Any questions about the German language ???

Then it would just be like "Bach" with an "a."

I have a question Jean!

Is 'ich' pronounced more like 'ik' in Berlin, but everywhere else in Germany is pronounced more softly?

No;

ik and iç = Berlin
ish = Northern Germany
ikh = Southern Germany

I think your pensylvanian german is 50% pensylvanian dutch
ik= dutch/flemisch

No, it is 95% Pfalzland and 5% English. Kindly look at what I wrote in my last post. The "ç" is like the hard "kh" but with an "s" sound to it.

Thanks cmhiv! I use the Southern German form! :-)

Jean:

I really want examples of swearing in German, just to complete my German skills. Not being able to swear in a tongue is just like not knowing that tongue at all !! :-)

I think swearing comes with the language once you have learned the language for a while. I make it a purpose not to learn the swear words of what ever language I happen to be leanring, and all the languages that I study with regularity, I always learn the swear words just from exposure to the language.

Pennsylvania German:

F*** You = Scheisst du!
A**hole = Dumkopp (lit. dumb-head)
Sh** = Scheiss

Hi, Antonio. I know what you mean. Even though one should avoid swear words, they belong to the language and one should not only master a high level in the respective language but also these words. Well, I can list some swearwords but if you need an adequate German translation of a word or an expression you have in mind, please give me the English word:
-asshole : Arschloch mostly "Du Arschloch" or just Arsch (in my region you pronounce it almost as "aasch")
-cunt : Fotze (really bad), Funz (sounds very primitive :funts)
-slut : Schlampe
-whore : Hure, Nutte
-son of a bitch : Hurensohn
-bastard : Bastard (we use it quite frequently)
-? : Wichser (pronounced :vixer), actually someone who jerks off but you can use quite often and depending on the person you say it to, it can even be quite harmless.
queen : Tunte, Tucke
gay person : Schwuli, Schwuchtel (shvukhtel)
someone who sucks dicks : Schwanzlutscher
someone who is into anal sex : Arschficker
....

Thank you Jean.


By the way, can´t ´schwul´ (plu. schwüle ?) be used alone as to address a gay person?

This wasn't Jean, I'm Daniel :-)

Well, you can use it as an adjective or as a noun. The plural form is : (der) Schwule >>> (die) Schwulen

schwül also exists but this means "sultry".

You can use "schwul" by the way to express almost everything that you don't like or find strange, e.g. "This test was quite strange/difficult/stupid : Der Test war total schwul.

If you address a gay person, you could perhaps say Schwuler, but it depends on whether you want to talk to the person in a normal way or just use it as in insult. It's pretty much like the problem with the word "Negro" or even "Nigger" : it is absolutely impossible to use the word when talking to an African American person but it is a quite common expression among black youths. I think that if you don't want to insult the gay, then you just don't refer to it. The term "Homosexueller" sounds quite odd in such a context - too specific I'd say. My grandpa would probably call them so.
If you have further questions, just ask :-)

I wanna know the correct pronunciation of word 'PRUSSIA' which is the German city.Is it pronounced exactly the same way as 'RUSSIA' is done.

Yes, exactly like Russia with P. But it is no German city. First, it was a part of the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, later when the empire had faded, it became a powerful German state which - being protestant- was the main rival of the other powerful German state- the catholic Austrian Empire. Prussia had a well-trained and well-equipped army and therefore they were among Europe's most powerful nations. In 1866 they won over Austria in the German-German war and in 1870 they defeated France thus establishing a second empire under Prussian rule.(therefore 2nd Reich). After Germany's defeat in ww1 Prussia remained as a province where most German noblemen and officers, generals etc. came from but after ww2, the allies ordered that Prussia - even the name- should be destroyed so that Germany could never be so powerful again.

Sorry for confusing one´s identity

Where are all the people, which lived in "Schlesien", today poland, before Germany lost the war? Went they to Germany?