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GERMAN LANGUAGE

Alsatian: German dialect to be taught in French schools for the first time

For years, the German dialect of Alsatian was banned in its local region of Alsace, France - but nursery school children in the area now have a chance to immerse themselves in their linguistic heritage.

Published: 19 October 2023 09:50 CEST
Immersed Alsatian classes France
Teacher Sandra Cronimus teaches a nursery class immersed in Alsatian in Brumath, eastern France on October 12th, 2023. Photo: FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP

In a school in eastern France, teacher Sandra Cronimus greets her pupils every morning with a lusty “Guede morje!”

She is speaking Alsatian, the German dialect spoken widely in Alsace, a wealthy border region that France and Germany have fought over three times since 1870.

Long forbidden, the language that legendary Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger grew up speaking, is now being taught for the first time in French state schools.

“Clap your hands if you like going to school,” Cronimus urged her class of three and four year olds, who responded to the roll with “Ich bin do” — “I’m here” in Alsatian.

The 15 children at the Rainbow nursery school in Brumath, north of Strasbourg, are taught three quarters of the time in either Alsatian or German, with the rest in French.

Three other schools near the city on the Rhine have also started teaching in Alsatian, a rarity in a country where regional languages have been pushed to the verge of extinction by a centralising state, ever-vigilant of threats to French national identity.

READ ALSO: The surprising places around the world where German is still spoken

‘They forbade us from speaking’

Brumath’s mayor Etienne Wolf is delighted by the change.

“When I was a child they forbade us from speaking Alsatian,” said the 68-year-old.

“I want to defend Alsatian, which is falling away” particularly among young people, he added. “Often people understand it but don’t speak it anymore.”

Classroom assistant Corinne Husser is equally overjoyed to be able to speak her first language with the children. “It’s great, it’s the first time I have been able to work in Alsatian,” she said.

Alsatian classes France

Pupils take part in a nursery class immersed in Alsatian in Brumath, eastern France on October 12th, 2023. Photo: FREDERICK FLORIN / AFP

While Alsatian is spoken by around half a million people, the dialect in Brumath is not exactly the same as the one spoken by Cronimus, who comes from a village in the northern Vosges.

And it is different again to what is spoken 150 kilometres (93 miles) to the south at the other end of the region. “In Altkirch it’s completely different,” said the teacher, who switches easily between German, Alsatian and French with the children.

Cronimus got extra training from language experts to take on “this new challenge”.

Alsatian is already taught with German in a dozen community schools across Alsace run by the private ABCM network. Several take an immersive approach, with no French at all spoken in class.

Rapid decline

Pierre Klein, the president of the Alsace Bilingual Federation, said it was a pity that the state schools did not follow their lead as “they could have fully benefitted from the advantages of immersion”.

Even so he welcomed the belated official “recognition of the value of being bilingual given the rapid decline in the use of the dialect… particularly among the under 50s.”

However, Wolf said that the big problem with the completely immersive approach “is finding the people capable of teaching it”.

READ ALSO: What you need to know about Germany’s four minority languages

Local education officials are already struggling to recruit teachers for bilingual French-German classes, in which one in five children in the Strasbourg area are taught.

Parents too were clearly worried about signing up for an experimental project.

“At the beginning only three pupils were signed up but before others were won over,” said Cronimus.

Those that have signed up don’t seem to be disappointed.

Celine Babin, 40, admitted that she “hesitated a little” before putting her son Paul into the class. Now, however, she is convinced it will help him with other languages. “And also, Alsatian is part of our culture,” she added.

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GERMAN LANGUAGE

‘Umpf’: Six noises to help you sound like a German

You may think fancy vocab is the only way to impress your friends in German, but these quirky noises could actually be the key to sounding like a local.

Published: 24 April 2024 17:23 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:39 CEST
'Umpf': Six noises to help you sound like a German

For most German-language learners, it’s a familiar scenario: you kick off your language journey with textbooks and courses and eventually start to get comfortable with the tricky grammar and vocabulary.

But as soon as you start talking to a native speaker, you’ll probably hear several words you’ve never heard before – and even a few confusing noises that are hard to decipher.

These funny sounds – which are usually described as discourse markers by linguists – can be used to express anything from exhaustion to surprise, or even to check whether the person you’re talking to is listening.

If you want to sound like a native, it’s worth getting familiar with these quirky noises and trying to incorporate them in your everyday speech.

