- Paperback: 144 pages
- Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (May 11 1996)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 0844225134
- ISBN-13: 978-0844225135
- Product Dimensions: 23 x 15.3 x 0.9 cm
- Shipping Weight: 249 g
- Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (11 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #419,675 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Review
31. FRIENDS AND ACQUAINTANCES (Sie and du)
German-speakers tend to be more formal and reserved than do some other cultures in conducting their personal and business affairs. As in other European languages, German has both a formal and a familiar form for "you." The formal "Sie" is used to address strangers, business associates, and acquaintances (Bekannte, as opposed to close friends, Freunde), and for most situations outside the family. For family and relatives, close friends, young children, pets, and God, the familiar "du" is used ("ihr" -- "you guys" -- in the plural). People in the same social group or class, such as students or factory workers, usually address each other as du, but white-collar workers and professionals rarely do so.
Although there has been a tendency in recent years towards less formality -- generally, the younger the person, the more likely they are to use du instead of Sie -- visitors from outside the culture are wise not to adopt this informal approach too quickly. It is better to risk being too formal rather than too familiar. When in doubt, use Sie. Think of Sie as the proper form to use when you might address someone as Mr. or Mrs. so-and-so, rather than by their first name. Using a familiar, first-name approach in the wrong situation could be insulting or demeaning, a faux pas that one usually wants to avoid in any business and social dealings.
While the Germans and the Swiss (the Austrians less so) are often thought of as cold, and a friendship takes longer to establish, that friendship is often deep and enduring. Casual friendships, American style, are less common.
In Germanic-culture business situations, you should never use a person's first name. It is too easy for Americans or other English-speakers to falsely assume that because a German-speaker is being friendly and congenial, it is all right to become more familiar. But such premature familiarity makes most Germans uncomfortable, even though they might not say so. It is advisable to allow your Austrian, German, or Swiss counterpart to decide when or if a less formal relationship is appropriate. --
Book Description
For All Students Ideal for a variety of courses, this completely up-to-date, alphabetically organized handbook helps students understand how people from German-speaking nations think, do business, and act in their daily lives.
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Most helpful customer reviews
3.0 out of 5 stars
Useful, entertaining--but not completely reliable.,
This review is from: The German Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs in the German-Speaking World (Paperback)
This is an informative little book written in a very readable style, in which a "foreigner" can learn quite a bit about German behavior, attitudes and customs. Not surprisingly, the less you already know about life in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, the more useful it is. One thing I don't much like is that the 77 brief articles are listed in alphabetical order by title, instead of by subjects or themes. Shouldn't "At the table" (6) and "Dining" (21) be grouped together instead of appearing 25 pages apart? And why not put something like "Greetings and common courtesies" (36) at the beginning of the book? Another problem is that some of the information has become dated. The introduction of the Euro has pretty much killed the discussion on currency, for example, and the abolition of customs and passport controls among the EU countries has advanced considerably since the book was published. The same is true for things like store opening hours and rules about having sales and giving discounts. These things are inevitable, of course, but they do affect the usefulness of the book. Nevertheless, this is an entertaining way to learn more about the people who live in the German-speaking countries of Europe, and it even boasts some humor. My favorite line is: "On a sweltering train the window remains closed because Germans seem to think that a draft will kill you quicker than heat prostration." How true!!
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very, very good,
By ALFIE A MAHMOUD (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The German Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs in the German-Speaking World (Paperback)
Great book. Very insightful. Great "ice-breaker" for conversations with Germans. If you visit Germany, compare what you learn in the book with what you experience for yourself while there.I hope the author updates the info and keeps this reference current (otherwise this would be a five star). Great book, really added to my trip to Germany.
5.0 out of 5 stars
The German Way is great!,
By DU "deb new mom" (AZ United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The German Way: Aspects of Behavior, Attitudes, and Customs in the German-Speaking World (Paperback)
I love this book! I am taking a German language class just for the fun of it, and I have since become more interested in Germany and German culture. This book is very interesting and has quite a bit of factual material. It is organized well (alphabetically by subject), and each section is short enough to read a few at a time, or a section or two while waiting in line or on my lunch break. The material presented is fascinating and gives you a look at a culture that appears similar to our own on the outside, but on the inside has many differences, and just as many 'idiosyncrasies' as our American culture.
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