Question about native German speakers

[Grisu]

I'm not too sure about germany but in french almost all foreign language movies are dubbed, which makes it harder for them to learn english.

germany's similar in that regard, unfortunately.

 

[Marla_Singer]

You'll have a hard time finding any dubbed Hollywood movies here. I'm not too sure about germany but in french almost all foreign language movies are dubbed, which makes it harder for them to learn english.

In the city of Paris, 75% of movies are subtitled, only 25% are dubbed. In the rest of France, it's more about 99% being dubbed and 1% being subtitled.

Anyway, Dutch as a language is closer to English than French is. In Europe, the closest is the native language from English and the more there are English bilinguals. There are less English bilinguals in Hungary than there are in Sweden. The reason for this is quite obvious.

By the way, I don't know why Americans always blame French people for not speaking English, as if it was some kind of political choice, when there are even less English bilinguals in Spain or Italy, and they don't even bother about it!

Check this very forum. How many Swedes are they? How many Italians are they? Do you believe proportions are the same in this forum as they are in the demographics? No. And that doesn't necessarily mean that Italians hate more Americans than Swedes, it's just that it's a lot easier for a Swede to learn English than it is for an Italian.

 

[Thorbal]

Btw, as there are many guys from Switzerland and Austria ( yea, I just lumped you together ) here - there is a slight possibility that I may have to move to Switzerland next year to work there for a while at a foundation. Are there any tips for a person with a heavy Hochdeutsch ( Hannover area, so *very* bad ) accent ?

edit: It may be that I have to learn French for my job as well - would it be wise to learn it while in Switzerland or are the differences to "French French" too great, if there are any?

 

[Grisu]

Btw, as there are many guys from Switzerland and Austria ( yea, I just lumped you together ) here - there is a slight possibility that I may have to move to Switzerland next year to work there for a while at a foundation. Are there any tips for a person with a heavy Hochdeutsch ( Hannover area, so *very* bad ) accent ?

As there are many germans working here already I doubt that you'll have many problems with the language. Hochdeutsch especially is unproblematic. A good way to get along fast is if you try to understand us you don't have to understand us completely, but showing that you try to learn to understand swiss german instead of insisting that everybody around you speak high german (as some germans do) will get you many sympathies
Oh, and as there are different dialects, depending on where you end up in switzerland you'll have more ore less problems understanding us. If you end up in the Wallis you're f*ed, though, even we don't understand them

Ah, and also: It may be that I have to learn French for my job as well - would it be wise to learn it while in Switzerland or are the differences too "French French" to great, if there are any?

there are differences, but they are much smaller than between swiss-german and high-german. French people have no trouble understanding swiss-french and vice versa. I think it's more like the relationship between english and american

 

[Thorbal]

As there are many germans working here already I doubt that you'll have many problems with the language. Hochdeutsch especially is unproblematic. A good way to get along fast is if you try to understand us you don't have to understand us completely, but showing that you try to learn to understand swiss german instead of insisting that everybody around you speak high german (as some germans do) will get you many sympathies
Oh, and as there are different dialects, depending on where you end up in switzerland you'll have more ore less problems understanding us. If you end up in the Wallis you're f*ed, though, even we don't understand them


there are differences, but they are much smaller than between swiss-german and high-german. French people have no trouble understanding swiss-french and vice versa. I think it's more like the relationship between english and american

Thank you Kaeptn !

Of course I won´t insist on others speaking high German! I have a hard time imagining that people might do that, although I have heard of that as well. Is it really that bad?

And I think trying to get used to it might be a very worthwhile and funny ( for the ones who have to listen to it ) undertaking!
( Btw. guys from Switzlerland seem to get all the girls where I live - this "accent" really acts like an attractor, as soon as they hear it, it seems like everyone is gathering near the Swiss. It´s even worse than guys with an Irish accent where I live ^^ )

 

[Grisu]

Of course I won´t insist on others speaking high German! I have a hard time imagining that people might do that, although I have heard of that as well. Is it really that bad?

nah, not really, most adapt. For every german that insist everybody speaks high-german, there's a swiss who refuses to speak high-german at all, which IMHO is equally rude

And I think trying to get used to it might be a very worthwhile and funny ( for the ones who have to listen to it ) undertaking!

there aren't many who master it most just learn to understand it while they keep speaking german, works just fine like that

( Btw. guys from Switzlerland seem to get all the girls where I live - this "accent" really acts like an attractor, as soon as they hear it, it seems like everyone is gathering near the Swiss. It´s even worse than guys with an Irish accent where I live ^^ )

Hannover you said?

