My German

C H P M   Fri Sep 14, 2007 7:58 pm GMT
Hello

Please would you, for the sake of my German, if you are German, listen to the recording and rate my German accent from 1 - 5? Also, what nationality am I?

If you are really daring, how old am I?

http://www.cyberwhizz.com/deutsch.wav
OïL   Fri Sep 14, 2007 10:15 pm GMT
"Alle Menschen sind frei und gleich an Würde und Rechten geboren, etc."

I'm not German (I'm French) but your German is real good. Ganz klar und deutlich.
Sounds just a little bit Dutch to my ears (the word "Rechten" should be pronounced with the soft 'ch').

Nationality: Nederland, Zuid-Afrika... Of Vlaanderen...
19 years
michael   Sat Sep 15, 2007 12:24 pm GMT
Your pronunciation is very good, there are only 3 minor flaws:

http://www.german-grammar.de/grammar/chapter_3/3_3_summary_part2.htm

"Menschen" - you pronounced the "sch" like a less guttural "ch", so it sounds like "Männchen"

"Rechten" - the "ch" should be less guttural like "ich", you pronounced it more guttural like "Rachen"

"Brüderlichkeit" - you pronounced the "ü" like "u", which is a very common mistake

About your other questions: I guess you're about 20 years old and your mother tongue is a Germanic language like Dutch
C H P M   Sat Sep 15, 2007 4:48 pm GMT
I really am flattered at your praise. I will not disclose any of the information yet, because I am enjoying seeing your responses! Also, thanks for the criticism, it is really good for improving my German. Michael, I guess you're English?
Arthur   Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:06 pm GMT
C H P M,

I completely agree with michael in all his comments, including that your pronountiation is very good!!
C H P M   Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:34 pm GMT
Really, I am incredibly flattered! I will shortly tell you my nationality, but I want some more opinions first!
michael   Sat Sep 15, 2007 8:29 pm GMT
No, I'm German.
Guest   Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:09 pm GMT
As a real German speaker, I must say that you have a lot of work to do.

I would say you are a corpulent middle aged female with a deep voice.
K. T.   Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:34 pm GMT
I wonder if anyone will comment on the intonation.
C H P M   Sun Sep 16, 2007 7:41 pm GMT
I wonder, whether "as a real German speaker" you might learn some manners? When somebody asks for advice on something, they don't want to be told they're fat!
Also, the word 'corpulent' is a bit unnecessary, don't you think? Most people would simply say 'fat'. How can you possibly tell somebody's weight from their voice?
No, I am not middle aged, I am 14.
No, I am not a female, I am a male. Perhaps, as you got these two hideously wrong, your advice should be disregarded!!!

But seriously, thanks for the advice, everybody else, I now realise my mistake about 'Menschen', it did sound too much like Männchen! Anybody else like to have a go at my nationality?
igor   Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:47 am GMT
just ignore the trolls, especially those who claim to be a "real speaker" of whatever language they pretend to speak
C H P M   Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:13 pm GMT
Ok thanks Igor!
OïL   Mon Sep 17, 2007 7:25 pm GMT
"Anybody else like to have a go at my nationality?"

You MUST have a Dutch background...
Well, if not the Netherlands, Flanders or South Africa... Suriname perhaps?
C H P M   Wed Sep 19, 2007 7:30 pm GMT
No, OiL, not a Dutch background!
K. T.   Thu Sep 20, 2007 12:36 am GMT
Can you give us another clue? Are your initials a clue? Besides English and German, what languages can you speak or understand?