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Why learn German? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Specific Languages |  | |
| Mark Newbie United States Joined 7077 days ago 14 posts - 24 votes Studies: English* | Message 9 of 119 10 August 2005 at 8:13am | IP Logged | |||||
Adolf Hitler? I don't like going off topic - but I don't see any room for admiration when it comes to genocide and ethnic cleansing. 11 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| administrator Hexaglot Forum Admin Switzerland FXcuisine.com Joined 7378 days ago 3094 posts - 2987 votes  12 sounds Speaks: French*, EnglishC2, German, Italian, Spanish, Russian Personal Language Map | Message 10 of 119 10 August 2005 at 9:41am | IP Logged | |||||
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I think we all agree that the nazi regime was evil, yet by watching the selection of documentaries on various British History Satellite channels, one must come to the conclusion that, evil as it was, the nazi regime remains a source of interest to many people.
I am quite sure that nobody on this forum supports the mass murder of whole categories of the population but I have seen many tourists in Germany visit places associated with this regime. Many of them were connected with Allied soldiers (father, grand-fathers) and they just wanted to see what it was like on the other side. I would like you not to press on the topic of the 'nazis are evil'. We all agree on this and those who don't can explore other venues to express themselves. But the fact remains that many people see this period of German history as quite worthy of interest and be interested in the personality of its leaders. Some people like to read about Joseph Stalin and Porfirio Diaz, this does not make Stalinists out of them. If I may make an analogy (of course one cannot compare these two people), I think I could understand a man who would list 'Napoleon' as one of the reasons he would want to learn French, even though he might not be convinced of his military merits nor of the good that, according to some, he bestowed on the European continent. After all, the Napoleonic wars were an important event in the history of Europe and one can be fascinated by the personality of Napoleon even though one may be of the opinion that perhaps he was a megalomaniac, blood-thirsty butcher who sent his troops to certain death, destroying villages and cities, all in the hope of an uncertain glory. Edited by administrator on 10 August 2005 at 10:00am 7 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| morprussell Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7165 days ago 272 posts - 285 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: French | Message 11 of 119 10 August 2005 at 10:46am | IP Logged | |||||
I imagine that this was simply a misuse of the word "fan". The word "fan" suggests interest, support, devotion, and loyality. It's normally used for soccer, baseball and other sports. Jradetzky was probably trying to say that he is interested in the things he listed. I'm interested in them as well. Edited by morprussell on 10 August 2005 at 10:47am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| morprussell Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 7165 days ago 272 posts - 285 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: French | Message 12 of 119 10 August 2005 at 10:50am | IP Logged | |||||
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Now back on topic.
I'm not learning German, but it wouldn't take much to convince me to learn it. I just love the sound of it. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| andee Tetraglot Senior Member Japan Joined 7079 days ago 681 posts - 724 votes 3 sounds Speaks: English*, German, Korean, French | Message 13 of 119 10 August 2005 at 7:58pm | IP Logged | |||||
Christianity is still popular... even after the crusades. 7 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| hokusai77 Triglot Senior Member Italy Joined 7154 days ago 212 posts - 217 votes 1 sounds Speaks: Italian*, FrenchB1, EnglishC1 Studies: GermanB1, Japanese | Message 14 of 119 11 August 2005 at 8:50am | IP Logged | |||||
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My reasons for German (and for taking it up again, after two years in which I completely abandoned it):
1. I like its sound. 2. When I started it, it was rarely studied in Italy (chic factor!). 3. Germany is a wonderful country, rich in history, with a very interesting culture. 5. My partner is really fond of German, so it would be a common passion. 4. Last but not least, Germany is the main economic partner of Italy (and I have the opportunity to use it in my job). 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Qbe Tetraglot Senior Member United States joewright.org/var Joined 7137 days ago 289 posts - 335 votes Speaks: English*, Latin, Ancient Greek, Biblical Hebrew Studies: Japanese, German, Mandarin, Aramaic | Message 15 of 119 12 August 2005 at 7:42am | IP Logged | |||||
And Islam is still popular...even after 9/11. And Atheism is still popular...even after Stalin. 8 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| Big Apple Newbie Joined 7046 days ago 1 posts - 2 votes | Message 16 of 119 12 August 2005 at 7:57am | IP Logged | |||||
And Rush Limbaugh is still popular...even after Oxycotin. Anyway, according to Barry Farber's book, How to Learn Any Language : "...German, (is) suprisingly, the language most natives will try on foreigners when they come visiting in Hungary, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia, Poland, Lithuania, Estonia–in fact all the way from Germany's eastern border with Poland as far east as Moscow and from the Baltic Sea in the north clear down to the Mediterranean" 155. Sounds like a great reason if you plan to travel anywhere in the area. 2 persons have voted this message useful |
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