 

[scherbchen]

All of those things exist in Dutch aswell. Because of that, some people here have a easily noticeable accent when speaking English, but most people seem to have overcome the difference and can in fact pronounce the soft consonants at the end of a word. I think it's because the Netherlands are smaller and the language is used less around the world, and a lot of our tv programs are in english (although with subtitles) aswell, so we hear a lot of english and develop a native accent when speaking it. You'll have a hard time finding any dubbed Hollywood movies here. I'm not too sure about germany but in french almost all foreign language movies are dubbed, which makes it harder for them to learn english.

well i wasn't aware that those charasteristics exist in the language of our favourite football enemy as well, tanks for the info.

and i do agree that dutch people are much better at languages than we are due to them not having dubbed movies, which is actually something I envy you guys (all our movies are dubbed. in Munich, where I live we have like one theater that shows movies in the original version) .

Seriously, here you have bob deniro who gets 8 figure contracts for his movies.... and here you have some german guy who likely gets about 20k for dubbing it, dubbing stuff that was translated by somebody who maybe got 5k for the job. do you think it is going to be just as good?

I'm just glad that i got BFBS (british forces broadcastign service) on tv as a teenager, at least i got to watch the a-team an knight rider in the original version instead of picking it up as a twen.

Ps: love our dutch neighbours :> (despite the rudi völler incident, you know what I am talking about!)

 

[Thorbal]

nah, not really, most adapt. For every german that insist everybody speaks high-german, there's a swiss who refuses to speak high-german at all, which IMHO is equally rude


there aren't many who master it most just learn to understand it while they keep speaking german, works just fine like that


Hannover you said?

Fine, now I can´t await moving there if I get the job !

Most people don´t mind if the Swiss don´t speak high german, they like it "the Swiss way" ( except when ordering meals, that tends to get messy: "You want... WHAT?" ) ! Yes, Hannover area - I have seen ads for university parties where it was explicitly mentioned in a very bold text size that there were swiss guests !

 

[Grisu]

Fine, now I can´t await moving there if I get the job !

and good luck

Most people don´t mind if the Swiss don´t speak high german, they like it "the Swiss way" ( except when ordering meals, that tends to get messy: "You want... WHAT?" )

yeah, there seem to circle several common misunderstandings about food, e.g. Paprika/Peperoni....

! Yes, Hannover area - I have seen ads for university parties where it was explicitly mentioned in a very bold text size that there were swiss guests !

"Visit the zoo. We even have genuine swiss monkeys now"

 

[warpus]

Seriously, here you have bob deniro who gets 8 figure contracts for his movies.... and here you have some german guy who likely gets about 20k for dubbing it, dubbing stuff that was translated by somebody who maybe got 5k for the job. do you think it is going to be just as good?

In Poland there used to be ONE GUY who did all the dubbing... he did all the voices..

It was kind of ********.

It's the reason I left Poland.

 

[sirdanilot]

well i wasn't aware that those charasteristics exist in the language of our favourite football enemy as well, tanks for the info.

and i do agree that dutch people are much better at languages than we are due to them not having dubbed movies, which is actually something I envy you guys (all our movies are dubbed. in Munich, where I live we have like one theater that shows movies in the original version) .

Seriously, here you have bob deniro who gets 8 figure contracts for his movies.... and here you have some german guy who likely gets about 20k for dubbing it, dubbing stuff that was translated by somebody who maybe got 5k for the job. do you think it is going to be just as good?

I'm just glad that i got BFBS (british forces broadcastign service) on tv as a teenager, at least i got to watch the a-team an knight rider in the original version instead of picking it up as a twen.

Ps: love our dutch neighbours :> (despite the rudi völler incident, you know what I am talking about!)

Well, we don't have dubbed movies, but all anime/cartoons are dubbed. And with those we have the problem that there are only several different voices. Luckily I don't tend to watch anime.

 

[BirraImperial]

All of those things exist in Dutch aswell. Because of that, some people here have a easily noticeable accent when speaking English, but most people seem to have overcome the difference and can in fact pronounce the soft consonants at the end of a word. I think it's because the Netherlands are smaller and the language is used less around the world, and a lot of our tv programs are in english (although with subtitles) aswell, so we hear a lot of english and develop a native accent when speaking it. You'll have a hard time finding any dubbed Hollywood movies here. I'm not too sure about germany but in french almost all foreign language movies are dubbed, which makes it harder for them to learn english.

