Tutorial: Pitch Perfect's Cup Song

Natuerlich auf Deutsch!

Kannst du alles verstehen?



In die Haende klatschen =  to clap your hands
Der Becher zur Seite drehen = Turn the tumbler to the side
Hab viel Geduld! = Have lots of patience!

u.s.w. = und so weiter!

Und hier geht es auch wieder los!


Welcher Becher ist am Besten?
Uebung macht den Meister =  Practice makes perfect.

Helge Schneider "mit Udo Lindenburg"

 bei Stefan Raab
(Germany's Paul McCartney/Robin Williams singing "with Mick Jagger"?)

 Zweimal Vögel (two birds):  Fink (finch);  Zeisig (siskin)    -- flying together



-- Love the surge of support and recognition from the audience.

Sing das Alphabet?

Und auch in einen schönen Canon!



x - y - z:  Das ist nett.

App Review: Babbel and Duolingo

THE ECONOMIST  Jun 14th 2013, 18:37 by S.A.P. | THE HAGUE

-- Written in a "blog named after the dictionary-maker Samuel Johnson"  

 

JOHNSON LANGUAGE

 

JUST twenty years ago, a language student removed from live practice or in-person classes had to rely on books or cassette tapes. Those were tough times: learners needed exceptional motivation, and got little feedback on their progress. Later on, websites providing textbook-style grammar lessons would pop up, making access easier but still giving little in the way of interaction. Starting in the mid-1990s, Rosetta Stone (whose latest incarnation Johnson reviewed in January) added a bit of interactivity to the learning process, if at steep prices. As software like Rosetta Stone’s improved and added more online functions, free and low-cost services started to appear to compete with it. Unlike older rote grammar websites, the best among these sites have focused on interaction and personalised feedback. Livemocha, for one, pairs far-flung learners on its forums and encourages users to trade languages. Livemocha and its 16m subscribers were swallowed up by Rosetta Stone in April, filling out Rosetta Stone’s once-vacant online forums.

For those who lack the patience for forums or the pockets for pricey services, there are (of course) apps for that. Two in particular stand out as excellent. The first is Duolingo, which I have been using to learn French for eight months now. The other is Babbel, where I’ve been picking at Dutch for the past two months.

Duolingo, unlike Rosetta Stone, Livemocha or Babbel, is free. (The company makes money by charging for text translations, crowdsourced from users. That corner of the site isn’t entirely smooth yet, so it’s a distraction for most learners.) Lessons are available for English, French, Spanish, German, Italian and Portuguese. Much of the learning happens in the form of rapid-fire quizzes, which switch frequently between testing speaking, listening, and writing. High scores unlock further lessons. You can compare your progress with your friends’ through Facebook, a successful use of "gamification". Duolingo’s free smartphone app offers nearly all the same content as the website, too. I was surprised at how good the app was, since most language apps have tended to be spartan, buggy or both. Duolingo’s speaking quizzes on the app seem particularly magical considering the voice recognition tech behind it was nearly unusable just a few years ago on other software.

It’s a joy to use Duolingo, in part because its phone app is not only convenient to use but full of new content. But while it’s a great start, it’s not perfect. For now, its lessons are deep—I haven’t even spotted the end-mark of my French lessons—but the language selection is small. I also suspect that Duolingo’s clientele is limited by its style of teaching. The quizzes focus on mastering structural blocks, like relative pronouns or a particular class of nouns. It doesn’t really teach conversational skills. If I didn’t already know the basics of French conversation, I’d be helpless in France. The focus is great for serious beginners or long-term learners, but much less useful for casual learners or tourists.

Babbel fills in some of those gaps. It isn’t free: it runs from $7.45 to $12.95 a month. This is still far cheaper than Rosetta Stone ($239 for an annual subscription, or $25 a month, with frequent sales and discounts). I needed a Dutch class before I left for the Netherlands, and Babbel stepped up with  one of the very few online Dutch courses out there.  In addition to the six languages also offered by Duolingo, Babbel has Swedish, Turkish, Dutch, Polish, Indonesian, Norwegian and Danish. They’re not all as well developed as Spanish or French, but many learners will be grateful that they exist at all.

Babbel’s lessons, unlike Duolingo’s, first focus on building basic conversational skills. For a Dutch learner like me, more interested in speaking than reading, Babbel works well. (I suspect that most learners are first interested in learning how to communicate, anyway.) Babbel will also occasionally set off immersive lessons by explaining grammatical concepts at length. As a linguistics enthusiast, I particularly enjoyed the little tutorials. It’s a nice contrast to the technique of, say, Rosetta Stone, which emphasises total immersion much more than rote grammar.

