Germans disproportionately love some American music

June 12th, 2008

In America when we decide to have some kind of German event involving live music and beer, like a fake Oktoberfest, our first thought is to start up the chicken dance. It is bitterly disappointing to find out that in Germany, only kids at birthday parties or adults at bad weddings are forced to do it. Plus they don’t even call it the chicken dance. Instead what you get in Germany when you mix beer and live music is a disproportionate love of some American music, such as the following:

Country Roads We have pretty well forgotten John Denver in America, but his legacy lives on every night somewhere in Germany, whether it’s someone playing the guitar and singing in the subway station or a band playing at a folks fest. This song will most likely make you homesick.

Sweet Home Alabama  We love this song in America almost as much, but you would think you are in Nashville anytime there is a band in Germany, because this song is a must, every single time.

Anything by the Bloodhound Gang  Most Americans wouldn’t even recognize the name of the band, but they may kind of remember a song about a roof being on fire. This band even admits that they aren’t very musical, but their funny lyrics have somehow kept them popular in Germany over the years. Or maybe it’s because they make the beat really obvious in the songs so that the German kids can abspacken better.

US5  We have had our share of embarrassingly bad boy bands in America, but these kids never made it big over here, no matter how much they would love to portray that image in Germany.  We are responsible for the NKOTB, Backstreet Boys and N’Sync, though, sorry about that.

Bon Jovi  A Bon Jovi concert in America is met widely with indifference, but Germans young and old, male and female, all love Bon Jovi. It’s weird.

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Dangers of repatriation

June 11th, 2008

Earlier we discussed the topic of reverse culture shock upon repatriating to America from Germany. Not only can the psychological effects be devastating, but physical dangers lurk around every corner, as well.

While living in Germany you will likely take up walking through the forest as way to escape the fast paced city life. Germany took care of the one major forest danger by shooting their bear Bruno, so now the worst that can happen to you is that you slip on one of these slimy slugs and break a hip.

Slug

After all these ventures into the peaceful forests, you may get a little too comfortable hiking around and enjoying the fresh air. Don’t forget that America is a dangerous place, as you can see in this sign:

Wild Animals

There are vicious animals such as coyotes, mountain lions, bears, and squirrels. Don’t forget that these are ferocious beasts and always keep a safe distance, no matter how cute and friendly these critters may appear.

Squirrel

Bite

injury

No matter how much these things look like they want to cuddle up with you, keep away, as they are wild killing machines.

And on the subject of squirrels, Germans will always try to make you say their word for squirrel. Don’t do it, they are just going to laugh at you.

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Not yelled at is praise enough

June 10th, 2008

The Germans love to tell you when you do things wrong, and you if you aren’t prepared for it, it’ll start to get you down, because the Germans won’t tell you when you do things right. The Schwabs coined the phrase that not being yelled at is enough praise, but the idea applies nation wide. If you live in Germany, be prepared for strangers to point out all of your faults.

If you ride your bicycle around town and accidently leave your little headlamp on during the day time, 73% of Germans will yell at you for driving with your light on. Maybe it is because Germans are so concerned with the environment and that you are generating an extra 3 Watts of needless heat that are contributing further to global warming (and of course it’s even worse that you do this as an American). Or maybe its just because the Germans can’t resist telling you that you are doing something wrong no matter how trivial.

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False Friends - eventually irritating

June 6th, 2008

Here at Nothing For UnGood, we keep the content filled at exactly 85% truth with the remaining 15% consisting of misrepresentations, generalizations, and flat out lies. Since we are reaching a truth imbalance, we shall explain two more false friends that damage German-American communication because we think we understand each other when we don’t.

So take a deep breath, count to 10, and watch out for these:

In German, eventuell, sounds like a cognate of the English eventually. This isn’t really true, eventually in English refers to the fact that an event will occur in the future, but that the exact timing is unknown. Eventuell in German means roughly “possibly”.

In German irritiert means confused, not irritated, even though it can be really irritating to be irritiert.

And remember, just because you think you understand what someone is saying, because you have heard of all the words before is quite different than really understanding what someone means.

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We must not repeat the mistakes of history

June 4th, 2008

We live in a world of increasingly fast-paced change, but we must remain vigilant students of world history to determine what factors have caused great civilizations and nations to fall. The best reason to study the past is to learn the mistakes others have made and to work to avoid these tragic pitfalls. Quite obviously, Germany offers us an example of the downfall of great nation in recent history, even within our lifetimes. This is why you must not vote for Hillary Clinton.

My fellow Americans, we now stand before an historic election, where we can choose the direction our country takes. We can choose to become a country of whiny socialists or continue on our honored tradition of cold hearted capitalism and global terrorism battles. But under no circumstances can we afford to become a society that would tolerate a woman as its chief executive officer. Just look at Germany.

Germany was once a proud nation, that worked hard, spit in its hands and went to work increasing the gross domestic product. Now they sit down to pee.

Unless we want to be constantly confronted with signs such as these in our own bathrooms, do not vote for Hillary.

Sitzpinkler

If you see this sign at a party at a friend’s apartment, please be aware that this is not a joke. German women are dead serious about turning any man who sets foot into their humble abode into a Sitzpinkler. Telling them you thought their sign was funny will almost certainly get you sent home early without any Bowle.

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