German loanwords in English follow English rules, with nouns being capitalized only if they are proper nouns like Volkswagen or if they derive from a proper noun, such as Rottweiler.
Pronunciation of German loanwords in American English depends on the popularity and common usage of the word, even if it differs from the original German pronunciation.
Deep dives
Learning German words in English
In this podcast episode, Shauna teaches listeners about the influence of German words in the English language. Just like in a previous episode about French words, Shauna presents ten German words and their meanings. She explains that lone words, borrowed from other languages, are important to pay attention to their pronunciation. She offers tips on how to pronounce certain German sounds in English and emphasizes the importance of trying to pronounce words somewhat correctly. Shauna also shares personal experiences of traveling to German-speaking countries and developing a close friendship with a German exchange student.
Cultural exchange and friendship
Shauna recounts her experiences of traveling to Europe as a teenager and spending time in Switzerland, Austria, and Germany. She talks about her deep appreciation for the landscapes, coffee culture, and cuisine in these countries. She then introduces her German friend Nina, who she met through a water polo team. Shauna highlights the similarities between them, such as their love for silliness, wanderlust, and shared experiences in exploring different cultures. The episode highlights the value of cultural exchange and the strong bond that developed between Shauna and Nina as they became like sisters.
Building and maintaining a strong friendship
Shauna shares how her friendship with Nina continued beyond their time living together. They stayed in touch through letters and care packages, and their relationship grew stronger over time. Shauna reflects on the importance of actively choosing to keep someone in your life and make the effort to stay connected. She also discusses the cultural differences in celebrating important milestones, such as turning 18, and the ways in which they celebrated together. The episode explores the enduring nature of their friendship and the impact it had on Shauna's life.
It's story time! Welcome to a true story about my friend, Nina, who is from Berlin, Germany. In the story of our friendship you'll learn 10+ German loanwords in English. A loanword is a words borrowed from a foreign language.
American English has many German words; how do we pronounce them? Well, I know a lot of you are saying we butcher them, that's okay (I don't disagree with you!) In general, the pronunciation of a words depends on how popular / common a word is. If a German word is common in American English, naturally, there's an expected way to pronounce it, even if it's not how it is pronounced normally in German.
The goal of this episode is to teach you how we pronounce the common ones and what to do when you come across uncommon loanwords. Here is a sample of some of the words in today's episode.
doppelgänger
wanderlust
schadenfreude
Volkswagen
kindergarten
Rottweiler
gesundheit!
fest
angst or angsty
waltz
über
kaput
Note: German loanwords in English follow English rules! While nouns are capitalized in German, in English, they are lowercase UNLESS they are proper nouns like Volkswagen OR if they derive from a proper noun, such as Rottweiler. Diacritical marks, such as the umlaut, are optional!
***** Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.