The German Language and the Real World


Book Description

Annotation. This collection of specially commissioned essays focuses on the forms, functions, and uses of contemporary German in the period of dynamic change following reunification. Some contributors address broad issueslanguage and national identity, the status of German as an international language, language change and attempts to fix the form of the language, and sociolinguistic variationwhile others examine topics of particular significance in the current sociopolitical climate. These include social change and linguistic variation in Berlin after the Wall, the political language of the Rightand Left, the speech of youth subcultures, language and gender, language and television, and language in intercultural communication. Reviews of the hardback edition ̀This volume fills a void in up-to-date English-language information on German linguistics. Highly recommended for all college and university collections, as well as public libraries.' Choice, 33: 3, November 1995 ̀The appearance of this collection is timely. . .it updates us on important, immediate issues affecting German language and society' ̀. . .while this work will be appreciated most by those focusing on sociolinguistics in the German-speaking context, those searching for comparative sociolinguistic material will find it a valuable source as well.' ̀All in all, Stevenson has organized an interesting and useful volume for Germanophile sociolinguists and for those interested in a multidimensional real German.' Language Learning, 46:1, March 1996.




The Position of the German Language in the World


Book Description

The Position of the German Language in the World focuses on the global position of German and the factors which work towards sustaining its use and utility for international communication. From the perspective of the global language constellation, the detailed data analysis of this substantial research project depicts German as an example of a second-rank language. The book also provides a model for analysis and description of international languages other than English. It offers a framework for strengthening the position of languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, Portuguese, Spanish and others and for countering exaggerated claims about the global monopoly position of English. This comprehensive handbook of the state of the German language in the world was originally published in 2015 by Walter de Gruyter in German and has been critically acclaimed. Suitable for scholars and researchers of the German language, the handbook shows in detail how intricately and thoroughly German and other second-rank languages are tied up with a great number of societies and how these statistics support or weaken the languages’ functions and maintenance.




The German Language


Book Description

The German Language introduces students of German to a linguistic way of looking at the language. Written from a Chomksyan perspective, this volume covers the basic structural components of the German language: syntax, morphology, phonetics, phonology, and the lexicon. Explores the linguistic structure of German from current theoretical perspectives. Written from a Chomksyan perspective, this volume covers the basic structural components of the German language: syntax, morphology, phonetics, phonology, and the lexicon. Serves as a valuable resource for students of German language and literature and for linguists with little or no background in the language. Includes exercises, definitions of key terms, and suggestions for further reading.




The German-Speaking World


Book Description

This accessible textbook offers students the opportunity to explore for themselves a wide range of sociolinguistic issues relating to the German language and its role in societies around the world. It is written for undergraduate students who have a sound practical knowledge of German but who have little or no knowledge of linguistics or sociolinguistics. It combines text with practical exercises and discussion questions to stimulate readers to think for themselves and to tackle specific problems. In Part One Patrick Stevenson invites readers to investigate and reflect on issues about the status and function of the German language in relation to its speakers and to speakers of other languages with which it comes into contact. In Part Two the focus shifts to the forms and functions of individual features of the language. This involves, for example, identifying features of regional speech forms, analysing similarities and differences between written and spoken German, or looking at the 'social meaning' underlying different forms of address. Part Three explores the relationship between the German language and the nature of 'Germanness'. It concentrates on people's attitudes towards the language, the ways in which it is changing, and their views on what it represents for them.




German


Book Description

Thousands of years ago, seafront clans in Denmark began speaking the earliest form of Germanic language--the first of six "signal events" that Ruth Sanders highlights in this marvelous history of the German language. Blending linguistic, anthropological, and historical research, Sanders presents a brilliant biography of the language as it evolved across the millennia. She sheds light on the influence of such events as the bloody three-day Battle of Kalkriese, which permanently halted the incursion of both the Romans and the Latin language into northern Europe, and the publication of Martin Luther's German Bible translation, a "People's" Bible which in effect forged from a dozen spoken dialects a single German language. The narrative ranges through the turbulent Middle Ages, the spread of the printing press, the formation of the nineteenth-century German Empire which united the German-speaking territories north of the Alps, and Germany's twentieth-century military and cultural horrors. The book also covers topics such as the Gothic language (now extinct), the vast expansion of Germanic tribes during the Roman era, the role of the Vikings in spreading the Norse language, the branching off of Yiddish, the lasting impact of the Thirty Years War on the German psyche, the revolution of 1848, and much more. Ranging from prehistoric times to modern, post-war Germany, this engaging volume offers a fascinating account of the evolution of a major European language as well as a unique look at the history of the German people. It will appeal to everyone interested in German language, culture, or history.