I'm sorry, but Dutch sounds like radio static to me. Just joking.

 

[scherbchen]

I always wonder how German sounds to somebody who doesn't speak it at all... probably not very melodic either I imagine

 

[Pannonius]

Dubbing movies should be legally prohibited! It's ridicolous and it's dumbening your own population.

 

[Marla_Singer]

Dubbing movies should be legally prohibited! It's ridicolous and it's dumbening your own population.

I value better people who watch foreign movies being dubbed than people who don't watch foreign movies at all, and this in using the silly pretext that they can't understand them anyway.

Personally, I always like better subtitled movies, even in languages I know nothing about such as Chinese or Korean. But many people like better dubbed movies for various reasons. For instance, they have serious eyes defects, hence they aren't able to read well subtitles and they want to be sure to get everything of the story or anything like that. Well, if they like it better, then why banning them from doing it? At least they watch foreign movies. That's always better than believing we know enough when we don't know anything about the world abroad.

 

[Lotus49]

I was (actually still am, taking a 24-hr intermission) watching The Bourne Identity for the first time (I KNOW, I'm a little behind the times!) and there's several parts in there when Matt Damon speaks German, plus some French. How does that sound, to Europeans? Could it pass for authentic? Or is it just dubbed over...

I always wonder how German sounds to somebody who doesn't speak it at all... probably not very melodic either I imagine

It sounds like the perfect language to use for giving orders, in battle. In a low tone, it's the perfect language for when a submarine commander is telling his officers the target's bearing, speed, distance, etc. "Rohr eins los!" - "Jawohl!" Then, when yelling/screaming in German, it's the perfect language for when the Panzer commander is barking orders at the troops. It's a language that was made for war movies, it seems.

French is best used for pillow talk. I can't imagine using pillow talk 24/7, in everyday life, though. Especially for things like job interviews. I mean, I'm supposed to go in and impress, but there's a fine line between that, and seduction, right?

 

[Thorbal]

It sounds like the perfect language to use for giving orders, in battle. In a low tone, it's the perfect language for when a submarine commander is telling his officers the target's bearing, speed, distance, etc. "Rohr eins los!" - "Jawohl!" Then, when yelling/screaming in German, it's the perfect language for when the Panzer commander is barking orders at the troops. It's a language that was made for war movies, it seems.

But I think it´s the other way around -> people have this impression because of all the war movies. I find Russian to be much more "Klingon" like , I really love the sound of it.

 

[echinococcus]

But I think it´s the other way around -> people have this impression because of all the war movies. I find Russian to be much more "Klingon" like , I really love the sound of it.

I'm sure you never tried to actually pronounce some Klingon

 

[Lotus49]

But I think it´s the other way around -> people have this impression because of all the war movies. I find Russian to be much more "Klingon" like , I really love the sound of it.

I think German sounds more authoritative. Russian has too many 'squishy sounds' or soft sounds (for lack of a better description), plus often ending in vowels, to be the epitome of a full-blown, 'made for battle' language. In German, the way the consonants & vowels roll off the tongue (especially when yelling) just seem to grab your attention more. It's more distinct, I guess. And for some reason the tone doesn't sound quite as potentially warm/friendly. Basically Russian sounds more like a romance language, than German does. German is all about business, seriousness, and giving commands, while not accepting any back-talk or nonsense!

Think about the ultimate Dominatrix... she'd need to have a German accent, no question right? See, right there...

 

[Marla_Singer]

I was (actually still am, taking a 24-hr intermission) watching The Bourne Identity for the first time (I KNOW, I'm a little behind the times!) and there's several parts in there when Matt Damon speaks German, plus some French. How does that sound, to Europeans? Could it pass for authentic? Or is it just dubbed over...

Listen to me Lotus. I'm not a fan of dubbing... and dubbed movies involving countries where your own language is spoken are probably the worst. The only thing I'm saying is that dubbing is better than nothing.

I know many people, specifically in one country, who consider that dubbing is ridiculous, and subtitles give a headache. As a result, they only watch domestic programs. Actually, I tend to think that watching dubbed movies is smarter than that behaviour.