Very good, enjoyed this as an English-speaker working in south Germany. I still laugh thinking about a colleague who, after we had a falling out, wanted to formally rescind the familiar Du-zen we'd been operating on, and revert to Sie-zen!
Haha. I live in Vienna and it is difficult to be rude in Hochdeutsch or Wienerisch. Specifically when people like a flock of grazing sheep block the way in the subway in the stupidest way possible, I want to say something like "get the fuck out of the way!" but as far as I can tell it does not exist. Eventually I borrowed a Vorarlberger expression: "Flü di!"
I’m glad this appeared as a recommendation in my inbox. I love this perspective, especially with my time spent in Berlin. Sometimes hearing almost formal German or even German is a shocker, and sometimes I’d visit a place and try to order in German, and the waitstaff would say they don’t speak German haha. It’s those little things
There is a somewhat similar situation here in the U.S.A, with businesses and publications using kids, mom and dad, when children, mother and father would be more appropriate. I seem to be the only one in the entire country who has noticed this intrusion of commercial interests into our personal family space, so I guess it's just my problem now.
Very good, enjoyed this as an English-speaker working in south Germany. I still laugh thinking about a colleague who, after we had a falling out, wanted to formally rescind the familiar Du-zen we'd been operating on, and revert to Sie-zen!
Haha. I live in Vienna and it is difficult to be rude in Hochdeutsch or Wienerisch. Specifically when people like a flock of grazing sheep block the way in the subway in the stupidest way possible, I want to say something like "get the fuck out of the way!" but as far as I can tell it does not exist. Eventually I borrowed a Vorarlberger expression: "Flü di!"
I’m glad this appeared as a recommendation in my inbox. I love this perspective, especially with my time spent in Berlin. Sometimes hearing almost formal German or even German is a shocker, and sometimes I’d visit a place and try to order in German, and the waitstaff would say they don’t speak German haha. It’s those little things
There is a somewhat similar situation here in the U.S.A, with businesses and publications using kids, mom and dad, when children, mother and father would be more appropriate. I seem to be the only one in the entire country who has noticed this intrusion of commercial interests into our personal family space, so I guess it's just my problem now.
There is a fine variety that used to be the way to address each other in my days in the ZEIT offices in Hamburg: first name + Sie😊.
I believe that's even known as the Hamburger Sie. The Münchner Du is apparently Du plus surname!
That‘s how we were addressed in school (in München): „Luyken, dieses Jahr hau‘ i di durch!“😂😂😂