Course Introduction: German

Foreign Language Courses | Foreign Language II: German

Every year, in the very first German class, I ask the students why they chose to study German. What they tell me makes it clear that while they have a rich and vivid image of the traditional aspects of the German-speaking world, their impression of modern Germany is somewhat faint. This is likely because, when living in Japan, there are few opportunities to hear about how people actually live in Germany (even though we often hear that Germany is the world's third-largest economy by GDP). However, I believe that the true value of learning German lies precisely in the aspects that are difficult to see from Japan. And a tremendous chance awaits you right there.

In fact, what will probably catch your attention when you visit present-day Germany is the diversity of its population. Especially in major cities and university towns, the sheer variety of people’s backgrounds is apparent the moment you arrive there. Germany, after all, is a place where people from all over the world gather to study traditional yet continuously evolving academic fields, arts, and various specialized technologies, and to seize their career opportunities. Most of the people I became friends with in Germany came from, or had roots in, Eastern, Western, Northern, Southern, and Central Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and other parts of Asia, as well as North and South America. Furthermore, because there are cultural differences even within the German-speaking region itself, differences among people in Germany are not exceptions; they are the "default."

Imagine having a casual conversation with friends like that. Being constantly surprised by differences in premises and perspectives—from minor details to major ideas—is just a part of everyday life. Yet, that is exactly where the fascination lies! In Germany, the spirit of "freedom" that is naturally fostered in such an environment is simply in the air.

You have probably heard the phrase "expand your horizons by experiencing diversity" so many times by now that you might even be a little tired of it. But how do you imagine the actual path to getting there? At the very least, the path that begins to unfold before your eyes by learning German—a path that stretches far into the distance—is unbelievably vibrant and full of joy once you take that first step.

You might think, "But isn't German more difficult than Spanish, French, or Chinese?" It is true that German has various grammatical concepts that do not exist in English. However, that applies to any language, and the idea that German is uniquely difficult is nothing more than a myth. On the contrary, there are many aspects of German that are actually easier, compared with English, for instance; you can tell the pronunciation instantly just by looking at the spelling of a word. Once you memorize a certain number of pronunciation rules, you can imitate that somewhat cool sound of German words quite well. The high degree of freedom in word order is another fascinating aspect of German. In poems created by masters of this characteristic, there are many pieces of indescribable elegance. But I shall leave this aside for now, so you can discover their beauty on your own.

We, the German language instructors, who are deeply fascinated by German and love sharing its appeal, are truly looking forward to meeting you in class.

(Associate Professor Masataka Oki)