Academic literature on the topic 'German language Language and languages German language'

All nations with significant dimensions of immigration and ethnic minorities are facing policy tensions stemming from two contradicting fundamental constitutional principles. The establishment and preservation of nationhood seems to require cultural homogeneity and associated integration of the population living on a specified territory. However, the aim of integration is challenged by the principle of recognising and safeguarding cultural identities of minorities and immigrants. One of central debates concerns language policy. This country study concerns the recent relation of language policy and immigration policy in Germany. It is based on the analysis of public discourses circling around the legislative process and the subsequent application and amendment of the foreigners’ statute of 1997 and the immigration statute of 2004 including the Green card initiative (2000) and the debate about restrictive policies after the Madrid bombing (2004). It also contains a case study of the controversies on the German-only policy on the playground of a multi-ethnic school in Wedding, a district of Berlin. Recent media coverage shows that this example, picked in 2006, has since achieved a paradigmatic quality. The thesis outlines and applies aspects of critical discourse analysis for the interpretation of selected relevant texts, mainly contained in national quality newspapers. The case study is also based on interviews and use of correspondence addressed to the school.

Thesis (MA (Modern Foreign Languages))--University of Stellenbosch,<br>This study presents conceptions for a German learner's dictionary ("Lemworterbuch"), aimed at the needs of the foreign language learner as recipient. The requirements set and proposals made for such a dictionary are aimed at improving the linguistic competence of the learner when he/she uses the language as recipient, in other words when he/she reads a German text or hears the spoken language (e.g. in conversation, on the radio, television, film etc.). III The target users are persons whose mother tongue is not German, but whose mastery of the language is at a fairly advanced level. Such users, who have mastered the basic grammatical rules of the German language and already have a good basic vocabulary, will nevertheless experience difficulties in using existing German explanatory dictionaries such as DUDEN and WAHRIG. These dictionaries present information in such a complicated way that it remains inaccessible to the average foreign language speaker. The propositions made in this thesis are directed at creating a dictionary that could overcome the existing gap between the bilingual translating dictionary with German as target language and the monolingual explanatory German dictionary. This study proceeds on the assumption that it is impossible to compile a dictionary without the consistent application of theoretically expounded principles (regarding linguistics, typography etc.). The subtlest detail regarding typographical layout is also emphasized, since the presentation of information determines how easily information can be retrieved from the dictionary. Proposals are made for a user friendly arrangement of material, which will enable the user to retrieve desired information easily and immediately. Two language aspects that are of the utmost importance to the recipient, flexion and definition, are examined. The way in which these two aspects are currently dealt with in monolingual dictionaries is investigated. From this investigation it is evident that flexion and defmition are inadequately dealt with for the specific needs of the foreign language learner. Suggestions are made to improve weaknesses and inconsistencies in order to make the dictionary more suitable for the language learner. Finally, the principles required by a German learner's dictionary for recipients are demonstrated by means of various entries. This serves as an example of how the dictionary could finally look. ;The entries are presented in both the printed and the electronic medium. The potential of both these media is utilized to show how the presentation of information can improve the user friendliness and accessibility of the dictionary.

This survey focuses on German-language studies of John Milton's Paradise Lost, based on a bibliography of more than 140 German-language publications dating from 1651 to the present. Its purpose is to describe and evaluate these studies and to make their arguments accessible to readers who have difficulties locating, obtaining, and/or reading these texts.Chapters 1-4 give an account of Milton's reception in Germany and Switzerland. Topics discussed include the evaluation of Milton as poet and man, the influence of Milton's Paradise Lost on the development of German literature (Klopstock's Messias), early Milton studies, German translations of Milton's Paradise Lost, the teaching of Milton's works in Germany, and the evaluation of the poem for the present generation. Chapters 5 to 10 survey twentieth-century German-language criticism of Paradise Lost. Topics include the literary tradition; the drama plans; structure and style; cosmology and theology; and interpretations of the fall.Outstanding twentieth-century German studies include Hiibener's analysis of stylistic tension (1913); Bastian's analysis of the problem of temptation (1930); Wickert's examination of Milton's drama plans (1955); Grun's interpretation of the fall (1956); MoritzSiebeck's structural and aesthetic justification of the last two books of Paradise Lost (1963); Spevack-Husmann's examination of the relevance of the medieval tradition of allegorical and typological myth interpretation for Milton's mythological comparisons (1963); Markus's study of the parenthesis as rhetorical means of psychological influence (1965); Hagenbuchle's analysis of the fall(1969); Maier's examination of contrast and parallel as structural elements (1974); Slogsnat's exploration of the dramatical structure and tragic nature (1978); Schrey's account of Milton's reception in Germany (1980); and Klein's study of astronomy and anthropocentric in Milton's attitude towards science (1986). These studies deserve to be better known by the English-speaking scholarly community for their different points of view and their good understanding of Milton's art.Milton's Paradise Lost is still appreciated in Germany and continues to have many readers.<br>Department of English

