"Ich kann Deutsch" exactly translates to "I can German." To us English speakers, that doesn't make any sense, but in German it's just understood that if you say "Ich kann Deutsch" or "Ich kann Englisch" that what you really mean is "I can speak German, English, etc." You could say "Ich kann Deutsch sprechen" which is "I can speak German" (or German speak, actually) but it's not required.
For those who weren't aware, now you know, I am learning how to speak German. It has been very interesting and so much fun. It has also helped me to realize just how much of a language geek I really am because I get just as excited (maybe even more) about German grammar as I do about English grammar!
It helps that I have been blessed with a wonderful professor. He's all geeky about grammar, too, and he is such a good teacher. And hilarious! My German class is by far the most fun of all my classes. In a recent class, I started laughing so hard that I was almost having trouble breathing. And I wasn't the only one. I am known to get giggly, but I don't normally laugh out loud alone for a prolonged period of time in a room full of people. I haven't quite reached that level of quirkiness.
I am however quirky enough to randomly speak German, even when I know no one around will understand me. My brother hears it more than anyone else and it seems to get on his nerves. :) Even though I think it's pretty cool that I can carry on a basic conversation and make exclamations, it surprises me how much I've learned in such a short period of time and how naturally it comes to me. It's only been about six months. And just recently my brother and I were leaving a coffee shop and I looked around the parking lot to locate my car and before I even thought to say "Where's the car?" I heard the words "Wo ist das Auto?" come out of my mouth. I'm thinking in German! Do you know how exciting that is?
I have no idea how far I'll take this. Will I learn it well enough to consider myself fluent? Will I go to a German speaking country one day? I don't know. I'll be interested in seeing what comes about.
I thought it was "Ich kenn Deutsch"
ReplyDeleteto "anonymous": "kenn" is slang for "kenne" which means "i know", but Germans don't use "know" in this way.
ReplyDelete1. In most foreign languages there are 2 kinds of "to know;" One is the familiar- "I know Gudrun, my classmate" (ich kenne). The other is the formal or academic "I know my ABC's or I know how to perform neurosurgery, or I know that Obama won the election" (ich weiss). Here the root verb is "wissen" which comes from the noun Wissen, which means knowledge.
2. In Germany, they have a handful of unique constructions. This is one of them. When saying where you're from or what your profession is, the most "normal" way to express that is to LEAVE OUT the ARTICLE "the," "a" or "an." Kennedy made the most famous mistake of saying he was a jelly doughnut when he meant to say he was a Berliner. In Germany you LEAVE OUT "ein" and just say "ich bin Berliner" (I am Berliner). Berliners are a type of doughnut in Germany, quite tasty, in fact.
And if you're a doctor you don't say "ich bin EIN Arzt" you say "ich bin Arzt" which goes for any carrier path, really.
Hey Emily! I tried messaging you on AIM, but it says "refused." Did we work together at Working America? This is Tim Freeman. Peace!
ReplyDeleteI'm not who you seem to think I am, I'm afraid. I don't remember a Tim Freeman, and I don't even know what Working America is. But I'd be interested to hear about how you found my blog.
ReplyDelete