Maintain The Letter Of The Linguistic Law
People have totally hated me in this country at first impression. But when they realize they have to speak to me in English, the anger abates, curiously. The German becomes docile and patient, almost understanding, to what could have been a dead cultural end. It took me some time to realize that this process was a transition from xenophobic clash to language guilt. Which is to say, the German in question adjusted his attitude as he slavishly proved to me he was paying attention in school.
This is, in essence, the Denglish problem. Germans associate English with all stripes of triumph (business, cultural, foreign babes) at an early age -- mock it though they may, there is an underlying sense that it's important. Like it or not, English is the lingua franca of the globalized world. It must be used and it will infect, as much as German has infected it through fatherhood. Now, don't get me wrong, Denglish is ridiculous and doesn't make sense to anyone, but it's not the problem. When art and literature in German wanes, there we have our problem.
Schopenhauer, von Kleist, Lola Rennt (what little German there is in it) and Miron Zownir spur me on. Not a linguistic law (which is an oxymoron, BTW). If we want to keep German around, provoking artists and writers will go a whole lot farther than a stilted, painful forced march.
Comments
**deleted comment restored**
You are pretty stupid. So you never learned any language aside from English, but you make fun of people who are polite enough to try and help you in a language they barely command? Wow what an asshole. I don't think anyone associates English with triumph or whatever. The stereotype for English people is that they are a bit backward and have a kind of acquired stupidity, it's a cultural thing that probably started with the intellectual suicide under Cromwell. Plus they're so obedient you can command them like dogs, shit here please and they'll do it.
Anglo-Fascism is what we want; May 14, 2006 12:33 PM
He's not English, you fool. I am, on the other hand, and speak several languages.
Bennox; May 14, 2006 3:34 PM
Well so he's an English-derivate :) Anyway funny, getting comments deleted means they really are relevant ;)
Anglo-Fascism is the new trend; May 14, 2006 3:37 PM
Well, thanks for the re-up, but if you had read this post, you would know your rant should have been in German. Do it for the children!
Christy; May 15, 2006 3:37 AM
Anglo-Fass, if you pay attention to the tone (die Handlung) of his posting, you'll see that C. is not making fun of those who work to communicate with him.
You realize, of course, that most English-speakers today are not of English ancestry (whatever that really means). Just because a person writes in English does not mean that er Englaender/english/britisch ist, oder dass er 'aus England stamm.'
Victor; May 15, 2006 6:12 AM
Alta, was laberst Du eigentlich immer für ein Sheice? Typisch Susan-Sontag american-smartass knows-it-all. Niemand assoziert Englisch mit Erfolg, warum auch? Deutschland ist ein gastfreundliches Land, und es gibt Leute die freuen sich über die Gelegenheit, Englisch zu sprechen. Natürlich ist Englisch das Esperanto des 21. Jahrhunderts. Aber deshalb wird die deutsche Sprache nicht verschwinden. Im Gegenteil, die Kultur wird reicher. Je mehr Austausch zwischen Ländern stattfindet, desto mehr profitieren die Menschen auch davon. Das ist wie in der Wirtschaft.
Bulette; May 15, 2006 6:15 AM
Just wanted to say that Run, Lola, Run (Lola Rennt if you insist) is the worst film I have ever seen.
windowlickr; May 15, 2006 6:06 PM
Well, you haven't seen nearly enough films, then. Won't anyone take you?
Christy; May 15, 2006 8:03 PM