Happy National Skunk Day!!! Yay! How do you celebrate it? I think it is pretty funny that there is a skunk day. I have never heard about that before but I think that there should be a day for every animal! But in general I think that we should celebrate animals every day of the year. And I mean every animal. Not just the cute ones. Animals make me smile, they make me happy and they are such an important part of my life. So celebrate them!
A couple of days ago I went for a hike and I saw so many animals, it was awesome. First I saw a chipmunk and chipmunks are definitely under the top 10 of my favorite animals. I have never seen a chipmunk in Germany, I guess they don't live there. I need to do some research. But I see them all the time in America and I am so in love with them.
And then I saw a monster. I swear. Do you remember the weird animal Lilly and Marshall from How I Met Your Mother had in their apartment? The cockamouse?
And I swear I saw a frogmunk. It was a mix between a frog and a chipmunk. It had the shape of a chipmunk but no fur. It had the skin of a frog and a frog head. But it was fast like a chipmunk. I only saw it for a second, then it hid behind a tree, jumped and then it was gone. But it was a frogmunk. I discovered a new species and I could not be any prouder.
I also saw a normal toad. And the best thing was that I saw a mother bunny with 3 baby bunnies. So cute. They just sat there but when I came closer they run away. I tried to convince them that I am a friend but they were too scared and I can understand them.
The bad thing was that I forgot my camera at home. I was so mad at myself. And I am sure that David thought I was completely stupid and crazy but that's okay.
I guess they fell in love and had babies. That's my only explanation.
I want to talk about a stereotype today.
My husband recently told me that he thinks that all Germans sound angry and evil. Nobody ever told me that before but it made me think. A lot. I mean, I live with that person and he thinks that I always sound mean and evil. That's terrible.
So, am I really like that? How do I talk? How do Germans talk? Do Germans talk in a different way when they are in other countries? I was a little helpless because that was a little bit of a shock to me.
I have to say that I do have a loud voice. I am not a quiet person at all. But I don't think that every German is like that. But I guess you can still be angry even when you don't talk in a loud voice. I don't know. I am so confused at the moment.
I have thought about Germans in general. I have never felt like they sound mean, angry, evil or anything like that. What do you think? I mean, I have watched Germans on American television and they always sound nice. Michael Ballack for example. He is a former German soccer player and now the soccer expert at ESPN. His English is awful but he talks in a very calm voice and sounds like a nice person. A couple of weeks ago I have seen a documentary about people at death row in Texas. It was from a German guy and he interviewed inmates. And he sounds nice. Very nice. I mean, he talks to killers but sounds like the sweetest person on earth. So are there any Germans in America that sound mean? I really don't know. I can't think of anyone.
So is it me? It must be me. I mean, there must be a reason that my husband thinks that Germans sound mean. At least when they speak English. My voice is loud. And yes, I am a very emotional person. I get even louder when something bothers me or when I am excited. Maybe that sounds mean?
I admit that I scream at the TV when I watch soccer. Because I am excited. Or angry. But that doesn't mean that I always sound like that.
So maybe the problem is that I always say what I think. I guess that's a German thing. I am always open about things and I tell people when something bothers me. Is that the problem here? Does that make me sound angry and evil? It's possible. I am used to behavior like that. My Dad and my friends always tell me when I do something stupid. Or when I say something that doesn't make sense. They tell me to shut up when I talk to much. They are always open and tell me how they feel about me. Even when it hurts. And I appreciate that. Because I always know what they think and that they don't tell me things just to make me happy. I know that Americans are always friendly and polite. So maybe it hurts them when you always say your honest opinion and don't care what people think about you. I really don't know. Do you guys have any ideas? Do you think Germans sound angry? I am thinking a lot about this topic and that's the only explanation I have. But it's possible that I am the problem.
I have heard people say they think the German language sounds angry before. I think the connection comes because German has a lot of what we'd call "hard" consonants -- ck sounds and others that come to a hard stop, if that makes sense. So I think the german language itself, when spoken fast or with extra feeling, can sound angry to an American ear. But I've never thought people with German accents speaking in English sound angry or evil.
ReplyDeleteOh, and I think Americans are very scared of hurting others' feelings. We like to pretend we're really direct, but we do sugar coat things, so direct people can be startling for Americans!
ReplyDeleteYeah, I think you are right, the German language definitely has lots of "hard " consonants in it. It does not sound as lovely as French. :) So I can understand that people find it a bit harsh. As a German I am used to it and I don't really realize that it might sound angry for other cultures. I am glad that you don't think that Germans sound evil. :) You described it perfectly when you say that Americans like to sugar coat things. :) I have made that experience before. I am pretty direct and when others are not used to it then it can cause some problems. :)
DeleteIch denke auch, dass es, wenn Deutsche deutsch sprechen, für fremde Ohren etwas zu hart klingt. Das ist einfach die Sprache. Und wahrscheinlich macht sich das auch im deutschen Akzent bei Englisch bemerkbar. Ein französischer Akzent hört sich jetzt schon schöner an als ein deutscher, mMn. Außerdem haben wir oft nicht dieses Lächeln in der Stimme, vor allem, wenn mir mit Fremden reden, das hört man natürlich auch raus. Ich kann jetzt natürlich nicht beurteilen, wie du sich speziell anhörst, aber ganz allgemein kann ich deinen Mann schon verstehen :)
ReplyDeleteDu hast recht, die deutsche Sprache hoert sich definitiv nicht so klangvoll an wie z.B. Franzoesisch. Das kann dann schnell schon einmal ein bisschen barsch klingen. Ich denke man hoert den deutschen Akzent auch zumindest ein bisschen raus, wenn ich Deutsch spreche. Obwohl David sagt, dass man es fast gar nicht hoert. Manchmal hoert man im Fernsehen wenn Deutsche Englisch sprechen und es hoert sich ziemlich uebel an. Ich geb mir Muehe. :) Danke fuers Vorbeischauen!
