Kultur 2

Kultur 2
This section was mostly about the good or bad habits German people. It was funny to read about how Germans complain too much, stare too much, and are just brutally honest. The rules of interaction are just completely different in Germany and I think it can come across as "rude". Nonetheless, this information was nothing new! The most frequent complaint I hear about Germans is "Why are they so rude?". This section of reading confirms this stereotype and somewhat explains it. I actually agree with this not because of the readings but of some experiences and conversations i've had with other Americans about the German culture. I have noticed that Germans come across as rude, or not having manners. I made this generalization primarily from their staring but also from there pronunciation of words. I am not sure if that is just the language as a whole, or if it has to deal with them being "rude". Often I noticed that Germans speak very clearly and rapidly. They enunciate every word and whether you understand the language or not you can pick up on some of the things that they are saying. This clear and fast way that they speak is often how we Americans speak but only when we are angry or mad. I think for non native spearers this might come off as mean or rude, but if we actually spoke the language we might understand that our ear is just untrained to this language? OR they are just "rude"....I cant tell!


Brennpunkt Kultur

(pg.47) I found it interesting that over 57 million Americans claim their German heritage. Mostly because the previous article we read in Kapitel 1 talked about how oftentimes Americans do not claim their German heritage. Regardless, 23% of Americans have a German background! I found it hard to believe also that New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles used to have large German- speaking communities. I currently live in Chicago and would have never known that some communities use to be German-speaking. I haven't even heard of cities or provinces with Germans names. The same goes for LA and NY. I have visited these states quite frequently and still have not noticed a hint of German inhabitance. But since I have learned this, I will probably me more on the look out for certain hints, titles, streets, cities, etc for German words, names, and language speaking!

(pg. 76) The German educational system seems to be slightly different then in America. After reading about the types of university in Germany and the "ideal" types of institutions, I got the impression that education in Germany was for the more "superior". It seems like only the highest or the smartest kids were sent to schools. The only reason I think this is because the article mentions an "elite" institution meant for a small number of students. That already seems to be discouraging and very exclusive. The institutions only want elite students and a small number of them. Also the degrees were limited. The article states the the university only granted degrees to LIMTED numbers of students in LIMITED fields. Also the programs offered at universities at the beginning. However, in the 1960s it seems like Germans began to change with the times and technologies. So luckily for German students they probably had more opportunity due to the new types of institutes such as die technische Hochschule and die Fachhochschule (to name a couple) as well as the shorter degree programs.