English ♥ Language of my Heart
It is a great thing if you have mastered two languages well enough to think in both. It widens your horizon a lot, because then you can see the correlations between them. And if you use them like I am, then it allows you to shift between modes of thinking.
My mother tongue is German, and High German alone — I have not really mastered any of the German dialects but instead concentrated on learning German properly — and English.
I have also never used the French that I learned at school and therefore (malheuresement — French would have been the more beautiful English) forgotten most of it while I again concentrated on learning English properly. By reading many, many books and watching a lot of video series with subtitles.
In French, Italian, Latin, Spanish, Swedish, Egyptian, Greek or whatever, I can, however, only remember those words which have a relation to my beloved English or German.
Today, I regard English as my second native language, as I even prefer it as the language to express myself. Of course it also widens the audience a lot and I like to target people all over the World. So it was a logical decision to use English for my articles.
It is, however, also good for my creativity, since English is the Language of my Heart ♥.
While I am thinking in English, I am a slightly different version of myself. I am more carefree, creative, free-minded and optimistic.
While I am thinking in German, I am more logical, evaluating, rule-oriented, systematic.
I do not think that it is really the language that makes the difference, however, although this also fits, as English is a little easier than German on the one hand. It is also less logical on the other hand, as it is such a mixture of so many languages: Northern German / Dutch, Saxon, French, Latin, Norse plus the original Gaelic of the last people that can today be regarded as the original natives of that precious little island. There is absolutely no way to predict the way an English word is spelled.
There is absolutely no way to predict the way an English word is spelled.
English is a real bastard language, fertilised and smoothed in so many waves of (carefree?) conquest that it now truly deserves to be the World Language for Business and Science:
- It is really easy to learn compared to all other European languages (except Spanish),
- English has a huge vocabulary from its many different roots, which allows to distinguish between similar, but yet not the same things. Like car, van, limousine, bus, sedan, convertible, jeep, SUV, etc. are all names for box wagons on (mostly four) wheels.
However, I think that what makes the difference much more for me is that I learned English as the language of (strategy) computer games, (science fiction) novels and video series. The use of English was for me usually connected to free time, free decisions, free mind.
So now, as I have mastered the language to a degree that allows to freely express myself, creative writing feels better for me to in English. And so I guess my output is also better, but hard to say, as the thought of translating my own copy into German feels wrong to me.
Serious matters, however, I still prefer to discuss in German.
Since German is the language of my Mind.
But I truly love the Queen’s English and always just had one problem with it that becomes especially obvious if you are a Presentation Designer:
>> The rules of upper and lower case.
I remember the time when I started to write my first presentations in English, what quickly became the standard for more than a decade. It was in the Design Agency Solutions in Hamburg where we were just discussing the fact that most Americans did not really use the official rules for upper and lower case, at least not in HEADLINES. Our customer also did not, but we did not understand the system they used. They did something similar as I am doing here on one chart about the Pool° Organisation (which is the Future of Work):
Fortunately we had this great colleague, Kevin L. Bauer who is an American in the best sense, carefree and honest. He told us that unfortunately, there are no rules for this, Americans are just doing it as they like, thinking why not?
It was good that Kevin told me that, so I never tried to find a logic behind the headline cases. I did, however, experiment a lot with the rules of upper and lower case when I was writing here on LinkedIn. I experimented, I tried different systems or did what just felt right at the moment — ‘why not?’ (I would never have done experiments like this in German).
Another case where the upper and lower case rules are not obeyed are song titles:
Now I am finished with my experiments, and my result is that I could not find a better system than the German rules for upper and lower case.
Nowadays, the German rules are also superior to the English standard in my opinion. Reason for this are all the brand names that are used in our language today.
Example: It makes no sense in my opinion that Pepsi is written in upper case and orange is not. But Orange as the NAME of a fruit should be written in upper case as well.
Also not logical: In English, Coca Cola is written in upper case, but in the moment the product becomes a commodity, the logic changes and we are drinking any cola.
In English, a miracle is lower case. Or dignity of soul is lower case. A virtue like honesty is lower case. But Tinder is upper case. Brands get a higher importance than they deserve.
As the British are now leaving the EU, I would like to propose EU English — the same as British English, but with the German rules for upper and lower case. I will for sure introduce this as Pool°English and use it in my articles and posts on the Pool°.
Feel invited to tell me what you think about this idea. Below, you will find the same text again but written in Pool°English (soon EU-English?).
★ ★ ★
Dear Reader: Thank you for reading my article! I hope that I could inspire you — or at least made it interesting enough.
Please feel invited to comment — what you think about it, what you like/dislike & what it inspired in you…
As a professional, I am relying on feedback & used to getting it.
★
OSS° // Office of Strategic Services
>> PACKAGING INNOVATION & CONSULTING
>> WEB & SOCIAL MEDIA BRANDING
>> STORYTELLING & INFORMATION DESIGN
Brands need to be authentic in a World in which Internet & Social Media give Access to all Kinds of Opinions & Information — Your Stories will be put to the Test.