DeleteGod, Blogger keeps eating my comments today!!!!!! Those skunks are adorable. I think maybe it's the hard accent that makes Germans sound "mean"--you know how people say the French accent is "romantic"--maybe it just has to do with how the sounds roll off the tongue?
ReplyDeleteSorry about Blogger, that really sucks. Something must be wrong with it...it seems like this post popped up but it is pretty old. I don't know what went wrong with it. All old comments are gone. I don't get it. But I think you are right, German definitely does not sound as lovely an French for example. I am used to the language but it might sound mean to people from other cultures, I do understand that. :)
DeleteAww, I like skunks.
ReplyDeleteGermans do not sound evil, some Germans undoubtedly will and there are perhaps some bad examples in pop culture but in general the flow of the language is not really all that different from Dutch or Swedish. I suppose Europeans (and possibly everyone else on the planet) are a lot more direct the Americans but personally I find the American 'sugar coating' to be kind of confusing. I can never tell if they are flirting with me, just being friendly, or sugar coating.
I am sure you don't sound evil and I am beyond certain that you are a lovely person!
Skunks are such fantastic animals! :)
DeleteI agree, sometimes it can be hard to tell if people are just polite, really friendly or I don't know what. I prefer it when people tell me what they think and are pretty direct. Europeans definitely are more direct, at least the ones I have met. I grew up with that so I am used to it. But I can understand that I can be difficult for people who are not used to it and grew up in a different culture.
Thank you for your sweet words, Celeste! It really means a lot to me! :)
I've often wondered about the "evil-sounding" German thing too. Part of me wonders if it's mostly due to the examples we've heard in America in pop culture. In most of the movies where people speak German (or Germans are speaking English), the Germans are not the "good guys." And since most Americans are only exposed to German-speakers in movies, you get the stereotype. My sister still says that my boyfriend sounds like a Bond villain (hence the BV nickname in my blog), and she knows that he's a lovely person. I agree with you, I don't think it sounds mean or scary... it's hard to listen to teenage girls giggling away on the U-Bahn and think it sounds evil. :) I'm sure you sounds just lovely too. And everybody yells at the TV during football, don't worry!
ReplyDeleteYou are so right. I have never really thought about the fact that the Germans in movies always are the bad guys. James Bond, Die Hard, Indiana Jones...just to name a few examples. Maybe that really is why people feel like that about Germans. I don't know. Of course the language does not sound as "lovely" as French for example but I really don't feel it is that harsh. It is so funny that your sister thins that your boyfriend sounds like a Bond villain. Haha. I would like to know if I sound evil to other Americans as well. :) I surely hope not. I mean, I am sure I sound evil when I yell at the TV during a football match but I am sure everybody does! :)
DeleteOh stereotypes - when we fit into them, people say "oh it figures" and then when we don't, people just carry on as usual. Don't worry too much about what people think. You stay you and everyone else who has a problem with it can just stuff it :)
ReplyDeleteYeah, you are so right. I don't really care what people think of me. Sometimes it can just be a little complicated when the people you deal with on a regular basis might feel offended when you are so direct or sound mean. :)
DeleteLots of people think German sounds "harsh" and make jokes with "Achtung, Achtung" - it's not "soft" like French or Italian or something. But that's just the language, I don't think Germans sound mean when they speak English. And once you actually understand German it sounds nicer - for people who don't understand it, all they hear is nasty, hard sounds.
ReplyDeleteI am glad you understand the Germans. :) I guess once you live in the country you can see that Germans are not that bad in general. Sure, the language does not sound as lovely as French or Italian but not all Germans are mean. :)
DeleteI think if people actually heard German they wouldn't think that, but it's all so exaggerated on television, and people think of Hitler's speeches. Sometimes my boyfriend says stuff and it does sound the "angry" German, but it's so rarely. I love how German sounds!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you say that you love how German sounds. I guess not many people say that. :) I think once you get to know the Germans you can see that we do not all talk like Hitler or that we aren't angry all the time.
DeleteMy college sweetheart was from Romania, and whenever he spoke on the phone to his mother, I'd ask him if they were fighting. Whenever he spoke Romanian, he always sounded angry, even when he wasn't! Some accents just sound different to different ears :)
ReplyDeleteHaha, that is so funny. I know what you mean, I have a friend from Romania and when he and his mom talk in their mother language it always sounds like they fight as well. I guess some languages just sound meaner than others.
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