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014.<br>ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The following study focuses on communication problems which arise during medical consultation in Germany between immigrants with an inadequate language proficiency level and physicians, and on the negative effects of such miscommunication on the quality of health care. The study proposes the application of alternative teaching methods in integration courses – in particular suggestopaedia – to resolve these problems. As immigrants often suffer from acculturative stress suggestopaedic methods seem particularly appropriate because they help reducing negative mental attitudes (negative “suggestions”) by a multi-sensory preparation of learning materials. A didactised concept aiming to improve the overall ability of immigrants lacking language proficiency to interact in “Physician-Patient-Communication” is put forward in this study for the use in integration courses. It is assumed that enhancing the ability to ex-press oneself in the field of healthcare provision will reduce communication hindrances by reducing the fear of speaking during medical consultation and thus will lead to a better overall state of health among immigrants with an inadequate language proficiency level. The sug-gestopaedic methods implemented in the didactisation range from a suggestopaedic language text to a wide variety of exercises, which take into account the different channels of learning. A critical examination of the “can do” statements developed by the German “Goethe-Institut”, within the Framework “Curriculum for Integration Courses – German as a Second Language”, forms an important background for the didactisation presented in this study. The section on “Physician-Patient-Conversation” and its practical application in the textbook “Menschen” published by Hueber Verlag and used in integration courses are also closely considered.<br>AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die studie fokus op kommunikasieprobleme wat tydens mediese konsultasies in Duitsland ontstaan tussen immigrante met ontoereikende taalvaardigheid in Duits en doktors, en op die negatiewe gevolge van sulke wankommunikasie op die kwaliteit van gesondheidsorg. Die studie stel voor dat alternatiew onderrigmetodes in integrasiekursusse ingespan word, veral suggestopedagogiek, om dié problem die hoof te bied. Aangsien immigrante dikwels aan akkulturasiestres lei, word metodes wat op die suggesopedagogiek basseer as uiters toepaslik gesien deurdat negatiewe ingesteldhede met `n multisensoriese toepassing van leermateriaal bekamp kan word. `n Gedidaktiseerde konsep wat daarop gemik is om immigrante se algemene taalvaardighede te verbeter met betrekking tot dokter-pasient-kommunikasie word voorgestel vir gebruik in integrasiekursusse. Dit word veronderstel dat as die uitdrukvermoeë op die gebied van gesondheidsorg verbeter word, sal kommunikasiestruikelblokke verminder terwyl die die vrees om tydens `n mediese ondersoek te praat tot `n algemene verbetering in die gesondheidstoestand van immigrante met onvoldoiende taalvaardighede sal lei. Die metodes uit die suggestopedagogiek wat geïmplementeer word, strek van `n suggestopediese teks tot `n wye verskeidenheid oefeninge wat met verskillende leerstyle rekening hou. `n Kritiese ondersoek van die "kan“ beskrywings wat vir die "Kurrikulum vir Integrasiekursusse – Duits as Tweede Taal“ deur die Goethe Instituut ontwikkel is, maak deel uit van die belangrike agtergrond vir die didaktiese implementeringsvoorstelle van hierdie studie. Die afdeling "Dokter-Pasient-Gesprek“ en die praktiese toepassing daarvan in die teksboek "Menschen" wat deur die Hueber Verlag uitgegee is en in integrasiekursusse gebruik word, is ook onder die loep geneem.