Trip to Germany
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From: Erick T. Barkhuis on 3 Oct 2007 02:49 S Viemeister: > EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote: > > > > > > "Plenty" of citizens in almost ANY European country speak some English - > > But it's strange how easily they forget it, when accosted by arrogant > > Ameircan tourists who address them in English without even bothering to > > learn the basic pleasantries in the "official" language of the country! > > But we don't know whether they actually said 'good morning' or 'guten > morgen'. In several parts of Germany, you simply won't know. They grumble something like "Moin..." and you're supposed to do the same, only slightly acknowledging the other person's presence. Once you master that, they won't even notice that you're a foreigner. -- Erick
From: Jens Arne Maennig on 3 Oct 2007 03:09 Erick T. Barkhuis wrote: > S Viemeister: >> But we don't know whether they actually said 'good morning' or >> 'guten morgen'. > In several parts of Germany, you simply won't know. > They grumble something like "Moin..." and you're supposed to do the > same, only slightly acknowledging the other person's presence. Once > you master that, they won't even notice that you're a foreigner. It is very important to differentiate between "Moin!", "Tach!" and "Grias God!" areas. If you will use the wrong salutation (i. e. not the local but one of the neighbour=hostile tribes), you will have lost. For your own safety, it is highly recommended to leave the particular area immediately after an inexcusable cultural faux pas like that. Jens
From: a.spencer3 on 3 Oct 2007 05:51 "Martin" <me(a)address.invalid> wrote in message news:tpm6g3htc78no34rg4ltdu58ce7mp5kbec(a)4ax.com... > On Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:05:13 -0400, S Viemeister <sheila(a)see.sig> wrote: > > >EvelynVogtGamble(Divamanque) wrote: > >> > >> > >> "Plenty" of citizens in almost ANY European country speak some English - > >> But it's strange how easily they forget it, when accosted by arrogant > >> Ameircan tourists who address them in English without even bothering to > >> learn the basic pleasantries in the "official" language of the country! > > > >But we don't know whether they actually said 'good morning' or 'guten > >morgen'. > > or guten abend in the morning. > -- Or the USian trying hard - but in Holland as once heard! Surreyman
From: tim..... on 3 Oct 2007 06:15 "Jens Arne Maennig" <maennig.0708(a)cricetus.com> wrote in message news:nemoWed100307090052(a)cricetus.com... > Erick T. Barkhuis wrote: >> S Viemeister: > >>> But we don't know whether they actually said 'good morning' or >>> 'guten morgen'. > >> In several parts of Germany, you simply won't know. >> They grumble something like "Moin..." and you're supposed to do the >> same, only slightly acknowledging the other person's presence. Once >> you master that, they won't even notice that you're a foreigner. > > It is very important to differentiate between "Moin!", "Tach!" and > "Grias God!" areas. If you will use the wrong salutation (i. e. not My friend used to say Gruss Gott to everyone, despite the fact that he knew it was wrong in most parts of the country. He claimed that it emphasised the fact that he was a foreigner. Tim
From: Jens Arne Maennig on 3 Oct 2007 06:26
tim..... wrote: > My friend used to say Gruss Gott to everyone, despite the > fact that he knew it was wrong in most parts of the country. > He claimed that it emphasised the fact that he was a foreigner. I used to do that in the former GDR. I was young and I needed the attention. Jens |