Spoken German - Use and Abuse those Da-Compounds!

Da-compounds Separated.  GERMAN IS EASY BLOG

https://yourdailygerman.com/2016/09/13/da-words-apart-spoken-german/

5 Steps to Get Your German Pronunciation Just Right

Thanks again, FluentU!

The Ultimate Guide to Perfect German Pronunciation

Mastering German Pronunciation: The Final Frontier

In recent years, there has been a lot of talk about Pareto’s law, or, as it’s more commonly known, the 80/20 rule. It describes the fact that 80 percent of results usually come from 20 percent of input.
While those numbers are not set in stone, the concept behind Pareto’s law is solid: A disproportionate amount of outcomes can be achieved with a fraction of what you put in.
For example, in German comparatively few words make up the majority of the everyday spoken language. Consequently, learning these first gives you access to a large percentage of what German speakers are saying on a given day.

Most German learners spend the majority of their time on the 80% of language acquisition: understanding and being understood. Yet, there is a stage past that where it’s more about refinement and polishing than amassing more knowledge.

A big part of that last 20% is working on your accent and perfecting German pronunciation. So not only can you communicate, but you’ll also blend in.

What Makes a German Accent?

Before we get started on how to change, let’s take a second to think about what actually makes up an accent. I mean it’s not like native speakers have a different anatomy, their teeth are shaped differently or they can reach different places in their mouths with their tongues than you.

Pronunciation

Since language is made up of sounds, we try to classify these by giving them names and putting them into a system. Consequently, in order to master German pronunciation, these single sounds are the smallest unit to concentrate our efforts on.

Intonation

Every language has its own rhythm and melody. You might be spot-on with your pronunciation of German sounds, but if your melody is completely different, your accent will give you away quickly. Therefore, melody and intonation is the second part we will concentrate on.

Word usage

A third factor is what you say. Using unfamiliar and non-standard words is a sure sign of someone’s foreignness.  (Slang is something we will concentrate on another time.)

DIY German Accent Training: Tools You Will Need

Improving your German pronunciation is easier with the right set of tools.

Languages samples

First, you need something to practice off of—some speaker that you can model yourself after, you have something to compare yourself to. Thankfully, material to listen to can be found aplenty:

• Podcasts
• Radio stations
• Movies
• Audio dramas
• Audiobooks
• TV shows

Of the above, podcasts, audio dramas and audiobooks are probably the best choices-- because they let you repeat phrases and parts over and over again.

While the other media also work, you have to make sure you can capture what’s going on there first. That’s where the next tool comes in handy.

Audio recorder

The most important thing to improve your accent is that you actually hear yourself speak. Only when you can make out the difference between what a native speaker is saying and what comes out of your mouth can you take steps to improve. Therefore, you definitely need some sort of recording device in your arsenal. This could be:

• The audio recorder of your cell phone
• Recording software for your computer (e.g. Audacity)
• A specialized audio recording device

Which one you choose is up to you. Just make sure you have a way to capture your beautiful voice.

The IPA

IPA stands for International Phonetic Alphabet, an agreed upon system of phonetic notation that is  used worldwide. The IPA provides a way to represent sounds independent of language by using  letters and diacritic markers.  For example the “i” in “machine” would be represented with [i], while “a” in “fan” comes out as [æ]. The same sounds and transcriptions exist in German, for example for Biene (bee) and gähnen (to yawn), respectively.

Knowing how to read the IPA will greatly help you understand how to pronounce words when they are transcribed with this system. You can find the full IPA in PDF form here. The Wikipedia page on IPA for German is also worth checking out, and there is an interesting app for transcribing German text to IPA symbols.

Working on your German pronunciation is a 5-step process that, if you repeatedly go through it, will quickly facilitate change.

1. Listen and imitate

As a first step, you will have to take your materials (i.e. recorded language samples) and listen to it several times. While you listen, try to pronounce it.  Imitate the speaker as closely as possible.
You can (and should) start small. Pick one sentence at a time. Play it a number of times and try it out yourself. Writing it down and reading it probably helps, too. Really make an effort to pick out the difference between the recording and what you are hearing inside your own head (no, not those voiced, the other one). Try to be as self-correcting as you can.

