About a week ago, A. and I had a discussion about my German reading ability and I didn’t much like what he said. He thought that I bordered on illiteracy in German. And let me tell you something… not only did that really rub me the wrong way me, but it got me to thinking.
I’ll be honest. Since I finished German classes a year ago I haven’t read too much German. I might glance at the newspaper headlines or the tele-text on TV once in a while, but that’s about it. When I really started thinking about it, I realized that it is very sad that I, who claim to like reading so much, have not taken the initiative to read in the language of the country where I live.
My main reasons excuses for not reading in German are:
- I haven’t found any German authors I like.
- Anything that sounds good to me is usually a German translation from English and why should I read something in German if I can read it in English?
- I don’t enjoy reading in German because it requires so much concentration.
- Since I don’t think in German, I have a hard time visualizing the story in my head.
- I have the reading level of a child and the reading tastes of an adult.
- It is just so frustrating!
But in addition to all that, is this: While it is true that I learned the basics of reading in English fairly quickly, the refinement of my reading skills took years. Therefore, why should I expect myself to read at the same level in German as I do in English when I only learned German two years ago? Of course, I also admit that I will never improve my German reading skills if I don’t practice them. And honestly, I do want to be able to read as well in German as I do in English.
So, I decided the other day I needed to think about reading in German. Not only why I didn’t want to do it, but how I could approach it so that I would want do it!
One thing I thought about was my oral comprehension: At first I had a very hard time understanding German and it wasn’t until (and I am a little ashamed to admit it) that I started watching TV that I really began to understand German. But even more, it wasn’t just TV watching in general that increased my ability; it was watching American movies and shows that I had already seen translated into German. I started watching Star Trek: The Next Generation, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Gilmore Girls, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman, Friends, The Simpsons, and a host of other shows that I was familiar with. I found that when I knew the basic plot of the show I started to understand the language… not only of the show, but also of the conversations around me.
How could I apply this to reading, I wondered. First I decided that I must discard that second excuse for not reading in German. If something sounds good to me, I can always read it in English, but I shouldn’t refuse to read it in German. Second, I thought about my method for improving my oral comprehension ability and modified it to this: Why not try to read books that I am already familiar with? Since I will already know the plot and will be able to visualize it, I can focus on thinking/reading in German.
I also thought about my reading level in German and thought books written for a younger audience might be the way to go. So, I have decided to start by reading Harry Potter in German. First I need to buy them and then I can start with my experiment. Since A. is going to be away on a business trip the first part of next week and I will be home alone, I think it will be the perfect time to start!
Murray Cumming says:
You are on the right track.
I can recommend the Friedrich Ani “Tabor Suden” detective books. I’ve read the first two. They are short and the language is quite simple. They are slightly quirky stories about Munich people and places.
Here is an Amazon link.
16 September 2004 at 19:02
Duncan says:
Your husband has nerve calling you illiterate in a nation where the Bild Zietung is the most read newspaper. LOL
As for German literature, well?reading a German novel is like watching a German TV series or a German movie; ?Gee Honey I think I?m going to bed, goodnight.?
My older son read the Harry Potter series in English and German and with the exception of a few areas where English humor can?t be translated he said the deference was not that great, but look, unless you are going to be a German scholar with plans to go back to the States and teach Germanic studies, why bother? Tell your German husband what I tell my German wife, ?it?s your language, not mine?.
Here?s a little something for your Hubby?
http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/linghebr/awfgrmlg.html
You have probably read excerpts of this in the Norten Reader which is where I believe I first read it. It?s Mark Twain?s take on the German language. Your Hubby will either be amused or irritated.
Say ?hi? to your cats for me.
16 September 2004 at 22:38
Anna says:
Your second excuse was mine too for a long time. I also wouldn’t go to the movies to watch a movie in German if it was an English original. I got over the movie thing, but I haven’t really gotten over the book thing yet.
I have read two and half original German novels though. (The half is a humor book though and should most probably be read in pieces, so I have an excuse). The hardest thing to get used to is the cadence - it’s different from a typical English way of writing.
On the plus side, my comprehension, not just reading-wise, goes up while I’m reading German.
If there’s something I just can’t quite understand, I mark the passage, bring the book to work, and ask one of my colleagues. Hmm….I’ve got a hankering to start another German novel now. I’ve got a kids detective novel sitting on the shelf waiting.
Sorry I’ve written a novel here. Sigh.
17 September 2004 at 01:02
susie says:
In my last German class over at DESK we read short stories out of a collection by Doris D?rrie (she lives in Munich). The book is called “Was wollen Sie von mir?” and the stories are very short, quirky, and interesting. I enjoyed the stories and I think you would too.
17 September 2004 at 02:48
June says:
Try Michael Ende - he?s an author of famous Neverending Story (and Momo). Good luck!
18 September 2004 at 23:24