Babbel’s interface is clean but still a little buggy. It’s hard to repeat slides or audio recordings without going through an entire lesson twice. The microphone tech didn’t like my Dutch pronunciation (which could be entirely my fault), and repeating yourself six or seven times to get it just right is wearying. I suspected that the issues were limited to the still-new Dutch syllabus, but I found many of the same problems in the French section. Babbel’s phone apps (one for each language) are good, but not great. It works without an internet connection, a plus. It’s perfect for reviewing vocabulary. But it doesn’t offer all of the same functionality of the website (unlike Duolingo), a shame considering it’s a paid service. But Babbel's focus on speaking, the wide selection of langauges and the modest price make it competitive with both the free Duolingo and the sophisticated but pricey Rosetta Stone.

For students learning English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, German or Italian, Duolingo and Babbel might actually work quite well in concert, filling in the other’s gaps. I, for one, plan to continue using both. Duolingo and Babbel are two exceptionally good sites. Given that they’re competing quite vigorously with each other and with Rosetta Stone, their services can only get better. Language learners can expect some exciting developments in free and low-cost services in the next few years.

Schueler aus Burgau reisen nach Kiew in der Ukraine!



Koennten wir auch solch einen Film von unserer Reise machen???

Respekt, Herr Professorin!

Uni Leipzig wird weiblich

Radio Bayern/ Radiowelt

Kein Hinweis mehr auf die vielen Professoren und Professorinnen. Die Universität in Leipzig streicht auch das Binnen-I und alle Schrägstriche. Ab sofort gibt es in der Grundordnung nur noch die Professorin. Grandios!

Von: Hans Tschech Stand: 05.06.2013

Von Kurt Tucholsky stammt der Seufzer "meine Sorgen möcht‘  ich haben".  Dabei ahnte Tucholsky noch nichts von den drängenden Problemen unserer Tage, nichts von Klimawandel und Eurokrise, von Tempolimit und Ehegattensplitting und schon gar nichts vom immerwährenden Kampf und die geschlechterneutrale Sprache.

Doch jetzt ist ein Ende des ewigen Zanks in Sicht. An der Universität der schönen Stadt Leipzig, die ja mit Auerbachs Keller über ein Etablissement verfügt, in dem der Akademiker mit Hilfe geistiger Getränke seit jeher gerne in neue Dimensionen vorstößt, – an der Uni Leipzig also war man der nervigen Diskussionen um die geschlechterneutrale Sprache leid und hat – ja – den gordischen Knoten durchschlagen.

Professorin, Rektorin, Assistentin plus Fußnote – das reicht

Podcast Ende der Welt

Die Radioglosse "Ende der Welt" läuft immer am Ende des aktuellen Morgenmagazins radioWelt (6.00 bis 8.30 Uhr) um 8.25 Uhr in Bayern 2.

In der Grundordnung der Uni Leipzig, – das ist eine Art Satzung – gibt es künftig keinen Professor mehr und keinen Rektor, auch keine Doppelformen mit Binnen-I oder Schrägstrich Professor/Professorin. Es gibt nur noch die weibliche Form: Professorin, Rektorin, Assistentin – und eine Fußnote erklärt, dass zu der weiblichen Form auch die Männer gehören. Fertig! Generisches Femininum heißt das. Da kann man nur sagen: Respekt, Herr Professorin! 

 

Das ist mal eine klare Sache; Schluss mit dem Herumgeeiere, wie etwa in der neuen Straßenverkehrsordnung, wo sich jahrzehntelang die Autofahrer herumgetrieben haben  bis man jetzt, um endlich auch die Autofahrerinnen verwarnen zu können, die beiden zu "Autofahrenden" verschmolzen hat.

Die Stadt Hannover wollte – Zeit wars – endlich auch Frauen ins Freie lassen und machte deshalb aus der Fußgängerzone – Sie merken „Gänger“, keine „Gängerinnen“ – aus der Fußgängerzone machte man in Hannover einfach die Flaniermeile. Gottseidank!

Der Anfang vom Ende des Patriarchats

Da ist die Uni Leipzig radikaler. Und vielleicht wird ihre Entscheidung einmal als Anfang vom Ende des Patriarchats gewürdigt werden. Das Beispiel muss natürlich Schule machen – überall wo Männer und Frauen zusammen sind. 

Damit es jetzt nicht gegenüber den Männern ungerecht wird, könnte man ja – frei Karl Valentins Modell zur Verkehrsberuhigung – abwechseln. Zum Beispiel: in Bayern alles männlich, in Baden-Württemberg bei Herrn Ministerpräsidentin Kretschmann weiblich. Oder: Medizinberufe männlich, die Bundeswehr weiblich – zu Befehl, Herr Oberfeldwebelin!