2. Record your own voice

When you feel like you have a good grasp on things, it’s time to make a direct comparison. Record your voice while pronouncing from memory or reading out the sentence you practiced. Afterwards you can listen to it in direct comparison with the original. Doing so easily lets you figure out where your sounds are completely different from what the recording says.

3. Isolate problem sounds

In all probability, you will quickly notice which parts are most off. For English speakers, these are likely to include the German r, umlauts, diphthongs and other pesky characters. If possible, get a native speaker’s opinion. They can tell even better where your speaking is slightly off.

4. Research and practice sounds on their own

Once you have identified areas for improvement, go ahead and practice your problem sounds relentlessly and in isolation (isolate the sounds, not yourself). Again, if you can get the help of a native speaker, all the better. Someone whose mother tongue is German will more easily be able to tell you when you really got it, and give you tips on how to get closer to the original. Here are also a few pointers on that topic:

• 13 problem sounds in German (and how to master them)
• Pronunciation tips for the three most difficult German sounds
• German pronunciation for beginners

Plus, there is a German online dictionary that includes IPA transcriptions for many words. Here is another one that lets you play sound files for a lot of vocabulary, so you know exactly how to pronounce them.

5. Rerecord and fine-tune

Once you have practiced enough, go back to the beginning and rerecord the original text you used. If you kept a recording of your first try, you can use that for comparison. However, your main goal should be to keep imitating the recording you started out with. If you did everything right, a clear improvement should be noticeable. By going through the entire process more than once, you can then fine-tune and work on the last little kinks.

It’s All in the Melody: Training German Intonation

After working on the smallest parts of spoken language, you can then move on to other key areas of accent training. The method of studying is the same, you will just shift you attention to broader parts of the German language.
One such area is intonation. Getting the rhythm and melody of a language right is much easier if you have a musical ear. However, even non-musical people can improve their way of speaking by paying attention to what makes up German intonation.

Learn German word stress

A big part of correct pronunciation for words is word stress. In German, usually the first syllable of a word is emphasized, such as in Katze (cat), Tatsache (fact) or Mutter (mother). However, this isn’t always the case (yay, more exceptions!).

Getting this part right is important, since word stress can even change a word’s meaning. For example, compare modern (modern, current) and modern (to rot) or übersetzen (to translate) and übersetzen (to cross over). So be mindful about this.

Now, of course this part should best be learned by imitating native speakers and will happen naturally over time. However, until then here are a few pointers to get a better grasp on things:

• While word stress on the first syllable is a good rule of thumb, what it really depends on is the root of the word. That means if you have a verb such as lehren (to teach), which is emphasized in the leh part, this will be carried over to other words with the same root like Lehrer (teacher) or lehrreich (instructive, literally “rich in teaching”). However, belehren (to lecture) is accentuated on the second syllable, because that’s where the word root resides. Capisce?

• Furthermore, nouns built with suffixes derived from Latin such as Idealismus (idealism) and signifikant (signifikant) have their emphasis on those suffixes. Other signal words include -anz, –enz, –ion, –ist, -ment and -tät. Same goes for verbs ending in –ieren.

• Words starting with be-, ge-, er-, ver-, zer-, ent- or emp- receive stress on the second syllable, while those with ab-, auf-, ein- or vor- have it on the first. 
•  A few prefixes (über-, unter-, um-, durch-) can be both, according to the meaning of the word.

• Many loanwords that made it to German from other languages will keep their original accentuations. A carport in German will not be pronounced Garage but instead stays Garage, like the English “garage.”

• If a noun is composed of more than three syllables, it will have one primary stress on the first word and a secondary stress on the third, e.g. Großbaustelle (large construction site).

Thankfully word stress is also included in IPA transcriptions and signified with [ ‘ ] (for primary) and [ ˌ ] (for secondary stress). The above-mentioned dictionaries will be able to help you out.
Don’t worry, it looks more complicated than it is in reality. You will get there quickly with a bit of practice.