The good news is that they’re a lot more fun to use than the tricky words you learn in language schools.

What’s more, they’re an easy way to add some natural flair and personality to your German.

READ ALSO: What are the different levels in German and how do I reach them?

Tja

Hearing this word can be confusing for foreigners, because it may sound an awful lot like “ja”, or yes.

But rather than being an affirmative response to a question, ‘tja’ is often used ahead of a contradiction or as an expression of scepticism, similar to the English word “well”.

You may also hear “tja”, or even “ja”, simply used as filler words for the speaker to buy time to think about what they’re saying. For example, if a stranger asks you if the next train to Dresden leaves from Platform 3, you may respond with “Ja… nein”, if you aren’t quite sure of the answer.

Another key meaning of ‘tja’ is best summed by a meme that defines it as a the typical German response to the apocalypse, nuclear war, alien attack or having no bread in the house.

When something catastrophic has happened – like the apolocalypse or an empty bread shelf – it can be taken to mean either “I told you so” or “sh*t happens”, casting an ironic light over the gloomy situation.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

Hä

This is a word you won’t read in the German textbooks, but “hä” is a sure-fire way to sound more German in your conversations.

Much like the English “huh?”, you can use “hä?” to express surprise or incomprehension. If a friend from your German course tells you they actually enjoy learning German grammar, then a disbelieving “hä?” is probably an apt response.

In a more banal context, if you haven’t quite understood what somebody’s said, a gentle “hä?” could stand in for the more polite and formal, “wie bitte?”.

A word of warning, though: “hä?” is viewed as very informal and can even be construed as rude in certain situations, so be sure to only use it among people you’re very friendly and familiar with.

Here’s how you pronounce it.

READ ALSO: German word of the day – Hä?

Ne

Whether you’re a fan of German podcasts or have a few German friends who enjoy to speak at length about the world, you’ve probably come across ‘ne’ at some point or other.

It’s generally used at the end of sentences to check that the other person is listening and has understood, similar to the English “right?” or “you know?”.

For that reason, it often has a high inflection, as if you’re asking a question – though you don’t necessarily expect a response.

So next time you embark on a long rant in German, try interjecting a “ne?” or two. This can add variety to your tone and at the very least ensure the other person hasn’t fallen asleep halfway through.

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

Auwa

When a German child trips and falls over at the Spielplatz, the first thing they may shout is, “Auwaaaaa!” before calling on their parents to come and comfort them.

But it’s not just the little ones who use this noise to express pain in Germany – adults will also emit an occasional “auwa!” if they accidentally stub their toe.

A sad teddy bear with broken arm

A sad teddy bear with a broken arm. “Auwa” is the most German way to respond to a painful accident. Photo: Photo by Trym Nilsen on Unsplash

An alternative to “auwa” is the more English-style “auch!”, which is pronounced the same as “ouch!” but spelled differently. This can also be used to respond to a comment that stings a little, as a good-natured way of letting someone know your feelings were hurt.

Here’s how “auwa” is pronounced.

Puh

Though hearing this word may bring some toilet humour to mind, “puh” has less to do with bodily functions than you might expect.

It’s actually more similar to the English word “phew”, which is used to express tiredness or relief.

One scenario you might use “puh” is after running to the bus stop to catch the last bus home. Once you sprint through the doors and sink into your seat, you may let out an exhausted “puh!” to show your relief at having made it.

Before you forget the more childish connotations entirely though, it’s worth knowing you can also use “puh” when encountering something disgusting.

If it’s your turn to take out the Biomüll and the rotten vegetables are starting to emit a foul odour, you might say, “Puh! Es stinkt!” (Ew! It stinks!”), before hurrying to the bins as fast as you can. 

Here’s how it’s pronounced.

READ ALSO: 12 colourful German expressions that’ll add swagger to your language skills 

Uff / Umpf

If you’ve ever eaten an entire bowl of Käsespätzle, you probably know the sensation of feeling so full you’re about to burst.

For precisely this situation, you’ll need to know “umpf” or “uff”. Both of these words neatly sum up that feeling of being stuffed to the brim with food – but not necessarily in a bad way.

A bit like “oof!” in English, “uff” and “umpf” are ways of showing that you’re both sated and a little bit sleepy after a big meal. With Germany’s very hearty cuisine, they’re both expressions that you’ll need in your life fairly often.

Here’s how “uff” is pronounced.

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