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Oktoberfest Is Here! Time To Learn German!

From September 20 thru October 5, 2008, Munich, Germany will once again hold Oktoberfest. For the pleasure of eloquating the multitude of drinks and food offered during the 16 days of the event, learn German online.

Oktoberfest will once again be held in Munich, Germany from September 20 thru October 5, 2008. For the excitement of eloquating the plethora of drinks and food available during the 16 days of the festival, learn German online.

Dishes and Food

The plentiful types of “wurst” (German sausages) are never far behind when you think of Oktoberfest. Beyond the usual frankfurter sausage, you will enjoy the bockwurst (chicken, turkey, lamb, pork with parsley, chives, white pepper, paprika, and salt), knackwurst (beef or pork with fresh garlic), and the bratwurst (veal, beef, and/or pork). To avoid making a fool of yourself, learn German to be able to speak the German monikers of these delicious sausages.

You’ll also get the opportunity to try the many kinds of spatzle, or noodles, the ideal accompaniment to beer. Common ingredients for the spatzle are various spices, flour, milk, eggs, and salt. Sample the cheese noodles with fried onions, the kasespatzle. These are so scrumptious that learning German, if only to show your appreciation, is a must.

German delicacies such as Apfelpfannenkuchen (apple pancakes), sauerkraut (fermented cabbage), and hendl (roasted chicken) need to also be tasted. And before you assume you need to not learn German for these, think again when you get to the beers.

Beers and Wines

More than anything else, Oktoberfest is famous for the plethora of beers and wines served in its 14 tents. You’ll be able to differentiate each one with a passable grasp of the language.

With high carbon dioxide levels, the sekt is made fizzier than most sparkling wines. Find the Deutscher Sekt if you know your wines well. Or, you can go for sekt formulated from Riesling, Pinot gris, and Pinot blanc grapes for that extremely special occassion.

German wheat beer can get you drunk. There are many kinds, like the traditional and unfiltered Hefeweizen, Kristallweizen (crystal wheat), Dunkelweizen (dark wheat), and Weizenstarkbier (strong wheat beer), to mention a few. You should learn German as quickly as you can, lest you confuse one with the other; the monikers hint at the alcohol strength – the darker the wheat component, the higher the alcohol levels, usually.

Most of all, get drunk on the marzen (pale lager), a specially-brewed Oktoberfestbier. There are numerous more kinds of wines and beers served on the Oktoberfest, with the Weinzelt tent serving as many as 15 wines!

Obviously, you do not have to study German to appreciate Oktoberfest. But if you want to make the most out of the experience, it is definitely a good start.

Of course, you need not study German to enjoy Oktoberfest, meet new people, dine on good cuisine, and drink bacchanalian pleasures. Still, it won’t hurt to learn German free to make yourself heard over the noisy joy that the Oktoberfest is.

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Learn German | Ten Fun Ways To Get Along At Oktoberfest

Germans love speed (Can you say BMW?) Speed is also deeply ingrained in American culture. Between commuting, emails, microwavable everything, it’s natural we want results and we want them now. How about learning German in just over a week? In the essence of these fast times, here are ten fun ways to learn to speak German uber fast. Was fällt dir denn eigentlich ein? (What’s the big idea?)

1. Go on Vacation

If you’ve always wanted to visit your great-grandfather’s hometown in Germany, there’s not a better time than today. The fastest way to speak German is to travel to Germany and submerge yourself in the language. Not only will you see historic architecture and beautiful countryside, but you’ll also perfect your essential German.

2. Take a Walk

Find German-speaking people in your neighborhood. In most large cities there are culture institutes with language exchange programs. Join a German conversation group, often sponsored by community outreach and heritage societies. . “Language is not a genetic gift, it is a social gift. Learning a new language is becoming a member of the club — the community of speakers of that language,” says Frank Smith, famed reporter, editor and the author of “The Book of Learning and Forgetting.”

3. Make it a Blockbuster Night

Watching a foreign film is another great way to learn German. Amazon suggests, “The Lives of Others”, “Run Lola Run,” and “The Pianist” as a few of the top internationally successful German flicks. You’ll hear German spoken fluently and learn to train your ear. Try to avoid subtitles or dubbing which will distract from the experience. (But you might turn them on after just to see how close you guessed at that 13-syllable word).

4. Become a Bookworm

Checking out German novels, travel guides and books that describe German are excellent resources to enrich the learning process. Parallel-text versions of (German and English side by side) of classics like “Socialism: Utopian and Scientific (Preface by: Karl Marx) by Frederick Engels, “The Eighteenth Brumair of Luis Bonaparte,” by Karl Marx, and “Dream Psychology: Psychoanalysis for Beginners,” By Sigmund Freud. It’s one thing to make a reference to Freud, but another thing to impress people by telling them you actually read the original text in German.

5. Turn on your Radio and TV

One of the key skills in learning a new language is how the mind comprehends the spoken word. Nowadays, many cable companies broadcast German programming. “When you know another language; you suddenly realize there is a multitude of worlds. You can become a member of EVERY club,” says Smith. In addition there are many German radio stations that can be accessed via the Internet such as radio (http://home.comcast.net/~dkalischer/WebRadio/GermanRadio.htm) or nab a learning cd, like this audio program (http://www.pimsleurapproach.com/learn-german.asp). An immersive audio experience can’t be beat for learning quickly.

6. Jam Out to German

Nab some great German tunes and take a look at the notes found on the inside cover. (Kraftwerk anyone?). These handy liner notes often have the song lyrics printed inside and are a great resource to expanding your German vocabulary. Listen to the tunes and skim the lyrics. Soon enough those catchy songs will stick to your brain and you’ll be belting out German with a native accent.

7. Play to Win

Studying a foreign language doesn’t have to be boring. Find your favorite games in German. You’ll quickly pick up on phrases and new vocabulary and have fun while doing it. This is a win-win situation. Playing your favorite games and learning? Who’d a thunk it? Oh and if you’re feeling especially frisky, test your German Scrabble skills. Viel Glück! (Good luck)

8. Get Creative

Put the mojo back into your language learning bag. One idea is to grab some sticky notes and write German words or phrases for everything all over your house. Deck out the living room, kitchen (Enjoy your meal! Guten Appetit!), garage, even the toilet paper in your bathroom (besides, that word will be very useful when you travel abroad) and it’s a fun way to boost your German vocabulary.

9. Express Yourself

Do you have a favorite German expression? Learn another one. Every time you learn an essential German phrase you’re expanding your word power. Soon enough, you’ll be speaking like a native. Warum ist mir das nicht eingefallen? (Why didn’t I think of that?)

10. German Class

When you’re ready, attend a class or get a tutor. The structure will help you develop a routine for quickly learning the language. Try the Pimsleur Approach (http://www.pimsleurapproach.com/learn-german.asp.com), which offers a fabulous program designed to make learning German actually fun. Forget about boring vocabulary lists and repeating pointless verbatim. Imagine simply listening and absorbing language in the same structure you learned as a child. Everything is broken down exactly the way kids learn. It’s simple, fully audio (so you can multitask) and is the easiest program to engage with the least amount of effort.

Now that you have several language learning ideas planted in that brain of yours, the next step is pick a few and run with them. Start incorporating bits of the German language and culture into your routine and soon enough you’ll be speaking like a native in no time. Learning German opens up so many opportunities. Smith sums it up perfectly; “One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”

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Mark Alan Effinger is a serial entrepreneur and published author. Currently focused on how media works in the internet age, you can reach Mark at RichContent.com or email at me@richcontent.com. For those of you who would rather talk than write, 360-609-9272 is a great way to get through.

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