Pay attention to sentence melody

When you learn another language, you will quickly notice that its native speakers have a very particular way of speaking.
Think about it. If you listen to any language, even if you don’t understand it, you can often imitate the way its speakers are talking. It’s like humming the melody of a song to which you don’t know the lyrics. Getting this rhythm and melody right is a big step towards having a more natural accent.
In the case of German, it has three different melodies: falling, rising and hovering. These are used in different places.

• Falling: Marks the end of a sentence in statements or question that contain a question word. Example: Wer bist Du? (Who are you?) – Ich bin Hans. (I am Hans.)

• Rising: Typical for yes-no questions or those without a question word such as who, where or what. Example: Sprechen Sie Englisch? (Do you speak English?). Can also be used with question word questions, if you want to sound very friendly.

• Hovering/Monotone: Continuation of the current tone. Used for breaks in mid-sentence, such as between main and subordinate clause. Example: Compare Ich wünsche mir ein Pferd (I wish for a horse) with Ich wünsche mir ein Pferd, weil ich tierlieb bin (I wish for a horse because I love animals). In the first case, the sentence melody falls on Pferd, while in the second sentence the tone is higher and continues on to weil.

While this sounds a bit theoretical and dry, its goal is merely to sensitize you for different elements of pronunciation and not to make you learn it by heart. With the above points in mind, you can continue your practice of recording yourself imitating native speakers. This will yield much better results than brooding over language diagrams. It’s more fun too.

Taking German Pronuncation to the Next Level

Once you have reached a point where you can easily express most things in German and you are looking for a new challenge, working on your accent and pronunciation is a great idea. By deconstructing what exactly makes and breaks pronunciation and strategically working on the different parts, you can greatly improve your spoken German.

The most important part is to isolate which areas can be improved and work on them in a targeted manner. For that, it is mandatory to construct a feedback system which allows you to incrementally improve the way you speak. Afterwards it is only a matter of time before you can pass as an actual German.

8 Questions Every Language Learner Has About Language Conversation Exchanges

by NATALIECZABAN Thank you, FLUENTU!

Word on the street is that all the kids are doing LCEs.

Oh, sorry—are you new to getting your language learning kicks online?

Thanks to the Internet, the world is your oyster. It turns out that language learning on your own terms can be fun, interactive and exciting.

When you want to start interacting with native speakers and practicing conversational skills, you’ll want to know all about the LCE experience. Far from the classroom with its recorded listening tapes and prompted conversations with other beginners, an LCE, or language conversation exchange, gets you speaking like a native faster through pure immersion.

To do an LCE, you will meet with a native speaker of your target language and converse with them, alternating between your language and theirs. You exchange your knowledge of English (or another language you know well) for their knowledge of the foreign language you’re learning. It gives you experience of real, one-on-one communication, a chance to converse and listen. This is vital to helping you learn quicker, better and with more enjoyment.

Sounds pretty great, right? An opportunity like this must rapidly accelerate everybody’s language learning, right? Sadly not. LCEs often fail or fade out, and their magic potential for language transformation is lost.

Luckily for you, I am going to spell out how to find, create and maintain an LCE that explodes your language learning as you know it and catapults you into a new level of fluency. And you might even make a friend along the way!

Everything You Need to Know About Language Conversation Exchanges

Why Should I Do a Language Conversation Exchange?

Before you start scouting for a buddy, it is vital that you know what you want this exchange to do for you. Do you want a structured and challenging test of your linguistic abilities? A mate to hang out and relax with? What is most important to you?

People have all sorts of reasons for seeking out an LCE, from pure love of language to understanding a new culture, finding a new friend in an unfamiliar place or having someone to reassure them that they are doing fine when they order drinks in a funny accent.

If you know what you want to get out of your LCE, you are more likely to find it. You won’t waste time with vague feelings that this isn’t really what I was after. No time for that! You have a language to master!

Sit down for five minutes and brainstorm why you might be looking for an LCE. Then choose the three main points—all related to what you want to achieve and experience. Make a note of them and refer back throughout your LCE to see if you are getting what you originally wanted.

