the more they stay the same. After all the German learning run around, I finally felt moved by the spirit last week to register for the B1 test in November. Upon reviewing in the VHS course schedule I checked my understanding with my work colleagues:
H: Colleague K, read this--does this say I must call this person in order to register to take this test?
K: Yes, Heather. Hmm. They probably want to speak with you, to make sure that you speak enough German to take the test.
(hmm)
So I call the woman...
H: I'd like to register for this test in November.
VHS Frau Doktor: Yes, you need to come in and take a test.
H: I need to take a test in order to be able to take the test?
VHS FD: Yes. You may come tomorrow between 3 and 4, or Wednesday mornings, from 9-10 are my open door office hours.
H: Okey dokie. (eyes rolling)
So I appear during open office hours. She questions me--is this a requirement of my staying in Germany? (no). Is this a requirement for my residency permit, to show proof of German skills (no). Then why do you want to take this test? So that I can go home to America next year, having passed this test in Germany. (Oh, of course). Not exactly true as I have no plans to return home to America, but I was tired of having this conversation.
VHS FD: OK, so then you only need to take this short written section then, it's the last section of the test. Here's a chair, 30 minutes, go ahead.
H: (freaking A). So I plod along, writing a letter which is a response to a letter, focusing my paragraphs on four key points as required in the instructions.
Upon handing it in:
VHS FD: Yes, you will pass the test with this level of German. If you want to get a high pass though, you need to write at least two more paragraphs. Length is a requirement for a high pass. But, you may keep the entire practice test, and fill out this card, and you're registered.
Upon returning to the office, because I had to miss work hours to go on this adventure:
Colleague 1: So H, are you allowed to take the test?
H: Freaking A. Yes. (grumble, grumble) Things are so difficult in your country. (This is to my German colleague, whom I sit across from and I've known for 5+ years, otherwise I tend to park the outright negativity to the country.)
C1: Why?
H: Because I just had to take part of the test, to register for the test.
C1: (Quizzical look.)
C2: (starts flipping through the practice test, and takes a pen to my writing, to correct it.)
H: That's the purpose of the test, to show that I can pass it. So I shouldn't have to take a pre-test to be allowed to take the test, else what is the purpose here.
C1: They want to help you. They don't want you to fail.
H: But colleague C1, it's my own fault if I fail, then I shouldn't be registering for a test I cannot pass.
C1: H, they want to protect you!
H: (thinking) from myself?
C2: H, your writing is really poor....
C1: How do they do this in the US? Anyone can register for any test?
C2: ...Well, but your speaking is better. No, not really, because really you don't speak enough; your speaking is also poor. But your primary problem there is just not using German enough. You should speak it more.
H to C2: It's B1 level, not fluency or entry to university.
H to C1: Yes, anyone can register for any test. It's your own fault if you are under-prepared.
C2: Really H, your written German is not very good. You should not have used 'haben' here. Well you could, but 'werden' sounds better.
H to C2: It's B1, readjust your grading level.
C2: What's B1?
H to C2: The level of the test and the expected writing level. What two German teachers have now said I have that enough of in order to pass.
C2: But it's wrong!!!
And that really is the crux of the matter, bless his little perfectionist heart, as he does mean well. Some days I do wonder...if I was in a German language environment (say in a different German-speaking country) where the native population didn't feel the need to pick apart every single written or spoken sentence, would I be more interested in acquiring the language? Or, had I had proper training before coming to Germany, so that I had some basis to start with upon arrival, would I be a little less sensitive to the constant correction, as there wouldn't be so much to correct.
Neither here nor there really as I'm not a lifer here. But something to consider, those of you reading me outside of Germany and planning to move here. ;-)
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5 comments:
Actually, I think it is only the atmosphere in which you are living. I speak my crappy German all the time and I am always begging people to correct me rather than to let me keep on being so wrong, and yet they won't. I am actually irate that I can't get my husband to correct my German and this is becoming more of a problem as I am afraid that I am corrupting my 5 year old's German (although she actually corrected me yesterday, and I thanked her for it.)
I am NOT racist, but the Germans do have a tendency to equate grammatical mistakes with racial inferiority. If you arrive here as an adult, you are probably doomed, because there is NO WAY you can master the language. Of course it is helpful if you are married to a German, at least then you get to practice in bed.
But for the rest of us, it means being giving pitying looks when you slip into akkusativ when genitiv would have been necessary.
g in berlin: come and visit in the Cologne area at any time, they will correct you to your heart's content, and you won't need to ask twice. or they'll switch to bad english ;-)
i agree with your 'atmosphere' point--it's spinning off a few other thoughts which i'll save for another post once i have them in order.
vailian: doomed on all fronts.
arrived too late to the party at almost 30, no german significant other, and no long term desire to stay for lofty aspirations such as a university degree.
Don't worry: any German spoken in bed (and there's none spoken in mine) certainly wouldn't get you very far in the business world. And My husband became fluent in English in his 30's, after his teacher in school thought (and told me) that he would never be fluent in English.
As for racism, Germans are racists, imho, and in the opinion of most Germans I know that have been outside Germany to recognize it. The racism directed towards those with poor German, is in my opinion, and that of my German husband, a validation of the racism felt toward other races. Germans tell me, and I have asked while tryng to decide whether to use my poor German or (very good) English, that they are glad that I am making the attempt and do not judge me negatively for my poor grammar. So keep trying! My next class starts October 27th.
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