Klar – das mag auch verwirren. Und es wird manche am Sinn der geschlechterneutralen Sprache zweifeln lassen – wie den Diskutanten im Internet, der den Leipziger Beschluss mit dem Satz kommentierte: "Da haben wir die Salatin."

Leserreaktion  am 07.06.13 um 01:53
An der Uni Leipzig sollten schlaue Leute sitzen die an Hand der allgemein in Deutschland üblichen umgangssprachlichen Anrede wie Frau bzw. Herr erkennen welchem Geschlecht der Herr Lehrer, Herr Dozent, Herr Professor oder Frau Lehrerin, Frau Dozentin, Frau Professorin, bzw. Herr Amtsträger oder Frau Ministerin angehört. Wenn nicht, sollten sich die Entscheidungsträger für diesen Schildbürgerstreich mal genetisch untersuchen lassen, ob da noch alle Chromosomen am
richtigen Platz sitzen oder ob diese sich per geistigen Stuhlgang bereits zu diesem Geschlechts= verdrehungs - Dünnschiss völlig gehirnverkompostiert haben. Selbst wenn es an der Uni Leibzig eine X- Chromosomen Mehrheit, sprich weibliche Majorität gibt, kann das unmöglich Grundlage für solchen Bezeichnungs- und Entscheidungsschwachsinn sein. Das wäre ja gleich zu setzen mit der

Forderung alle feminine Pronomen bei Zahlen der fairen Ausgeglichenheit mit dem Neutrum Pronomen zu ersetzen, "das 13" statt "die 13", oder Herr.....

Fallschirmjäger

Sie dienen Deutschland



Hier ist noch eine Werbung, für die Bundeswehr...



und ist diese Werbung anders wie bei uns?



(Notice anything different here than in our military-enlistment ads?)

Muzzy ist HIER!

 Hier ist ein langer Film.

(Vielleicht war der Film zu lang...schade.)

Hier ist ein Lied:  Wie viel kostet das? 


Hier ist ein kurzer Film, nur mit Norbert.  Er sagt ,,Guten Morgen"  und auch.... ,,Guten Tag; Guten Abend; und gute Nacht"
(Ich finde Norbert süß, und Muzzy toll!)

Deutsch Aktuell Videos! Juchhe!

Markus und Daniel sind gute Freunde.    Wer sind Zahra und Sabine?  Wo kommen sie her?



Nr. 2  



Ha!  Es gibt viel mehr.  Viel Spaß damit.

Gut auch, dass wir endlich einen Fernseher in unserem Klassenzimmer haben, denn jetzt können wir auch diese Videos  zusammen genießen und bearbeiten.

Foreign language immersion expansion bill passes Louisiana House

A French sign hangs on the door of foreign-language immersion program at J.C. Ellis Elementary School in Metairie. (The Times-Picayune archive)

By Lauren McGaughy, NOLA.com | The Times Picayune 
Email the author | Follow on Twitter 
on June 03, 2013 at 5:52 PM, updated June 03, 2013 at 5:53 PM

A bill to give parents the power to petition for a foreign language immersion program at their child's school is nearing final approval after passage Monday on the House floor. An amendment to the bill will have to be approved by the Senate before heading to Gov. Bobby Jindal for his signature or veto.

Senate Bill 205 by state Sen. Eric LaFleur, D-Ville Platte, would require local school boards to create a foreign language immersion program if they receive a written request from at least 25 parents. The parent-trigger would only be enforceable if there are teachers available for the program and if the school district doesn't already have an immersion program for that language.

While the bill passed with a healthy margin of 69-30, multiple lawmakers raised concerns that the legislation would amount to an unfunded mandate placed on local school districts. They said although the state allocates $20,000 extra for districts for every foreign language immersion teacher, this might not be enough to fund an entire program.

"We have to quit mandating to our school systems what they must do," state Rep. Kenny Havard, R-Jackson, said during floor debate. "It boils down to money. ... Right now they're not even funding the (public schools) enough to pay our teachers."

During committee testimony on the bill, local superintendents echoed that concern, saying even with the additional $20,000, they could not afford the programs.

The Minimum Foundation Program "certainly doesn't cover complete cost of the program or the ongoing costs," Iberia Parish Superintendent Dale Henderson told the House Committee on Education. He added including salary and benefits, each foreign language teacher costs almost twice as much as the amount given to them under the MFP allocation.

But proponents of the bill, including Carencro Democrat Stephen Ortego, said the cost of the programs would be paid for through the state's public school funding formula. He also highlighted other pros of foreign language immersion programs, including higher English-language test scores, which he called "a hell of a lagniappe."

State Reps. Jack Montoucet, D-Crowley, Karen Gaudet St. Germain, D-Plaquemine and Nancy Landry, R-Lafayette said the bill would further empower parents to have more control over their child's educational path.