Know what you’re looking for? Great! Let’s go get it!

How Can I Find My Language Conversation Exchange Buddy?

If you are looking for an online buddy then the internet is your oyster! Start right here with the FluentU iPhone app. Find a system that suits you with this amazing comprehensive list of high quality languages exchange sites.

I personally recommend Hellotalk to find a buddy in your target language. It is free, you are linked up instantly and you can keep searching until you find your perfect buddy. This works as a good introduction service. Later you can decide if you want to just text or maybe progress to Skype chat or beyond.

Skype isn’t necessarily the end goal—it’s actually a fantastic place to start! Check out Skype’s community message boards for people looking for a partner. Skype language lessons attract speakers of all languages and you can find many offers for languages exchanges there.

Couchsurfing also has a great community forum you can log into and post on for buddies. Here you can find kindred spirits who enjoy travel and adventuring.

These are my personal favorites. Check out the links above and see what works for you—and don’t be afraid to get out there and explore more options!

As for those of you lucky enough to actually be living abroad, it is even easier to find a buddy. Utilize centers of education—universities, schools, cultural centers. Leave an advert and a contact number there. Many universities offer a “Tandem” or language exchange service. Contact local TEFL teachers, too—they can give you contacts to their best and keenest students.

Being the foreigner in your town, many people would welcome the opportunity to learn with you. Ask your friends, ask your colleagues. Somewhere out there is your perfect LCE party waiting eagerly to set out on a language adventure by your side.

How Do I Recognize My Ideal LCE Partner?

Be discerning at the start. The better suited you two are for one another, the better your chances of having a successful LCE. Gut feeling is a good indicator. Is this person interesting to you? Do they have a similar personality and lifestyle? Would you choose to chat with them normally?

Then there is level. It is not necessary to have someone the same as you in ability and fluency. Even a total beginner and a near fluent speaker can help each other wonderfully as long as both are fulfilled and getting what they want.

Next, find out what your potential buddy wants from this exchange. Can you help them? Do they seem interested in helping you?

This last point is very important. Do they want to help you as well as improve their own level? Be sure you have a partner who you feel comfortable with, who seems supportive, patient and interested in your motivations and desires. People sometimes forget that speakers of a global language like English also want and need to improve their second language skills. Make sure your buddy is a team player before you move forward!

Okay, Got My Buddy! But How to Start?

Be flexible at the beginning. The relationship will take its own shape. That said, it is good to set some starting rules:

How often will we meet? At least once a week is best to keep things progressing nicely, but the more you meet up the better your speaking skills will become. Do not try to overwhelm your buddy with too many meet ups if they have a busy schedule, but be sure that you express your goals in terms of frequency.

How will we divide the languages? The most common format is to speak for half the time in your language, half the time in theirs. But it is up to you and your partner. You could alternate weeks or come up with your own system. Bear in mind though that extended language immersion will deepen your skills, so try not to flit between languages too quickly and too often.

If you are in an online LCE, you have the advantage of at least some written communication. That means you can post a short summary of the guidelines of your desired LCE to your buddy. Feel free to keep in touch via online messaging in between your meet ups.

Where will we meet? If you have a physical meeting, then vary the location. This makes each session unique with its own set of challenges and learning opportunities. Go to a museum or a park. Meet at your house or at your buddy’s. Not only will you be more stimulated by each meeting thanks to the varying scenery and topics of conversation, you will come across new vocabulary and challenges too.

If you are meeting online, there is no reason not to explore cyberspace together! Play games, have fun. Sometimes you can Skype for talking practice. Sometimes you can text chat so that your buddy can give you writing tips. Try different chat rooms and experiment with different conversation sites. Maybe you can even go on a SIMS adventure together!

The Time Has Come—What Should We Talk About?

Try to keep the topics of discussion diverse. At the start, you can focus on getting to know each other, but your LCE will be much more fun if you deliberately address different areas of conversation.

