Does God Only Speak English?
Do different languages have different personalities? Many people think so. The French language and accent is often associated with culture, refinement and good style. So when educated British and American speakers use French words in their English they are signalling education and breeding as in: "Apropos, I made a faux pas during the presentation last weekend".
What about the German language though? Because German is perceived as complex and difficult to master, those using German words are judged to be clever and intellectual: "A sense of Schadenfreude filled the room when the consultants' video projector failed".
Germany, home of many great philosophers and scientists, is associated with intelligence. Only the brightest can employ sentences which seem to never end, and vocabulary requiring a very deep breath to get to the end of. A spoof German lesson going around the internet illustrates the complex logic of German compound nouns.
Dogcatcher = Barkenpantensniffersnatcher
Dogcatcher's truck = Barkenpantensniffersnatcherwagon
Garage for truck = Barkenpantensniffersnatcherwagonhaus
Truck repairman = Barkenpantensniffersnatcherwagonhausmechanikerworker
A few years ago Audi cars had an image problem in Britain because many people believed Audi was Japanese. The slogan "Vorsprung durch Technik" was broadcast throughout the British media in an attempt to say Audi = Germany. Full page Audi ads in The Times were printed in technical German, with a subtitle which read "...to fully understand Audi technology you need a fine grasp of German, and the mind of German engineer. However, you can simply experience it by driving the new AUDI 80."
If German is the language of science and technology, English is associated with politeness and diplomacy. An old Japanese general was complaining to a British diplomat "Why do you British always win your battles, whereas we seem to lose?" "Because we always pray to God before a battle," answered the diplomat. "But we also pray to God," exclaimed the general, "and we still don't win." "Ah," answered the diplomat, "but not everyone can understand Japanese".
Whether God only speaks English or not, it is fast becoming the lingua franca of the European Union, sweeping aside French as the preferred foreign language taught in schools and the workplace.
A 2003 European Commission poll revealed that a third of EU citizens speak English as their best foreign language, compared to 9.5 per cent for French, German is a distant fourth, preferred by only 4.2 per cent. The British are revealed as Europe's worst linguists, 65.9 per cent confessing that they cannot speak any other language.
Interestingly, the French and the Germans occupy diametrically opposed ideological positions. In France, where the purity of the language is bolstered by legislation, it is actually illegal to use anglicisms in the media and official communications.
Over the border in Germany, it is almost "de rigeur" to speak English in German, as this wonderful example illustrates:
Es war beim Dinner - Black-Tie, gegrillte Steaks mit Curry und Ketchup √ da sagte der Old Man, wir hatten eine faire Chance, unser Image zu verbessern, denn Job Application führt zur Success Story, wer nicht up to date ist, wird gekillt, that's life. Wir sind Workaholics, antwortete ich, wir kennen kein High-Life und wir sind keine Jetsetters, auch wenn ich die Bar und die VIP-Lounge in jedem Airport nicht kenne. Unser Outfit ist OK, der Cash Flow ist besser geworden, es gab einen Run auf unsere Aktien, nachdem die lange ziemlich down waren. Nach der Rush-Hour wollten wir im Penthouse pokern, aber der Lift in der Lobby war kaputt, also joggten unsere Lobbyisten hinauf - Jogging ist sowieso der Hit, und wir sind Sportsmen,....
Nur eines macht mich total crazy: Diese schrecklichen Anglizismen in unserer schönen deutschen Sprache.
This may not sound very beautiful to the German ear, but that's life, or C'est la vie! as we say in English.
Paul Smith
Источник: вот эта рассылка и страница
http://www.insiders-english.de/portal/portal_cms_template.php?rubrik=3&unterrubr...
luca