"Foreign languages are not only a want, they're a need," St. Germain said.

Because of a technical amendment added on the House floor, the Senate must concur with the change before the bill can head to the governor's desk.

To receive updates on all Lou

The US Foreign Language Deficit

The U.S. Foreign Language Deficit

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Kathleen Stein-Smith tells it like it is — why it matters and what we can do about it

Why It Matters
In an increasingly globalized world, the U.S. is at an ever-increasing disadvantage due to the lack of foreign language skills among Americans.

Other than heritage-language speakers, it is estimated that only between one in eight and one in four Americans have the foreign language skills necessary to hold a conversation in a language other than English. According to the Modern Language Association, enrollment in a course in a language other than English at the post secondary level stands at 8%, as opposed to 16% in 1960 — the same time frame in which globalization has increased.

Among executives in international business, the typical American executive may speak one foreign language at most, while European and other international executives routinely speak multiple languages at the business-proficient level. On an individual level, a monolingual English-speaking American runs the risk of being passed over for a promotion, or for a new job, in favor of an international applicant with the same professional skills but with the added advantage of knowledge of one or more relevant foreign languages. While exports are widely acknowledged to be an essential element of a sustainable economic recovery, companies struggle to find employees with the needed language skills.

As a consequence of the events of 9/11, the National Security Language Initiative was launched in 2006, and both the Federal government and the military have developed plans to increase language and global skills among their departments and branches respectively. However, many of these plans have taken time to develop, only to lose funding during the economic recession and subsequent weak economic recovery. As recently as 2012, congressional hearings were held to examine the language deficit at the federal level.

Challenges to Foreign Languages in the U.S.
Challenges to the development of foreign language skills among English-speaking Americans include the sense that English is the global lingua franca. While it is true that many internationals may speak English, it is estimated that 75% of the world’s population does not speak English. Those who do may have varying levels of skill and willingness to use English.
The lack of day-to-day exposure to other languages is another challenge, as most Americans would need to travel a significant distance to completely immerse themselves in a society where English is not the local or official language. Many Americans would even have to travel a significant distance to experience a large community of foreign-language speakers within the U.S. In many parts of the world, multiple languages co-exist, or travel to an area where another language is the predominant or official language is a matter of a short trip.
Even if an American has the desire to learn another language, challenges remain. Typically, foreign language instruction begins relatively late in school, at a time when other courses, social obligations, and even jobs compete for a student’s limited time and attention.
As has already been mentioned, at the college level, only 8% of students are enrolled in a foreign language course, and this relatively small enrollment is heavily concentrated in elementary levels and in the Spanish language.

Outside of a traditional school setting, challenges exist, as learning another language requires time and energy, both of which are typically in relatively short supply to adults. In addition, the adult learner also needs to select and determine the materials to be used in language learning and to resist discouragement as the inevitable plateaus in learning progress are reached.

Perhaps the most subtle and insidious challenge is a pervasive lack of interest in other languages and cultures among many Americans, as this interest, or intrinsic motivation, is the most effective driver of successful foreign language learning.

What We Can Do
As individual citizens, we can advocate for foreign language education opportunities for our parents, ourselves, and our children within our schools and communities. We can write to our government representatives at the local, state, and national levels. We can join groups to advocate for foreign languages, or even run for local office. On a personal level, we can choose to learn new languages and encourage our friends and family members to do so as well.
Educational institutions at all levels have the opportunity to offer more foreign language courses and to enhance classroom learning with experiential learning, ranging from the recruitment of local native speakers to the establishment of language living-learning environments on campus or during summer or short-term courses at all levels. Entertainment and social media, as well as other relevant technologies, can make learning more effective and more accessible.

Government can support language learning through policy and law, which tend to lead to consistent funding for language initiatives at all levels. Lack of a language policy in the U.S. has often resulted in inadequate or inconsistent funding for language learning initiatives, both for English-speakers wishing to learn another language and for new immigrants and others wishing to learn English.

Business can certainly support foreign language learning among employees through on-site classes or through partnerships with local educational institutions to support either international ventures or business within local multilingual and multicultural communities. Compensation and/or other rewards should be offered to those who develop the desired foreign language skills.

For decades, leaders in government, education, and business have confirmed the need for the development of foreign language skills in order for Americans not only to be secure and competitive, but also to live richer, more fulfilling lives.
Importantly, they have also provided a significant body of literature on what policies, procedures, and action steps are needed to achieve this paradigm shift. The following are just a few of the most timely and relevant examples.

• Senator Daniel Akaka held a hearing entitled “A National Security Crisis: Foreign Language Capabilities in the Federal Government” on May 21, 2012.

• The 2007 MLA report, Foreign Languages and Higher Education: New Structures for a Changed World pointed the way to a renewed approach to foreign language education.

