Yeah, it's also very common. Like, if you collegue has their birthday on the weekend you won't necessarily call them, but you will wish a belated birthday the next time you see them.
@@Gert-DK I think in a scenario where you'd say that you are close enough that you'd call them on the day anyway. Just wish them a nice day or a nice party or something.
Yeah, the protection of the child should always stand over the ego of their parents. If the children want a strange name they can always take on an artist name later on.
In Germany you can always wish a belated happy birthday ("Herzlichen Glückwunsch nachträglich") - but don't do it before the actual birthday, because you never know what will happen in the meantime.
The weather thing is probably just personal preference. Also, dunno whether this is very different elsewhere, but in spring and autumn you get those annoying days where the temperature in the morning can be something like around or below freezing, and then at midday you got 15°C in the sun. So as many Germans start work very early - like at 6 or whatever - they might be dressed for that super cold time, even when on the way back home from work it's not strictly necessary anymore.
I just love your observation about Germans getting the weather wrong when seasons change. I as a German struggle with this all the time. I don't know what to wear when the weather changes and I can't tell from looking at what other people wear. Very irritating. You might be right that the reason for this is that it's always warm inside but I think the fact that Germans ususally have a hard time adapting to change also has a lot to do with it.
Often it's pretty cold in the dark morning, but later the sun shines and it's warm.. Or the wind blows in the fields, but it's warm in the city. It's not that easy. :D And of course.. some people tend to freeze, some warm up quickly.
Not only Germany...here in Italy we have name rules: no offensive or ridiculous names. No name owned by father or brother (no, "junior" is not an option, if you are Carlo you can't name your son Carlo, not even Carlo Jr.). No geograpfical name, exc. Italia, Asia, America, Europa. No male name for a female child, and vice versa (neutral names are ok). No literary or movie names, so no Madame Bovary, no Moby Dick, no Hannibal Lecter and so on. No surnames used as names, with a handful of exceptions. No historical names, so no Winston Churchill or Benito Mussolini. No more than 3 names. Quite tough, eh?
That sounds just good and practical. The part of not naming a child after it's parents is something I like especially. People who do that allways seem to have far to less imagination or a way to big ego (or both)
As a German that speaks pretty good English and would also claim that I just do speak it when asked, I have to say that I find the German way of not overstating it better. I mean, sure it's true that often people who say "a little bit" can actually communicate quite effectively around a specific issue, but then I guess that's a nice surprise and by saying "a little bit" they have correctly informed the other person that they might not understand everything and be able to express themselves around every topic. I have never seen a German person who speaks English siginificantly beyond a basic school level say "a little bit". Some English native speakers - especially Americans - seem to believe they are fluent when they might just about manage to order a hamburger at McDonalds in the language they claim to speak, which I have seen lead to pretty embarrassing situations. That, in my view, also belittles the ability of people who have actually learned a foreign language properly; it's a bit like saying "sure I can fly that thing" to a pilot, when you have actually just watched a few youtube videos and might just about be able to pull the nose up before crashing into the next mountain.
@@shaungordon9737 nope, he/she is saying that germans who claim to speak english are more honest about their ability than, in this case, americans who claim to speak german.
i think it comes down to the point that germans in general are very critical,reserved,"shy". so for most germans it is probably more likely to understate than to overstate or boast
@@Dave1507 Yes thanks, that's what I was going for. In the grammar-nazi sense, some Germans do speak better English than some native speakers, but certainly not on average and definitely not in the real sense of using language. I don't think Germans are absolutely accurate in how they depict their English (if there is any objective measure to that), but they are usually dishones in the socially preferable direction, I'd say.
@@crappiefisher1331 No, it's pure honesty and/or understatement. If they know they are not perfect, they say it. This is the opposite of shy. An American is shy or prudish to admit to not being perfect.
Here in Austria, at least where I live, you can wish someone Happy Birthday before Birthday. But in the meantime I know that you could just shock friends in Germany if you wish them a Happy Birthday before that day.
Some people get out their "winter gear" as soon as the leaves are starting to change color - winter coat, thick scarf, woolen hat. I always wonder what they will wear when it does get cold.
I am German and it's even considered bad luck if you wish happy birthday the day before. There are birthdayparties on the other hand, which are planned for the evening before the actual birthday but are supposed to last until at least midnight. That's called "Reinfeiern" = celebrating into. It's a lttle bit like New Years eve. I once traveled to australia with my family and had a tour there with a one night farm stay. It was winter in Australia by that time. I remember that we got a heat blanket for the bed. At first I found it quite weird but the later it got the more I learnt to love it ;-)
I think the difference is in the wording of birthday wishes. In German you "congratulate" someone on achieving another birthday and you don't want to jinx it by doing that before the birthday actually happens. Wishing someone a "happy birthday" like you do in English is different, it just means you hope they have a nice day - even Germans don't consider it bad luck to wish someone a happy Christmas a few days before Christmas.
very intelligent comment! I think not only the wording of the wishes is very different, but also how we look at the birthday itself. It makes me smile, because back in the day, in catholic regions, we only used to celebrate our name day, the day of the saint you were named after. That was humble, and had to do with the virtues of that saint, and should remind you of thriving to be a good person. In the end of the sixties the birthday celebrations came up, and as a child I had the privilege to celebrate both.I remember my late father not agreeing with that, he felt that the birthdays were to much of celebrating the ego. The latter is something people in all cultures might like, but I feel that especially in America the birthday celebration is much more about getting attention, getting love and being celebratet, being happy that day. In Germany it is more celebratung the achievment and wishing luck for the new year of ones life
The problem of proper clothing in spring or autumn is totally me! 😂 I check the outdoor thermometer, the weather forecast, and if I'm still not sure, I go outside on the balcony to try it out for myself. And yes, it's totally true, I am simply not able to judge the weather from inside since our houses are so well insulated.