Basic German


Book Description

Suitable for both independent study and class use, this text comprises an accessible reference grammar and related exercises in a single volume.




Intelligent Tutoring Systems


Book Description

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Intelligent Tutoring Systems, ITS 2016, held in Zagreb, Croatia, in June 2016. The 20 revised full papers, 32 short papers, 35 posters, and 7 young researchers’ track papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 147 submissions. The specific theme of the ITS 2016 conference is "Adaptive Learning in Real World Contexts". ITS 2016 covers a wide range of topics such as: intelligent tutoring; informal learning environments, learning as a side effect of interactions; collaborative and group learning, communities of practice and social networks; simulation-based learning and serious games; dialogue and discourse during learning interactions; co-adaptation between technologies and human learning; ubiquitous and mobile learning environments; empirical studies of learning with technologies, understanding human learning on the web; adaptive support for learning, models of learners, diagnosis and feedback; modeling of motivation, metacognition, and affect aspects of learning; recommender systems for learning; virtual pedagogical agents and learning companions; ontological modeling, semantic web technologies and standards for learning; multi-agent and service oriented architectures for learning and tutoring environments; educational exploitation of data mining and machine learning techniques; instructional design principles or design patterns for educational environments; authoring tools and development methodologies for advanced learning technologies; domain-specific learning technologies, e.g. language, mathematics, reading, science, medicine, military, and industry; non conventional interactions between artificial intelligence and human learning; and privacy and security in e-learning environments.




The German Language in British Higher Education


Book Description

The discipline of German Studies in English-speaking countries is in crisis and the situation in British Higher Education can be seen as a paradigmatic example. Symptoms of the crisis are a dramatic decrease in the number of students, financial difficulties and the resulting closures of German Departments. Furthermore, the language skills which finally emerge from universities are not always satisfactory. The present book sheds light on key aspects of the institutionalised teaching and learning of German language in the UK. The first part - the macro-context - surveys the socio-political developments that have recently affected the sector of modern languages and specifically the discipline of German Studies. The second part - the micro-context -, zooms in to the teaching and learning as experienced from both students' and teachers' perspective. Ultimately, by linking the macro-analysis with the micro findings, the present book proposes a number of strategies which could contribute to the optimisation and enhancement of teaching and learning German in British Higher Education.




Mastering German: A Comprehensive Guide to Fluent Speaking


Book Description

Embark on a transformative journey to fluency with "Mastering German: A Comprehensive Guide to Fluent Speaking." This meticulously crafted guidebook offers a roadmap for language learners of all levels, presenting ten immersive chapters packed with indispensable insights and practical strategies. From laying the groundwork with foundational language skills to mastering pronunciation, grammar, and cultural nuances, each section equips readers with the tools needed to confidently navigate the German-speaking world. With expert advice on vocabulary acquisition, conversational fluency, and overcoming common challenges, this book is an indispensable companion for anyone striving to unlock the rich tapestry of the German language. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced learner, "Mastering German" is your key to unlocking a world of possibilities through language mastery. Embark on your linguistic journey today and discover the joy of fluent German communication.




Studies on German-Language Islands


Book Description

The contributions in this volume present cutting-edge theoretical and structural analyses of issues surrounding German-language islands, or Sprachinseln, throughout the world. The individual topics of study in this volume focus on various aspects of these German-language islands such as (but not limited to) phonological, morphological, syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic aspects of these languages under investigation. Collectively, the body of research contained in this volume explores significantly under-researched topics in the fields of language contact and language attrition and illustrates how this on-going research can be enhanced through the application of formal theoretical frameworks and structural analyses.