genders are not so complicated when one studies them formally. I wonder if there's a way to figure out genders in Dutch.

Tot ziens!!!
Jaas   Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:32 am GMT
-I wonder if there's a way to figure out genders in Dutch. -

Two genders (Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Dutch) is much easier than 3 genders. Of course, you have to memorize that it's ponte vecchio (masculine) in Italian and ponte velha (feminine) in Portuguese, but it's easier when there are only 2 genders. 3 genders it's very difficult. that's why German and Icelandic and Slavic languages remain upopular.
Guest   Mon Dec 22, 2008 11:17 am GMT
Nazism was not that if Hitler wasn't so much beligerant and lead his country to the disaster. Thanks to Nazism every German had a car, a house , work and free holidays in summer.
Bib   Mon Dec 22, 2008 12:43 pm GMT
True, if Hitler hadn't invaded Poland, Nazism might still be alive and well.
eastlander   Mon Dec 22, 2008 2:03 pm GMT
Germany isn't propagating German language so decidedly ,like France is propagating French language all over the world.
12345   Wed Dec 24, 2008 12:35 am GMT
«J.C. Mon Dec 22, 2008 8:08 am GMT
As one can see German genders are not so complicated when one studies them formally. I wonder if there's a way to figure out genders in Dutch.

Tot ziens!!! »

Dutch feminine genders (usually):
* -heid, -nis, -schap: waarheid, kennis, beterschap;
* -de, -te: liefde, diepte;
* -ij, -erij, -arij, -enij, -ernij: voogdij, bakkerij, rijmelarij, woestenij, razernij;
* -ing, -st (achter een werkwoordstam): wandeling, winst;
* -ie, -tie, -sie, -logie, -sofie, -agogie: familie, politie, visie, biologie,
* -iek, -ica: muziek, logica;
* -theek, -teit, -iteit: bibliotheek, puberteit, stabiliteit;
* -tuur, -suur: natuur, censuur;
* -ade, -ide, -ode, -ude: tirade, planetoïde, periode, attitude;
* -ine, -se, -age: discipline, analyse, bagage;
* -sis, -tis, -xis: crisis, bronchitis, syntaxis.

But of course there are exceptions, just like German has exceptions.

All 'smaller' words are neuter, just like in German.

Die Mädel - De meid ---- Das Mädchen - Het meisje
Das Buch - Het boek -----Das Büchlein - Het boekje
De ventilator - het ventilatortje

I think -icht is neuter as well: Het licht, het zicht, het wicht, het gewicht etc.
-ment = neuter - Het monument, het rendement

Further I have no idea.
J.C.   Wed Dec 24, 2008 6:48 am GMT
12345:

Thanks for the help. I really struggle with genders in Dutch but now things got easier.

Dank u wel!!