My accent in German!

funny   Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:40 am GMT
I was told I sound "funny" when I speak german, what do I sound like? I am from central Canada, so its kind of the standard north american accent. I know I sound different but do I sound to soft, hard, slurred..etc?
Hans   Fri Jul 08, 2005 10:03 am GMT
Good Day Funny

As a native German speaker I don't think it really matter about your accent and the influence of your accent on your way of speaking German

but rather if your accent causes your German to a point we can't understand you.

I am sorry about my lack of English. You see funny we Germans have trouble speaking English with our accent so I think we are in the same boat. Our neighbours the Dutch are quite amazing to learning languages and also adapting the accent (depending who taught you).

Take Care
Hans - Germany/Deutschland
Sander   Fri Jul 08, 2005 10:42 am GMT
As the mentioned neighbour of Hans,I agree...It depends on who taught the language (in this case German) to you.

I'm not really a fan of those so-called "Learn it yourself" studies.And I think the best way to learn a language is in a (school)class.With a skilled teacher.

In terms of your accent...I think the most effective way to lose some of it,is to watch some German movies with or without English subtitles.
Hans   Fri Jul 08, 2005 3:42 pm GMT
Yes I do agree with Sander. (Sander are you from the Netherlands?) I think those "Learn it yourself" CDs or DVDs are okay but depending on the language you wish to learn.

For a Native English Speaker to learn German (even they are both Germanic languages - I don't believe English should be considered Latin or Germanic but in it's own group), the English as a whole has moved away from its Germanic family quite abit due to the French injection of words, etc.

You should seek having proper classes. For a Dutch Speaker for example I think with the "Self learning" programs out there I think it would be okay for them to learn German using these resources as we share a common (well I should say we are more similar to Dutch then English) in terms of Grammar, spelling (well in most cases) and sounds.
funny   Fri Jul 08, 2005 4:06 pm GMT
Thanks everyone...but my teacher was from Berlin and people understand me! My friend was just teasing me, I think, but still I know I have an accent. My german friends speak english, but their accents sound sharp or staccato I guess. I just wanted to know how a german might describe my accent?
Sander   Fri Jul 08, 2005 4:22 pm GMT
Hans,

Yes I'm from the Netherlands,about English:

=>For a Native English Speaker to learn German (even they are both Germanic languages - I don't believe English should be considered Latin or Germanic but in it's own group), the English as a whole has moved away from its Germanic family quite abit due to the French injection of words, etc. <=

I agree,The English vocabulary is about 70% latin and another 5% is Germanic based but latin styled.Another group?I've been thinking about that too,however one cannot say that English is a hybrid between the Romance and the Germanic languages.So a sub-group should be created in the Germanic tree...a Romance inflicted Germanic language.

=>I think it would be okay for them to learn German using these resources as we share a common (well I should say we are more similar to Dutch then English) in terms of Grammar, spelling (well in most cases) and sounds. <=

Grammatically ,I agree,Dutch and German are very similar.Spelling?Well,Dutch spelles nearly every word different than German,but yes they nearly always look the same.Sounds?No,Dutch uses very different soundes than German (or English).

If you'd compare the sound of English German and Dutch.

In terms of harshness:

3English 2German 1Dutch

In terms of average speed:

3Dutch 2English 1German

In abruptness*

3English 2German 1Dutch


*Do words slide on a bit or do they suddenly stop.
Hans   Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:06 am GMT
Sander - thankyou for the correction. I was also interested in your theory (well its a fact) about English been a hybrid language. I know most Dutch people I have met are good speakers of German and in some cases they could easily cross the border and pass off as a native speaker.

I think (I'm not a language specialist) that the reason the Dutch do well when learning English and German is due to the fact - it is in the 'middle' (I wouldn't use call Dutch a Hybird like English as I think it has developed on its own structure mostly) language between these two languages so its abit like leaning to one side to learn English then leaning towards the other side to learn German.

For us Germans to learning English and also English Speakers learning German its more of a 'jump' from one language structure to another.
Hans   Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:38 am GMT
Something on a lighter side

A stereo type of a German's idea of Dutch its a matter of adding 'j's to German words. Sander please don't be offended by what I said but I hope you see the humour of the stereo typing.

It also reminds me of a Friend (who is a Native English speaker) told me a joke to spell in Spanish just add 'o's to English words so they become 'Spanish' eg. Correcto, computero, etc. (I know in some cases adding 'o's did actually made Spanish words but in most cases it was just a madeup word.)

Sander I was wondering whats a stereo type of the German Language from a Dutch point of view?
Sander   Sat Jul 09, 2005 9:08 am GMT
=>Sander - thankyou for the correction. I was also interested in your theory (well its a fact) about English been a hybrid language.<=

Well (hahaha),Iam actually against English being called a hybrid language.Because a hybrid would demand an equal proportion of everything,in grammer and vocabulary,syntax and even phonetics.

=> think (I'm not a language specialist) that the reason the Dutch do well when learning English and German is due to the fact - it is in the 'middle' (I wouldn't use call Dutch a Hybird like English as I think it has developed on its own structure mostly)<=

Hmm, I think you 're mixing things up...If you take the Germanic languages,'Gemanic' doesnt point to German,but rather to the Germanic people.Im getting the idea you think that every Germanic language originated from German.Dutch is the modern variant of Franconian (or Frankish).Also Dutch is not in the middle,(but Im not offended :) nor is it a hybrid...and Dutch and English grammer differ the same amount as German and English.

And you have to remember that in most cases German is closer to English than Dutch.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
=>A stereotype of a German's idea of Dutch its a matter of adding 'j's to German words.<=

Hahaha,could you give examples?

But more seriously... "Dutch its a matter of adding 'j's to German words" do many Germans think that Dutch is just German with a strange accent?

=>Sander I was wondering whats a stereo type of the German Language from a Dutch point of view? <=

Well,yeah a few...you seem to like words ending on "sch" and "mus" (I always laugh when I hear Schroder say "Socialismus") , you speak fast and high.And you think that the solution to making yourself understandable for a non German speaking Dutchman,is speaking louder and louder and LOUDER!. :)
Hans   Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:44 pm GMT
<If you take the Germanic languages,'Gemanic' doesnt point to German,but rather to the Germanic people>

Oh dear! I'm didn't mean it that way Sander! I'm sorry.
Hans   Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:49 pm GMT
<But more seriously... "Dutch its a matter of adding 'j's to German words" do many Germans think that Dutch is just German with a strange accent?>

Well we tend to say (if I could translate it into English properly) 'The Dutchman always speak with a piece of cheese in his mouth.' hence the sound of your langauge and the spitting sounds you make. (please Sander I do not in anyway why to offend you please)

LOL the Dutch stereo typing of a German is quite funny.
Hans   Sat Jul 09, 2005 1:53 pm GMT
Nein!

its *........ please Sander I do not in anyway WANT XWHYX to offend you please.
Hans   Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:00 pm GMT
Sander to think of it. Compared to jokes about the Dutch we tend to pick on the Dutch in Begium more than you Dutch in the Netherlands.
Sander   Sat Jul 09, 2005 2:03 pm GMT
You don't have to be so polite you know! :)

If not easily offended ;)


And about the Dutch in Belgium (the Flemish Belgians) we pick on them too!
Hans   Sun Jul 10, 2005 2:28 am GMT
<You don't have to be so polite you know! :) >

You should know how the average German doesn't have the 'Humour bug' as you Dutch do. I think we could learn from our neighbours to learn to have a laugh at ourselves and others.