• In terms of education for business, the Modern Language Journal offered a special issue on Languages for Specific Purposes in the U.S.in a Global Context in January 2012. This followed two research reports published by the Apollo Research Institute (University of Phoenix): The Great Divide: Worker and Employer Perspectives of Current and Future Workforce Demands, in 2011, followed by the even more language-specific Current and Future Language Demands in the Workplace: Proficiencies and Gaps, in 2012.

Conclusions
Interest in another language or culture, or intrinsic motivation, has been shown to be the most effective motivation for learning another language, even more effective than career opportunity or advancement.

In order to increase the desire among Americans to learn other languages, government, education, and business will need to work together to develop the language-learning mindset among Americans through language policy, increased and varied foreign language course offerings, and compensation and career opportunities respectively.

In addition, foreign language skills need to become part of the popular culture through movies, books and music, highlighting bilingual and multilingual celebrities ranging from Olympic athletes to Academy-award-winning actors, and making foreign language movies, media, and books readily available to a now-interested public. In literature, fictional characters can be depicted as having and using foreign language skills.

A strategic marketing plan, developed in concert by government, education, and business, can achieve results similar to those achieved in the European Union and other parts of the world.
As Senator Paul Simon wrote in 1980 in The Tongue-Tied American, we can either be tongue-tied or fluent.

Kathleen Stein-Smith, PhD, associate university librarian and adjunct faculty at Fairleigh Dickinson University in New Jersey, is the author of The U.S. Foreign Language Deficit and Our Economic and National Security: A Bibliographic Essay on the U.S. Language Paradox, Edwin Mellen Press, 2013.

Nur einen Kuß, von den Ärzten

                                                                    Hier, die Reflexiv-Verben
Nur einen Kuss!   Mehr will ich nicht von dir
Der Sommer war kurz, der Winter steht vor der Tür
Wenn du mich nicht küsst, bleibst du vielleicht allein  __
Und wer will schon im Winter alleine sein?
Ich bekam meinen Kuss und gab ihr mein Herz dafür

Bald darauf kam ein Fremder in unsere Stadt
Doch ich glaubte an die Liebe
Ich weiß nicht, was sie in ihm gesehen hat
Und ich glaubte an die Liebe
Sie begann sich sehr für ihn zu interessieren         __
Wir waren ein Paar, was sollte schon passieren?
Doch bald darauf wendete sich das Blatt               __

Beim ersten Schnee waren wir nicht mehr zusammen
Doch ich glaubte an die Liebe
Weil der fremde Mann kam und sie mir wegnahm
Ich glaubte trotzdem an die Liebe
Ein paar Wochen lang nur strahlte sie vor Glück
Dann ging er fort und sagte, er sei bald zurück
Sie wartete noch, als schon der Frühling kam

Das Gras wurde grün, sie wurde dünn und blass
Denn sie glaubte an die Liebe
Weil sie jeden Tag weinend am Fenster saß
Viel zu groß war ihre Liebe
Ob sie wohl an ihn dachte, als sie schließlich starb?
Ich legte eine rote Rose auf ihr Grab
Sag mir, worauf ist in dieser Welt Verlass?

Monatelang reiste ich durch das Land
Sonst war mir nicht viel geblieben
Es war schon fast Herbst, als ich ihn endlich fand
Da stand ihre große Liebe
Ich lud ihn ein zum Trinken, bis es dunkel war
Er wankte zwar, doch ahnte nichts von der Gefahr   (swayed, to be sure)  (realized)
Bis ich ihn dann an einem Baum festband

Der Vollmond ging auf, mein Messer war kalt wie er
Sag mir, glaubst du an die Liebe?
"Erinnerst du dich? Es ist nicht so lange her ..."      __
Das ist der Preis für deine Liebe
Ich schnitt den Fremden auf - bloß ein kleines Stück  
Und ich holte mir mein Herz zurück
Dann kehrte ich heim; doch geküsst hab-e ich nie mehr
Denn ich glaube nicht mehr an die Liebe

Nie mehr
Nicht mehr an die Liebe
Nie mehr
Niemals mehr

Rawlemon’s Spherical Solar Energy

Generating Globes Can Even Harvest Energy from Moonlight

by Ayasha Guerin, 09/16/12  STUMBLE's Inhabitat:  ENERGY

The ß.torics system was invented by Barcelona-based German Architect André Broessel. He sought to create a solar system that could be embedded in the walls of buildings so that they may act as both windows and energy generators. But the project isn’t only noteworthy for its solar efficiency capabilities -  the ß.torics  system is designed to generate lunar energy too!
The spheres are able to concentrate diffused moonlight into a steady source of energy. The futuristic ß.torics system is catching a lot of attention for its clean and beautiful design. (Despite solar power’s huge potential, we haven’t seen too many beautiful solar power technologies). We’re excited to see how architects will incorporate these energy generating orbs into alternative energy agendas and future building designs!

