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AUTOBAHN

German government rejects speed limit on Autobahn

Germany is not planning a general speed limit on German motorways, government spokesman Steffen Seibert said in Berlin on Monday.

Published: 28 January 2019 16:29 CET
German government rejects speed limit on Autobahn
The Autobahn in Baden-Württemberg. Photo: DPA

For language learners: we've highlighted some useful vocabulary in this news story. You'll find the German translations at the bottom of the article.

He added that there are already speed regulations throughout the German road network which are adapted to the respective traffic and environmental situation.

About 30 percent of the German Autobahn, or motorways, currently have a speed limit, according to Statista.

SEE ALSO: Eight things you never know about the German Autobahn

SEE ALSO: Fact check: will a general speed limit on Germany’s Autobahn be beneficial?

“There are also even more intelligent options to control the speed than a general speed limit,” added Seibert.

He did not elaborate, but rather said that the government is now waiting for “an expert working group” to present their results by the end of March on how to lower emissions from transport – after which it will work on measures based on their recommendations, he said.

Most recently, the working group, National Platform on the Future of Mobility, proposed a general speed limit of 130 kilometres per hour on German motorways, triggering a heated debate.

SEE ALSO: Germany considers Autobahn speed limit to fight climate change

In response, Transport Minister Andreas Scheuer (CSU) sharply spoke out against a speed limit, calling it “against all common sense.”

Scheuer pointed to the safety of German drivers in a global comparison, telling the newspaper “Bild am Sonntag” that “German motorways are the safest roads in the world”. The system of recommended speed limits also have proved to be effective, he added.

In an ARD survey, half of Germans (51 percent) were in favor of introducing a speed limit of 130 kilometers per hour on German motorways, while 47 percent of citizens are against a speed limit.

Germany has not reduced greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, even though overall emissions have been reduced by around 28 percent as of 2017, putting the country under a lot of pressure.

The German government, however, has announced a climate protection law for 2019 with concrete targets for the transport sector as well.

das Tempolimit – speed limit

Experten-Arbeitsgruppe – expert working group

im globalen Vergleich – in a global comparison

Die Umfrage – survey

die Hälfte – half

Treibhausgas-Emissionen – greenhouse gas emission

Verkehrsbereich -transport sector

Vorgaben – targets

We're aiming to help our readers improve their German by translating relevant vocabulary from our news stories of the day. Did you find articles like these useful? Do you have any suggestions? Let us know.

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LEARNING GERMAN

‘Forget about bilingual Kitas’: Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

With greater numbers of international workers choosing to settle in Germany and raise a family, the question of how to best raise bilingual children is often considered. 

Published: 25 April 2024 15:01 CEST
Updated: 28 April 2024 08:35 CEST
'Forget about bilingual Kitas': Key tips for raising bilingual kids in Germany

The Local asked its readers who have raised bilingual children in Germany to tell us how they managed to raise children who speak German in addition to their parent’s mother tongue. 

Trust the (school) system. 

One piece of advice was echoed by several readers: Trust the German education system to take care of teaching German through immersion. 

Siniša, 44, from Hesse, who speaks Croatian and English at home, told The Local: “Speak your native language at home. The school will ‘cover’ German and other languages.”

Steve, 55, who lives in Munich and speaks English and Spanish with his daughter agrees.

“Be consistent and raise your child in your native tongue. At a local school, they will learn German quickly,” he said.

Chris, 44, from Hamburg, who speaks English with his children, backed the idea of leaving kids’ schools to take charge of teaching them German.

“Get the kids into the German education system as early as possible and let them learn themselves from native speakers. As a bonus, they’ll pick it up quickly and not pick up a ‘non-German’ accent either,” he said.

Read more: ‘Multilingualism is an enrichment’ – The challenges of raisin bilingual kids in Germany

Readers also noted that even in the preschool stage, children can handle multiple languages. 

Julie, 41, who lives in Hamburg and speaks English and Italian at home, said: “Relax and go with the flow. Don’t get hung up on finding bilingual Kitas for toddlers if they already get significant exposure to the non-German language at home. Languages seem to develop in different spurts at different speeds.”

However, liaising with schools in Germany was noted as an essential skill. 

Kim, 46, based in Sindelfingen, with a family speaking both English and German, said: “It’s essential for at least one parent to understand German when children attend a German school. They can help explain language and cultural differences. They can also help with administrative matters and even homework.”

Maintain the mother tongue.

While readers were keen to encourage parents to trust the immersion process that German schools provide, they were also quick to advise a concerted effort to maintain speaking the mother tongue in and around the home. 

“For international parents, I think it’s very important that their children do not lose touch with their mother tongue, as it is a very special part of their identity,” said Prashanth, 42, who lives in Munich.

Anne-Marie, 52, from Frankfurt, who speaks ‘Singlish’ (Singaporean English) with her children, stated that it’s essential to be firm.

“Speak in your mother tongue to your kids from the day they are born. Be consequent about it, even in front of other people who do not speak your mother tongue,” she said.

Karl, 44, who lives in Celle and who speaks English and the indigenous American Ute language with his children, said getting family on board is important. 

“Communicate with all family members your decision, intentionally speak all of the languages, when possible provide translations so family members present are not excluded from conversations,” he said.

Charles, 40, from Berlin, even stated that speaking German at home may prove detrimental: “Don’t speak your own mediocre German with them. It may be hard to see them speaking another language as their more comfortable primary language than your own.”

Charles, who speaks English at home, added: “Find books and shows to share with them in your native language to continue the shared experience.”

Read More: What foreign parents should know about German schools

Just let it happen with the kids…

Sometimes, it seems, becoming bilingual takes care of itself. 

Paul, 40, from Munich, married to a German, said: “Our oldest just started speaking English one day around age 3. She had heard so much she could understand and just started talking. 

“The twins are starting to speak more and more English. It wasn’t a problem since she was fluent in both by age 4. I advise patience and not expecting perfection at a young age.

Crystal, 38, who lives in Nuremberg and speaks English at home, responded: “At first, my main concern was getting as much German into our lives as possible so my son would be ready for Grundschule. 

“Now I’m swinging the other way. My advice is to try to relax. There are always other things to worry about, and kids learn so much really quickly.”

…but also challenge yourself

Finally, respondents to The Locals’ survey repeated that raising bilingual children is something that requires a degree of effort – on the parent’s behalf. 

J.K, 40, who lives in Hanau and speaks English and Telugu at home, told The Local: “Language is very important for the kids to grow in a culture. 

“Parents should facilitate situations around the kid to better integrate locally. Parents (at least one) should be able to speak German at a level better than B1. 

“If not, supporting kids in their education is difficult, and this will hamper their chances of reaching a higher education level.”

Read More: Six surprising facts about Germany’s school system

Moreno, 40, who lives in Munich and speaks Portuguese with his children, was firm in his advice: “Don’t choose the easy way for you, parents. Don’t hide in your language community bubble. 

“If you intend to live in Germany for a long time, put your kids in German schools and get them in touch with the German community.

“If you don’t speak German like me, deal with it. But don’t transfer your problem to your kids.”

Have we missed any crucial advice for raising bilingual children in Germany? Tell us in the comments section below.

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