Why is the German Speaking Market So Important?

Consider

• German is the native language of approximately 100 million people around the world.
• German is the official language of Germany and Austria and one of the official languages of Switzerland, Luxembourg and Liechtenstein. It is also one of the official languages of the European Union.
• After Russian, German is the most frequently spoken language in Europe and is the sixth most commonly spoken language in the world.
• German will continue to gain importance as a bridge language to Eastern Europe.
• German is a leading language in business, science, technology, engineering, diplomacy, history, theology, philosophy, psychology, art, music, and literature.
• In scientific publications, German is second only to English. 18% of books published worldwide are in German.
• Germany is arguably the most influential country in the European Community; and German has established itself as the language of commerce within the EC.
• Most international institutions recognize German as one of their official languages.

Many Germans Speak English; Do We Really Need to Translate our Documents?

Although English is the most widely spoken foreign language among German speakers, a number of areas and business activities require translation into German, such as:

• Internet- German is the second most widely used language on the web. A total of forty-two million German-speaking people are online worldwide.
• Trade- Germany is America's largest trading partner in Europe and its third largest worldwide. More than 1,100 companies from German-speaking countries have subsidiaries in the U.S., as do more than 750 U.S. companies in Germany.
• Exports- Germany is the destination of a significant share of U.S. exports to Europe.
• Trade Shows- Germany holds the most trade shows in the world, offering an excellent opportunity for selling products and services.
• Medical Industry- A significant number of all pharmaceuticals in the U.S. come from Germany and Switzerland; and substantial medical research is conducted in Germany.

Are There Different Dialects of German?

The huge linguistic diversity of the German language has an estimated fifty to two hundred fifty German dialects, depending on how one defines a dialect. These can be further broken down into sub-dialects, including variants of Austrian German and "Schwyzerdütsch", or Swiss German. In fact, regional variants of German can differ so greatly that communication becomes not only difficult across country borders, but even between German speakers in neighboring regions.

Luckily, High German serves as a standard in German communications. Contrary to common belief, the term does not imply any superiority to other dialects, but is a geographical term that evolved, in part, because of the invention of the printing press and the centuries' old efforts to develop and maintain a national language among German speakers. High German was spoken in the Northern regions of the German kingdoms and became the standard for the written language that later developed into today's Standard German. Because High German is taught in schools, all German speakers understand it. Most speak it, albeit often colored by a particular dialect.

Why Localize your German Translations

High German is both the written and spoken standard with which you will be able to reach any German-speaking audience. The German translator's challenge is to render a culturally neutral and universally understood text aimed at a target audience.
In some cases, a translation client may ask to reach a specific market or audience, a procedure called "localization". For example, the term for "bread roll" can be "Brötchen", "Schrippe", or "Semmel", etc., depending on where you happen to be. In Austria, whipped cream is "Schlagobers", in Germany "Schlagsahne", and in Switzerland, "Schlagrahm". Probably unimportant if you need to translate a technical document, but preparing a marketing piece for a particular country or region might require local flavor.

What is Standard German?

Standard German has undergone a recent spelling reform meant to simplify spelling rules. Despite the controversy generated, on August 1st, 1998, the new rules went in to force for all schools and government offices in all German-speaking countries. Today, old spellings are considered outdated, but not incorrect. The transitional period ending in 2005 allows for the coexistence of both spelling rules. Since August 1, 1999, most German-language media sources use the new spelling rules while most German speakers continue to write their native language as they always have. Translations, especially those of official documents, require use of the new spelling rules. For example, to translate a résumé in German, you are better off using the new rules to make a good impression. Discuss this with your translator.

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