Read more: Rawlemon’s Spherical Solar Energy-Generating Globes Can Even Harvest Energy from Moonlight | Inhabitat - Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building

Zwei Welten -- Wise Guys

Auf der Suche nach einem GAPP - Partnerschaft Lied  --

1.  Zwei Welten...

Zwei Welten

Na na na na na na na....

Ich will endlich selbst erleben wer du bist
Ich will begreifen
Wie dein Leben wirklich ist

Lass uns einfach eine Zeit zusammen verweilen
Alles was uns ausmacht
Will ich mit dir teilen

Wir Beide schaun' uns an und sagen noch kein Wort
Noch so weit entfernt und doch am selben Ort

Es ist das erste Mal dass wir einander sehn
Keine Mauern mehr, die uns im Wege stehn

Refrain:
Denn wir Beide leben in zwei Welten
die sich selten nur berühr'n
Denn wir Beide leben in zwei Welten
Kannst du mich in deine führ'n?

Es ist ein Planet, es ist die selbe Zeit
Doch es trennt uns mehr als uns verbindet
Und der Weg ist weit

Wir hingen in der Luft und stießen gegen manchen Stein
Mussten Schlachten schlagen
Und fühlten uns allein

Große Hindernisse, manche Kleinigkeit
Doch bei dir und mir war immer Einigkeit

Die Ängste zu besiegen und ganz einfach loszugehn
Nicht zu fassen, dass wir uns jetzt gegenüberstehn!

[Refrain]

Ich will von dir lernen
Und wenn du magst lernst du von mir
Wir leben in zwei Welten
Doch jetzt sind wir beide hier

Schwer zu glauben, dass mal wirklich eine Welt draus wird
Doch wir schaffen's, dass sich keiner in der andren Welt verirrt

[Refrain 2x]

Two Worlds

I finally want to see who you really are
I want to understand
How your life really is

Let's just spend some time together
Everything that makes us unique,
I want to share with you

We both look at each other and don't say a word
So far away, but yet right next to each other

It is the first time that we see each other
No more walls to stand in our way

Refrain:
Because we both live in two worlds
Which very rarely touch [each other]
Because we both live in two worlds
Can you take me to yours?

It is one planet, it is the same time
But it divides it more than it unites us
And the road is long

We hung in the air and pushed against some stone,
Had to fight battles
And we felt alone

Major obstacles, some small things
But with you and I, there was always agreement

To overcome the fears and simply run off
I can't believe that we're confronting each other!

[Refrain]

I want to learn from you
And if you like, you'll learn from me
We live in two worlds
But now we're both here

Hard to believe that a world came out of it
But we'll make it so that no one gets lost in the other

[Refrain 2x]

International Day Song from Indonesia

The votes are in!  Here's the song selected for Lager Waldsee's International Festival this year:


The band is KOTAK.  Inspirasi Sahabat (= Inspiration Friend)



PS:  Und die T-Shirts?  Die sind unten sehr bunt.  Sie sehen fast wie einen Gürtel aus. Hast du sie gern?  

Clay Pell, New Language Czar

Clay Pell, grandson of Claiborne Pell, pictured here with his wife, Michelle Kwan.  

Language Magazine interview with editor, Daniel Ward   June, 2013

Last month, the Department of Education’s Office of Postsecondary Education announced the appointment of a new Deputy Assistant Secretary for International and Foreign Language Education — Clay Pell, the grandson of former senator Claiborne Pell, after whom the Pell Grant program is named.

Pell comes from the White House, where he served as director for strategic planning on the National Security Staff and helped advance President Obama’s key national security priorities.

He brings critical experience from a breadth of departments and agencies including the White House, State Department, and CIA, and he has a personal commitment to foreign language study as a speaker of Chinese, Spanish, and Arabic. Pell studied law in Argentina and China, earned his JD from Georgetown University Law Center, and graduated from Harvard College with high honors in social studies and a citation in Modern Standard Arabic.

He also has military expertise as a reserve officer in the U.S. Coast Guard, including nearly four years on active duty and legal experience as appellate government counsel for the U.S. Coast Guard.

Before Pell had a chance to get his feet under the desk, Language Magazine editor, Daniel Ward, asked him some key questions:

Clay Pell: Let me just say how thrilled I am to be here, and thank you for reaching out in my first couple of days at the Department of Education. I am so excited to join Secretary Duncan and to continue to serve President Obama in advancing America’s global competitiveness. We are laser-focused on doing everything we can to make sure our country and next generation of students are fully prepared to lead and thrive in the 21st century, including with critical foreign language and international skills.

