German accent!

<<But then I thought maybe the "w" to "v" transition was too much, more Transylvanian than German. What do you all think?>>

I can't speak for all dialects, but in standard German "w" is definitely pronounced like a "v" (in X-SAMPA, [v]). To my knowledge, the "w to v transition" would in fact be more German than Transylvanian, because the sound [w] does exist in Romanian.

how do they say "ch"?

is it like "ch" in chair or "ch" that sounds like "ck"?

<<how do they say "ch"? is it like "ch" in chair or "ch" that sounds like "ck"?>>

Actually, neither. In standard German there are two main pronunciations of "ch". Somebody more knowledgeable in German, like Travis, might be able to explain the rules better, but basically:

1. When "ch" is next to the vowels "a", "o", "u", or "au", it is pronounced as [x] - in other words, a smooth, "fricative" expulsion of air, similar to "f" or "s", but made at the back of the mouth, where sounds like "k" and "g" are made. In non-scientific phonetic respellings, this sound is often rendered as "kh".

2. When "ch" is next to the vowels "ä", "e", "i", "ö", "ü", "ei", "eu", or "äu", or when it is surrounded by consonants, then it is pronounced as [C] - a sound similar to [x], but made further forward in the mouth. To put it simplistically, this is a sound roughly in between "kh" and "sh".

Thanks so much for all the help with this. I'm in a play and I have to have a German accent for it and i was having a lot of trouble with it. I think mostly it's easiest just to change all the w's when you're talking to sound like v's.

Basically, in standard Hochdeutsch, such is pronounced [x] after back vowels (that is, /a/, /a:/, /O/, /o:/, /U/, /u:/, and /aU/) without intervening morpheme boundaries being present and [C] elsewhere, including morpheme-initially. Note though that many dialects use [S] instead of [C], while some dialects use [X] across the board instead of [x], [C], or [S].

Why does everyone keep dissing different accents? They are all good in their own way, I am an American, and I can appreciate forign accents greatly, and still have pride in my own. I wish everyone would give it a rest and let people talk however they want. Individuality is a good thing! I just do not get how some people can say that everyone should speak the same. What fun would that be????

If you're still reading this post... whoever started this board.

I suggest you buy an x-men book with nightcrawler in it... it will help.

dude ive read this whole thing and didnt see anyone dissing any accents

Ich verstehe nicht, warum sagen wir "zuhören" aber nicht "hören", oder " anrufen" nicht "rufen"...

können Sie bitte ein paar Beispiele geben erläkern warum müssen wir in diese Beispeile Trennbare Verben benuzen?

**P.S Bitte shreiben Sie in deutsch und Englisch. Ich verstehe nicht viel Deutsch.. ;-)

Vielen Dank

"Ich verstehe nicht, warum sagen wir "zuhören" aber nicht "hören", oder " anrufen" nicht "rufen"..."

the difference between zuhören und hören is:
jemandem zuhören = to listen to somebody
hören = to hear

Er hört mir zu. = He is listening to me.
Er hört etwas = He is hearing something.

jemanden anrufen = to ring someone; make a phonecall
rufen = to call someone (NOT phonecall)

Regards

I live in Germany and what I often encounter at Germans speaking English is V pronounced as W so they say awailable instead of available.

This is soething which is very commen, at least in my experience.

>>I live in Germany and what I often encounter at Germans speaking English is V pronounced as W so they say awailable instead of available.<<

I'd guess that's likely either a hypercorrection, since many instances of Standard German /v/ correspond to English /w/ (or /W/), or due to the influence of German dialects which do indeed have /B/ or /w/ in the place of Standard German /v/ to begin with.

Vielen Dank emilio für die Erlärung!

Regards

It's all Greek to me!


























...I mean German.

we need to be German sciencetist Emil Behring and Emile Roux for a project. HELP US!!!!!!!!