My German class is officially over. I would not say that I can now read German.
I would say that I now have a good grasp of German grammar and syntax, except with little to no functional vocabulary or knowledge of idiomatic expressions. Good times.
Especially good considering that I leave for Germany in less than 48 hours.
That's right - my brother-in-law is getting married (in Germany, to a German) and we're headed off to attend the ceremony. We haven't met the bride yet, or any members of her family... So, there are a lot of unknowns. But she seems nice, from what we've heard!
And the wedding is going to be held in a castle.
Neither the Wife nor I are really sure what to expect. Except, you know, a huge fucking castle. And Germans. Probably some schnitzel.
I am so not ready for this.
12 comments:
Have fun! (I'm guessing most Germans will speak enough English that you'll be fine.) (I know! I hate depending on others speaking my language.)
WTF? How can you not be ready for schnitzel and "a huge fucking castle?"
Seriously!?
Bardiac - Will do!
Mark - Pretty much as Bardiac, said - it's the not speaking the language and having to rely on English/translators that I'm not quite ready for. Schnitzel, beer, castles and family? I'm totally down for that.
You'll be fine! (Hey, I did just fine in Croatia and Bosnia, and I would bet there are a much higher proportion of English speakers in Germany.)
Have fun while in Germany! Hopefully, I'll get to go to Europe this coming Spring... (if I get to go, it'll definitely be London and Britain, with the possibility of Germany\Austria\Czech OR France\Spain\Portugal). Quite a few of the Germans I've met from Germany at least know some Latin, so it could be fun to try that if you really need a language other than English.
Black Forest Cake.
Duuuuuuuude.
Happy eating.
Unicorn who bathes in cocoa and dreams of being a sleeping beauty in a castle
Oh man - German weddings seem like a blast. One of my friends is German and his sister got married in June. The traditions are pretty cool. I saw lots of pics of it. Have a great time and enjoy the ambiance, if not the language. Maybe you'll pick some of it up since you'll be there. Never know.
Word verification: conmilaw - like common law. Have they been together for a long time?
I found an interesting quote from Mussolini of all people. I figured you'd appreciate it especially since you just finished your brief stint in German.
"Thirty centuries of history allow us to look with supreme pity on certain doctrines which are preached beyond the Alps by the descendants of those who were illiterate when Rome had Caesar, Virgil and Augustus."
Bardiac hit the nail on the head. I have a friend who lives around Dusseldorf who complains about hardly being able to get better at German because everyone speaks English.
There's also no real way to learn a language until you're immersed in the culture. And what to expect depends on the culture. I think schnitzel tends to be more of a southern thing. Either way, expect effing good beer.
O. K. I definitely feel the language issues, too. We won't even begin to bring up how long I've actually lived there and still don't really speak it. ::hidesheadinshame::
And, tamayn, I promise there will be schnitzel where dude is going. I've been there many times.
Fret - We'll be with plenty of people who'll speak both English and German. All will be well. I just hate not being able to navigate the basics of the language myself.
Kevin- That'd be awesome! Any time in Europe is a good time. Not so sure I'm going to be whipping out the Latin, but hey - it's a thought.
Unicorn - I'm be on the lookout. Apparently the wedding cake is supposed to be something delicious... I'll let you know!
Fie! - That's pretty funny. They've not known each other a *terribly* long time. I think it's going on... a year now? That sounds accurate.
Anon - Being a classicist, part of me always looks at various countries in Europe and thinks: Gauls - conquered, Spaniards - conquered, Britons - conquered, Germanii - always fighting...
Tamayn - Mmm.... Beer.
Mark - No worries! I'm sure you remember more than you think!
How exciting! Can't wait to hear all about it. Congrats to the groom and bride...
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