LM: What languages do you speak, how did you learn them, and how have they improved your professional and personal lives?

CP: Spanish, Chinese, and Arabic. I studied Spanish first in elementary school, then both Spanish and Chinese as an exchange student in high school. I began studying Arabic in college and have continued each ever since.
Without a doubt, foreign languages opened up the world to me. They exposed me to the people and places beyond our borders and gave me the skills to work on international issues — with the military, State Department, law firms overseas, and most recently on President Obama’s National Security Staff.
So you can imagine what an enormous privilege and thrill it is for me to come full circle and work with Secretary Duncan and President Obama to equip the next generation of American students with the foreign language and international skills they will need to lead and thrive in the global economy.

LM: Why do you believe it is important to speak more than one language?

CP: At a strategic level, the United States represents about 5% of the global population and a quarter of the global economy. Our growth and competitiveness demand that we find new ways to connect with, work with, and take advantage of opportunities in the rest of the world. Foreign language and international expertise are critical skills to bridge that divide and proactively reach opportunities and cultures around the globe.
Of course, there are many other benefits that come from learning another language — and probably everyone who has built fluency in another language can speak in their own way to how it has enriched their life. Certainly, learning a second language has been shown to improve cognitive development and learning outcomes across the board. And some of the findings I’m most excited about show how study-abroad experience can help close the achievement gap between minority college students and their majority peers.

LM: What role do you see for the Department of Education in promoting language education across the states in the light of budget cuts? Does technology have a role?

CP: The Department of Education has a critical leadership role in promoting 21st-century skills in our nation’s schools, institutions of higher education, and beyond. We are encouraging state and local institutions to weave global competencies into common academic core subjects, into college-and-career-ready standards, and into expected learning outcomes. Personally, I’m really looking forward to meeting and working with everyone in the days and months ahead — students and schools, partners in government and private sector, and the foreign language and education communities as a whole. My message is that foreign language is a critical skill for the 21st century and there are a lot of innovative ways we can work together to make sure our students develop foreign language skills all the way through from school to career.
Certainly, technology is an important part of this, as are partnerships across the board. And the federal government will continue to play an important role, including the Title VI and Fulbright Hays programs that we administer and other international education programs at the Departments of State and Defense, among others. These programs support foreign language, area, and international studies and infrastructure building at U.S. colleges and universities. And they ensure a supply of graduates with expertise in less commonly taught languages, world areas, global issues, and transnational trends — all critical for America’s students, businesses, and workforce as a whole.

LM: Do you have any specific goals in terms of improving language education in the U.S.?

CP: Yes! I really want to hear from the community about all the many ways we can work together. But some areas where I am looking forward to working together include:
Building bridges — Making sure that we are building bridges at all levels so that our students and workforce develop, retain, and leverage foreign language skills from school through employment.
Inclusion — Continuing to expand the participation of underrepresented groups in foreign language and international education.
Technology — Leveraging advances in technology to connect students with cutting-edge language-learning materials, as well as their peers around the world.
Strategic regions — Continuing to support less commonly taught languages, including in strategic regions of the Asia-Pacific and Africa where the President has elevated focus across the U.S. government.

LM: What are your views on bilingual and dual-language education programs?

CP: We support both bilingual education and dual-language programs (dual language being the one of the models by which students with limited English proficiency can learn English and simultaneously maintain their native language). The general support both for bilingual education and dual-language programs comes from Secretary Duncan and President Obama’s emphasis on language as an important skill for the 21st century.

LM: What do you think we can do to improve retention of heritage languages and preserve this valuable national resource?

CP: Heritage languages are a really powerful resource, both for individuals and the country as a whole. One of the most important things we can do is encourage parents and families to continue to use both their heritage language and English with their children. At the federal level, we have funded projects through our Title VI portfolio that support heritage language programs, and I look forward to strategizing with the language community about other ways where we can play a role.

LM: How can we encourage more American students to study in non-English-speaking countries?

CP: I’m really excited to help get out the word to students about the relevance of study abroad and to continue to work to make sure these programs are as accessible as possible. The Department’s emphasis on advancing global competencies for all students is important in this regard, as are opportunities that we support through our overseas programs in Fulbright-Hays and Title VI. I look forward to working hard to make sure more students and institutions know what’s available and are finding new ways to partner together.

USA beats Germany in DC

U.S. vs. Germany friendly: Jürgen Klinsmann’s American team is victorious at RFK Stadium

Washington Post, By Steven Goff, Sunday, June 2, 4:47 PM

Dennis Grombkowski/BONGARTS/GETTY IMAGES - American star Clint Dempsey celebrates scoring his side's third goal in a 4-3 win over Germany at RFK Stadium on Sunday.

