You can say you to me

June 26th, 2008

The Germans linguistically differentiate between people that they are acquainted with and people that they are really friends with, by saying Sie to most people and du or ihr (the German version of ya’ll) to friends or kids.  Once you switch from saying Sie with someone to saying du, you also switch from saying Mr./Ms. + surname to using their first name.

This complication of the language requires all kinds of unwritten rules about when to use which form, and also who should offer whom the chance to be on a du-basis. These rules also vary from northern Germany to southern Germany, where the southerners are generally more quick to call each other du. But the funniest thing it produces is the situation where people that have known each other for years introduce themselves to each other.

Let’s say you decide to meet with your work colleagues in the beer garden after a long day in the office. After enjoying some good times, two of your colleagues that have worked with each other for the last 10 years might get brave, and one will ask the other one if they should start using du with each other, which is like the adult version of “Will you be my friend? Check yes or no.” Almost always this request for friendship, just like on Facebook, is granted, and then these people who have known each other for 10 years introduce themselves to each other and sort of pretend as if the other person doesn’t already know their first name.

This can make working in Germany for you as an American a bit awkward, because often German managers want to show how internationally savy they are by calling you by your first name, even though you technically have a Sie relationship. Just start using their first name and calling them du.

deutsche Übersetzung für Astrid ein/ausblenden

Quick Tipp - getting ahead in Germany

June 23rd, 2008

If you want to make career in Germany, there is one thing you need to grow, and that is a mustache.

In America we generally want our leaders clean shaven, but the opposite is true in Germany. 73% of managers at all levels in German companies sport a mustache, a percentage which is much higher than the general workforce.

Now we know correlation is not causality, so not only do you need to grow a mustache, you need to also become the type of person who would grow a mustache.

Please also note, any form of mustache, no matter how ridiculously shaped, is perfectly acceptable.

deutsche Übersetzung für Astrid ein/ausblenden

After the shooting grab a body bag and head to the public viewing

June 21st, 2008

The title of this article sounds completely morbid to an American, but to a German it sounds like a great way to spend a summer evening. It’s not because we have such different preferences, it is because Germans are adopting our language without bothering to ask anyone of us who really speaks it, if what they are saying is gibberish.  It’s kind of like how the Chinese with immigration-background in America pay someone to professionally print out their menus and name tags of dishes on the sneeze guards at buffets, but can’t be hassled to ask one of the 250 million native English speakers here to proof read it first.

Someone who speaks better Italian than we do wrote an article mentioning the deutschification of “public viewing”, which in English would refer to general access to see the dead body of a famous person before the burial. In German “Public Fyooing” now refers to watching soccer on a big TV for free with 500 or more people.

We’re not sure exactly what the correct English term for this type of occurrence would actually be, but surely the German language is expressive enough to come up with its own term for this type of event. Since the Germans make up English words, we have made up some for the Germans to choose from:

  • Mitguckgelegenheit
  • Endlichmalpatriotismuszeigendürfen
  • Knappbeikassekannnichtinderkneipezuschauen

Feel free to add your own new contrived German in the comments. Or since the English term “public viewing” is already taken, feel free to throw in a new English term that’s not related to death like the rest of the Germans’ adopted English words.

If your entry gets published in Duden, we’ll send you an awesome T-Shirt.

deutsche Übersetzung für Astrid ein/ausblenden

Stinginess is horny

June 20th, 2008

As a native English speaker, you automatically have what it takes to become a top marketing wizard in Germany. Germans buy stuff when you advertise it in English, because things sound more legitimate when they have English names or are described in English. That’s why Germans on television always say the English words for things, then pause and translate the new term for the ignorant masses, and then go on explaining the subject that they are obviously so knowledgeable about.

All you need to learn to start your marketing career in Germany is the article das, some prepositions like mit and ohne,  the conjuction und, and some modifiers like jetzt or neu. Now just add the prefixes super and mega to every 4th word, and you are ready to advertise anything.

deutsche Übersetzung für Astrid ein/ausblenden

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Meta - New service at Nothing For Ungood: German Translations

June 19th, 2008

Once again, this site is run by Americans, and we believe in offering the best customer service possible; therefore we are translating all posts into German for Astrid.

Astrid, we will translate the entries as fast as possibilible, starting with the oldest post first, here.

deutsche Übersetzung für Astrid ein/ausblenden