Be smart and design the Stories & Information about You. Content Marketing is great and it is the Future, but good Content needs to be great Storytelling well designed.
★ ★ ★
It is a great thing if you have mastered two Languages well enough to think in both. It widens your Horizon a lot, because then you can see the Correlations between them. And if you use them like I am, then it allows you to shift between Modes of Thinking.
My Mother tongue is German, and High German alone — I have not really mastered any of the German Dialects but instead concentrated on learning German properly — and English.
I have also never used the French that I learned at School and therefore (malheuresement — French would have been the more beautiful English) forgotten most of it while I again concentrated on learning English properly. By reading many, many Books and watching a lot of Video series with Subtitles.
In French, Italian, Latin, Spanish, Swedish, Egyptian, Greek or whatever, I can, however, only remember those Words which have a Relation to my beloved English or German.
Today, I regard English as my second native Language, as I even prefer it as the Language to express myself. Of course it also widens the Audience a lot and I like to target People all over the World. So it was a logical Decision to use English for my Articles.
It is, however, also good for my Creativity, since English is the Language of my Heart ♥.
While I am thinking in English, I am a slightly different Version of myself. I am more carefree, creative, free-minded and optimistic.
While I am thinking in German, I am more logical, evaluating, rule-oriented, systematic.
I do not think that it is really the Language that makes the Difference, however, although this also fits, as English is a little easier than German on the one Hand. It is also less logical on the other Hand, as it is such a Mixture of so many Languages: Northern German / Dutch, Saxon, French, Latin, Norse plus the original Gaelic of the last People that can today be regarded as the original Natives of that precious little Island. There is absolutely no Way to predict the Way an English word is spelled.
English is a real Bastard Language, fertilised and smoothed in so many Waves of (carefree?) Conquest that it now truly deserves to be the World Language for Business and Science:
- It is really easy to learn compared to other European Languages (except Spanish),
- English has a huge Vocabulary from its many different Roots, which allows to distinguish between similar, but yet not the same Things. Like Car, Van, Limousine, Bus, Sedan, Convertible, Jeep, SUV, etc. are all Names for Box Wagons on (mostly four) Wheels.
However, I think that what makes the Difference much more for me is that I learned English as the Language of (Strategy) Computer Games, (Science-Fiction) Novels and Video Series. The use of English was for me usually connected to free Time, free Decisions, free Mind.
So now, as I have mastered the Language to a Degree that allows to freely express myself, Creative Writing feels better for me in English. And so I guess my Output is also better, but hard to say, as the Thought of translating my own Copy into German feels wrong to me.
Serious Matters, however, I still prefer to discuss in German.
Since German is the Language of my Mind.
But I truly love the Queen’s English and always just had one Problem with it that becomes especially obvious if You are a Presentation Designer:
>> The Rules of Upper and Lower Case.
I remember the Time when I started to write my first Presentations in English, what quickly became the standard for more than a Decade. It was in the Design Agency Solutions in Hamburg where we were just discussing the Fact that most Americans did not really use the official Rules for Upper and Lower Case, at least not in HEADLINES. Our Customer also did not, but we did not understand the System they used. They did something similar as I am doing here on one Chart about the Pool° Organisation (which is the Future of Work):
Fortunately we had this great Colleague, Kevin L. Bauer who is an American in the best sense, carefree and honest. He told us that unfortunately, there are no real Rules for this, Americans are just doing it as they like, thinking why not?
It was good that Kevin told me that, so I never tried to find a Logic behind the Headline Cases. I did, however, experiment a lot with the Rules of upper and lower Case when I was writing here on LinkedIn. I experimented, I tried different Systems or did what just felt right at the Moment — ‘why not?’ (I would never have done Experiments like this in German).
Another Case where the upper and lower Case Rules are not obeyed are Song Titles:
Now I am finished with my Experiments, and my Result is that I could not find a better System than the German Rules for Upper and Lower Case.
Nowadays, the German rules are also superior to the English standard in my Opinion. Reason for this are all the Brand Names that are used in our Language today.
Example: It makes no Sense in my Opinion that Pepsi is written in upper Case and Orange is not. But Orange as the NAME of a Fruit should be written in upper Case as well.
Also not logical: In English, Coca Cola is written in upper Case, but in the Moment the Product becomes a Commodity, the Logic changes and we are drinking any Cola.
In English, a Miracle is lower Case. Or Dignity of Soul is lower Case. A Virtue like Honesty is lower Case. But Tinder is upper Case. Brands get a higher Importance than they deserve.
As the British are now leaving the EU, I would like to propose EU English — the same as British English, but with the German rules for upper and lower Case. I will for sure introduce this as Pool°English and use it in my Articles and Posts on the Pool°.
Feel invited to tell me what you think about this Idea. This was the same Text again but written in Pool°English (soon EU-English?).
★