Too bad the U.S. national soccer team couldn’t bottle this attacking performance for more consequential endeavors in coming weeks.

In a final test before 3 World Cup qualifiers, the Americans scored three outstanding goals and took advantage of a comical goalkeeping gaffe Sunday to defeat a young German squad, 4-3, in a wildly entertaining friendly before a sellout crowd of 47,359 at RFK Stadium.

In an early three-minute span, Jozy Altidore volleyed his way out of a scoring funk and Marc-Andre ter Stegen misplayed a back pass for an own goal. After Germany scored early in the second half, Clint Dempsey tallied twice in four minutes to provide what appeared to be an emphatic send-off ahead of Friday’s qualifier in Jamaica.

However, Max Kruse and Julian Draxler struck in the 79th and 81st minutes for Germany, which was missing eight Bayern Munich stars and two Real Madrid standouts.

It was the U.S. team’s first victory over Germany since 1999.

The turnout was the largest for soccer at RFK since David Beckham’s MLS regular season debut in 2007 and the fourth biggest to see the U.S. senior national team. The stadium record for soccer is 58,012 for a 1996 Olympic group match between the United States and Portugal. (At the time, the Redskins were still playing there and the facility accommodated more spectators.)

Juergen Klinsmann, the U.S. team’s German-born coach, made four changes to the lineup after the 4-2 loss to Belgium on Wednesday in Cleveland: Michael Bradley and Fabian Johnson were available after completing club obligations; Brad Evans replaced Geoff Cameron at right back; and Matt Besler took Clarence Goodson’s spot in central defense.

Bradley took his usual role in central midfield, while Johnson, who has played almost exclusively at left back for the U.S. team, pushed up to left wing, a position he often fills for German club Hoffenheim.

The Americans showed immediate improvement over the Belgium game with confident ball work leading to two corner kicks in the first three minutes. Evans, a natural midfielder, targeted Altidore in the box for a deflected bid and Graham Zusi’s free kick located the striker for a glancing header.

U.S. defensive frailty resurfaced in the 11th minute. Unable to contain pressure on the left or clear a cross, the Americans were fortunate the ball rolled onto the foot of a German center back, Per Mertesacker, whose six-yard shot trickled a fraction wide of the left post.

Altidore’s scoring rut ended two minutes later. Zusi served a delicious cross from the right flank to the heart of the penalty area. Altidore was unmarked and unfazed, smashing a 10-yard volley with his right foot for his first goal since a friendly at Slovenia in November 2011.

Famous for impeccable composure, Germany made a comical mistake in conceding a second goal. Under moderate pressure deep in their own end, the Germans failed to find an escape route. Benedikt Hoewedes decided to play the ball back to ter Stegen, who let it slip past him and over the goal line before he could recover.

Just 21, ter Stegen started the past two seasons for Moenchengladbach in the celebrated Bundesliga and was making his third national team appearance.

The opportunities continued to flow. Sven Bender weaved through the U.S. defense but missed wide on a clear look and Altidore set up Dempsey for a near-post bid that ter Stegen pushed aside.

The goalie had another clownish experience midway through the half when, backpedaling on Alitdore’s ambitious floater from 40 yards, he tumbled. To his relief, the attempt was off target.

While Germany made four changes at halftime, Klinsmann had one: Brad Davis for Johnson.

The Americans lacked cohesiveness after the break and conceded Heiko Westermann’s six-yard header off Kruse’s corner kick. Germany continued to press. Klinsmann turned to Eddie Johnson and Edgar Castillo in the 56th minute in place of Zusi and DaMarcus Beasley.

The Americans regained their two-goal lead in the 60th minute when Jermaine Jones delivered a long ball to Altidore on the left side of the box. Altidore waited for support and then crossed to the center of the box, where the on-rushing Dempsey tagged an 11-yard shot into the left side.

There was more Dempsey four minutes later. In a seemingly harmless position, he began toying with Lukas Podolski well beyond the penalty area, carved a pocket of space and then unleashed a swerving, 25-yard rocket to the upper left corner for his 35th international goal.

Kruse scored from 20 yards and Draxler converted a rebound, causing late angst for the Americans. But referee Paul Delgadillo of Mexico ignored Germany’s penalty kick plea in the 90th minute.

U.S. notes: The team will remain in Washington until Tuesday morning, then charter to Jamaica. The delegation will get settled in Kingston as the Reggae Boyz host U.S. nemesis Mexico on Tuesday night.

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STAY TUNED!  THE USA MUST STILL QUALIFY FOR THE WORLD CUP!  There are some doubts.  BUT according to Juergen Klinsmann's former side-kick, and current trainer for the German national team, Juergen Loew, there's no doubt that the USA team will be successful.