|
 |
German culture curiosities... | ||
Share with:
| ||
 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages |  | |
| manish Triglot Groupie Romania Joined 5340 days ago 88 posts - 136 votes  Speaks: Romanian*, English, German Studies: Spanish | Message 25 of 34 13 March 2012 at 5:53pm | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
|
I'm Romanian and I use the "American style" (hand-switching)... I did live in the US for three years, but I had been eating like this before I went to the States.
Apparently no other European does this, but no one ever said anything to me about it (including my parents - my mom was surprised just now when I told her that I switch the fork around, so she probably never noticed it before). Until today I lived with the false impression that everyone eats like I do :( On the other hand, Wikipedia says that the switching method was the traditional way of eating in Europe. British colonists brought it to America. The fork-only-in-the-left-hand thing is a relatively modern invention, apparently. Edited by manish on 13 March 2012 at 5:58pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||||||||
| vermillon Triglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 4472 days ago 602 posts - 1042 votes Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, Mandarin Studies: Japanese, German | Message 26 of 34 13 March 2012 at 6:40pm | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
|
About flowers, I was told that the reason was (in a romantic setting) that an odd number can't be "divided" (well, not by 2 and resulting in an integer, at least). Of course it is just something I was told...
1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||||||||
| schoenewaelder Diglot Senior Member Germany Joined 5354 days ago 759 posts - 1197 votes Speaks: English*, French Studies: German, Spanish, Dutch | Message 27 of 34 24 March 2012 at 4:25pm | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
|
As no one has mentioned it, maybe people don't really do it much in practice, but judging by the TV advice-magazine-programmes, the Germans are terrified of Schimmelpilz, and you're supposed to air your dwelling for 5 minutes three times a day, long enough for the air to change, but not so long that the masonary starts to cool down. Even in Winter. Wear a coat if necessary. An interesting counterpoint to the fear of draughts/drafts.
I'm not really convinced that Walmart failed because of its Americanness. The service in its Berlin store was the same as at any large German Supermarket (The same goes for Asda, its subsidiary in the UK) I assume the discounters have got the market sown up, and it would be very difficult to break into, other than by buying one out, and as they are family concerns, that's not very likely. One new tip: Keep your distance when queing at the cash machine. If the pavement is wide enough, the queue can start 3 or 4 metres away from the actual cash point. 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||||||||
 Mae Trilingual Octoglot Pro Member Germany Joined 4785 days ago 299 posts - 499 votes Speaks: German*, SpanishC2*, Swiss-German*, FrenchC2, EnglishC2, ItalianB2, Dutch, Portuguese Studies: Russian, Swedish Personal Language Map | Message 28 of 34 28 April 2012 at 5:50pm | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
No... Normally I always have to ask the people around me to please close the window, because I am already freezing.
This is an unfounded myth. From the medical point of view there is no difference between the average caucasian American and the average caucasian German. In fact, American students at Medical School learn from the well-known anatomical atlas called Sobotta (named after the famous anatomist Johannes Sobotta). I doubt there are ANY comments about genetic differences between Americans and Germans, not to mention any kind of generalizable genetic misconstructions of German inner ear and respiratory system in general. (Sorry, but I had laugh out loud!) 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||||||||
| Josquin Heptaglot Senior Member Germany Joined 4638 days ago 2266 posts - 3992 votes Speaks: German*, English, French, Latin, Italian, Russian, Swedish Studies: Japanese, Irish, Portuguese, Persian | Message 29 of 34 28 April 2012 at 7:04pm | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
I think this was sarcasm. Just give it a good laugh and forget it! But it's quite interesting to read how Germans are being judged by other nations, nevertheless... Edited by Josquin on 28 April 2012 at 7:06pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||||||||
| Mae Trilingual Octoglot Pro Member Germany Joined 4785 days ago 299 posts - 499 votes Speaks: German*, SpanishC2*, Swiss-German*, FrenchC2, EnglishC2, ItalianB2, Dutch, Portuguese Studies: Russian, Swedish Personal Language Map | Message 30 of 34 28 April 2012 at 7:31pm | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
Actually I don't "really" care, since I'm not German :-D I just had to write something, because I was almost rolling over the floor laughing! Edited by Mae on 28 April 2012 at 7:43pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||||||||
| Josquin Heptaglot Senior Member Germany Joined 4638 days ago 2266 posts - 3992 votes Speaks: German*, English, French, Latin, Italian, Russian, Swedish Studies: Japanese, Irish, Portuguese, Persian | Message 31 of 34 28 April 2012 at 7:50pm | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
Okay, understood! I must admit, it's rather hilarious! ;) I think every nation has its pecularities and quirks, but nothing beats the German inner ear! ;) But one could find a lot of Swiss clichés, too... (chocolate and cheese and neutrality...) So, watch out! ;) Edited by Josquin on 28 April 2012 at 7:51pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||||||||||||||
| Sh'Naya Diglot Groupie Germany Joined 6552 days ago 48 posts - 65 votes Speaks: German*, English Studies: Spanish, Japanese, French | Message 32 of 34 29 April 2012 at 3:16am | IP Logged | ||||||||||||||
There are two things I'd like to add regarding young Germans:
Yes, young people shake hands, especially when they meet someone new in highschool, at parties or elsewhere. However, after you have been introduced or introduced yourself, you normally greet or say goodbye with a short hug. This is especially true in discos, where you hug the person, even if you've only spoken a few words with each other after the introduction (This is not the case, if somebody tried to hook up with you, but when you were introduced by a shared friend or acquaintance). There are hugs between girls, girls and boys, and also between boys. To greet someone in such a setting by shaking hands often shows that you want to keep your distance. If you enter a room with lots of friends, you can simply raise your hand and say "Hi" or "Hallo".
Here, they sometimes say "Guten" or "Gud'n" (dialect) before starting to eat. Something else:
True, but this does not mean that there is no order. You have to be observant. Everyone who was in the bakery before you entered is in the invisible line ahead of you. When you miss your turn, people will oftentimes tell the salesperson that you are to be attended first. In big cities this is less likely to happen. The salesperson will have an eye on the chronological order as well and will ask "Who is next?", if he or she isn't sure. There is no line at the pharmacy as well.
The unwritten rule is: you can wear you clothes three days in a row, then you have to wash them. Of course you have to change your underwear and your socks every day.
Your actually supposed to air your rooms for 10 to 15 minutes three times a day in spring, summer and autumn and for 5 minutes three times a day in winter. Airing two times a day is enough for the working population (since nobody is at home for several hours). Edited by Sh'Naya on 29 April 2012 at 3:18am 1 person has voted this message useful |
|  | 
Printable version
|
| Copyright 2024 FX Micheloud - All rights reserved No part of this website may be copied by any means without my written authorization. |