This is especially relevant for online LCEs because we all spend a lot of time on the computer and are distracted by Facebook, background events, etc. Planning varied and fun themes ensures that your LCE is the only thing on your mind when you turn on your computer. By avoiding distractions and staying focused on a topic, you will get the absolute most from the exchange.

Role play and explore situations. This can work as well through Skype as in person. Your buddy can prep you for possible job interviews or interactions with trained staff. Role plays are a great way of both minimizing nerves (by pretending to be someone else) and becoming adept in situations you may need in real life. And they do not need much preparation. Just set a situation and think of a few points that may come up. Believe me, it is less effort than preparing nothing and then forcing conversation about the weather and your summer plans.

If your language has a formal\informal function, as most languages do, you can choose to speak one week formally and discuss more professional topics such as your career. Then the next week you can devote to casual speech and slang words.

Get practical. Put yourself in real situations. Explore language through food!Go to dinner or to the pub together, order food and pay the bill. Agree to take your native buddy around town without guidance so that you read the maps and you ask for directions when you get lost. Go to an art gallery and explain how each picture makes you feel. Take the train and describe the route to your buddy.

Maybe you want this to be very low-key and laid back. That is fine as long as it is what you and your buddy both want. But remember that variability and challenging yourself will take you farther faster. You are going to meet loads of foreign speakers to chat and hang with once your language level starts accelerating. Why not use this novel opportunity to its maximum potential?

This was fun. When shall we meet next? Always end with a new time to meet. This is important for motivation and so that your LCE does not get swallowed up by the busyness of your lives. Having research to do, a role-play to plan or a topic to mull over means that your mind will stay on your LCE all week.

How Do I Know My LCE Is Really Working?

Want to be sure that you are getting the most out of your LCE experience? Want to rest easy knowing that you are making tons of great progress thanks to your new buddy?

Make a goal for your LCE, whether it be to widen your vocabulary, increase your confidence or simply be able to order drinks by yourself (with or without laughter). This main goal gives you something to aim towards. Then you can set up small, achievable goals for each meeting, such as:

• Go out for dinner and talk to the waiter all night

• Have a basic discussion about the political background of this country

• Survive a 30-minute conversation without giving in and reverting to English

This does not need to be a structured thing with charts and progress boards. Just keep it in your own mind. Keep your focus on what you want to achieve and how that is going. This will keep your LCE alive and useful for you and make sure that you know you are progressing.

It is also up to you to set the level of correction you want from your buddy. If your aim is confidence, then just relax and talk as much as possible. If you want to nail your grammar, then ask them to point out and explain mistakes. You can set yourself specific goals for each session, for example:

• Today I want to use conditionals correctly

• I am bored of using the same adjectives all the time. Today I will experiment with more advanced and unusual ones

Once your buddy knows your aim they can help you reach it and give you feedback and advice.

How Do I Keep My LCE Fun?

Treat it like any other important relationship—invest your time and energy in it. Commitment and regular communication are important to keep your LCE a part of your life. Be excited about it. Goal plan and reflect on how each meeting went and what you each got from it. What could you improve next time and how could you better help your partner? Once your LCE is something you are excited about, it will stay on the front page of your attention span.

How to End My Language Conversation Exchange?

For whatever reason, LCEs are sometimes quite short. Maybe you just needed that initial boost to get you going in your new language or to find a group of friends. Maybe you or your buddy is super busy now. That’s okay, it usually has to end sometime—and you can always keep in touch in the future if you like.

But do make sure you end your LCE fittingly. It has been an adventure and a learning process for both of you. Go for a final dinner or drink together. If you are online make sure you schedule that final webchat or Skype meet. Chat about what you learned and what was fun and think about your plans now.

How you will keep improving your language? Did you get what you wanted? Did you push yourself and reach new boundaries in your new language? Are you still hungry to go farther, to get even more fluent, confident and capable?

If so…there are a million other LCE partners waiting for you. Whether online or in your town, reach out to them. Remember—each human being is a whole new world. For you, that is a whole world of new knowledge, understanding and learning. Use this opportunity to your advantage!