@@folkehoffmann1198 Even that is not necessary any more. At least not in every part of Germany. We just had to sign, that we understand that the name we chose is not gender-specific and were allowed to give it to our child without having to chose a second name. This was in 2012.
Yeah, I was curious were this was coming from, as for example Kim is a super-common gender-neutral name. There's no law regarding this; it's blatantly false. The only criteria is basically if somebody at the Standesamt thinks that your child might suffer from their name. You can make up names too; it's not like there's any sort of official name list or anything. It just has to be judged as not harmful to the child.
The Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) decided in 2008 that it's not ok for authorities in Germany to reject gender-neutral names or to demand an additional name that is not gender-neutral. Before this decision, local authorities tended to do just that.
A very funny video, i like that kind of videos and I guess you will find a lot more weird things. The birthday wishes and bad luck means the person that has the birthday. If we can't do thing's perfectly, like a language, we are just careful and say a little bit even if it's good or almost fluent it sounds more honest in the first case and sometimes it can be a kind of fishing for compliments.
There was a time when I started working very early in the morning and it was springtime. The mornings were chilling cold and I had to leave home in my winter jacket. When I left work at the afternoon it sometimes was nearly 30 degrees, but I didn`t want to carry my jacket and kept wearing it, sweating like hell, feeling ridiculous. Today I don`t understand what´s driven me
In my experience Germans speak a decent level of English compared to Eastern Europe, France or Italy but pale in comparison to the Netherlands and Scandinavia. I think it might have to do with those countries not dubbing foreign movies so you're kinda forced to develop a listening comprehension.
4 роки тому+1
They do subtitles. And… went to a movie in Denmark (way before home video). A comedy. A *german* comedy. And that was annoying because I didn't understand the subtitles, and neither could I understand the dialogue because it was drowned out by the Danes' laughter. :D
@ They do, but still. Everyone learns English at school so there are basics. When I started watching movies in English I also used English subtitles to help with my understanding until I got more used to it.
@Antoinette Emily Germans wear unsuitable clothing at the end of seasons? Have you forgotten how many NZers wear shorts no matter what the weather is? :-) In the summer they wear shorts, jandals and a singlet, and in the winter they wear shorts, boots with woollen socks and a thick jersey, even if it's sleeting and freezing cold.
My brother actually has a "made up" name. The "Standesamt" even called my mother and asked where she got it from. She said "I made it up" and they where totally okay with it as it has no weird connotations. That was in 1986.
If I meet someone a few days before their birthday and I know that I won't see them that day or shortly afterwards, I can ask them what they have planned for the day and then wish them a nice celebration or just have a nice day .
"Herbst ist, wenn Männer sich anziehen, als wäre noch Sommer, und Frauen, als wäre schon Winter" - auf einem Schild vor einer Boutique gesehen. As for underestimating one's English - that probably comes from rather hard grading in schools; anything less than a series of straight "A"s isn't considered good enough to boast. Also, abilities and knowledge can lead to more work ;-)
If I see someone ahead of their birthday, I might say viel Spaß beim feiern - I wish you fun celebrating. Or I wish you a fun/nice day. But never the words happy birthday. Of course, you can wish them a happy birthday a few days later. Alles Gute nachträglich! I think the weather thing is because it can change so drastically within a few hours.
When the season change it's the worst. I work 7am-3pm and there were times when in the morning it was 10C and during the day it got up to 22C, it makes dressing pretty hard, so I always check the weather forecast thee night before : D
Im Englischunterricht wird den deutschen Schülern genau jene Phrase beigebracht und als Standartantwort empfohlen, wenn man sie nach ihren Englischkenntnissen fragt, die unser gute Antoinette als falsch und zu ändern empfindet! Aber ich denke, sie ist doch ein sehr liebenswerter Ausdruck deutscher Bescheidenheit, denn im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Völkern lieben wir es gar nicht, sich aufzublasen und seine bescheidenen Kenntnisse als toll zu verkaufen, oder sonstwie etwas aufzuhübschen und zu übertreiben, wie es die Amis zum Beispiel so exzessiv tun!
Regarding the clothes, I always thought it's just because people are different, like some people still feel cold (like me, usually) when others are already sweating. So they will dress accordingly. I don't know why this should be different in New Zealand though.
I live in NZ. Yesterday I wore a aumner dress. I saw some people with t-shirts and shorts, some with long sleeved shirts and long trousers, some with dresses of different warmth, a few with warm cardigans or pullover and long trousers. And more combinations, I am sure. People definitely have different ideas about how warm it feels in NZ too.
The Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand also rejects baby names! But they are much weirder about it since the main reason names are banned is that they resemble a royal title.
I reflected a bit on the birthday thing and I think I've found another answer! I just had to think about it because I'm not superstitious at all and I definitely didn't learn this as a kid as my family was very allergic to superstitions, but I also would never say happy birthday in advance (I'm German). I think the answer is a linguistic one: In English, you wish the person a happy birthday. This is something you can do in advance. But in German, you don't wish a happy birthday but rather congratulate the person on reaching a new milestone ("Herzlichen Glückwunsch"). It doesn't really make sense to congratulate someone on something they haven't reached yet.
@Kessa S. Wanneeickel, kommst du rein, essen! Furchtbare Vorstellung! Schlimm finde ich, dass es dafür eine gesetzliche Regelung geben muss. Meine Töchter heißen Yvonne und Lara. Gibt es schönere Namen? Grins.. Bleib gesund
Ich höre immer den Nachrichtensender B5 Aktuell. Dort scheint es ein Einstellungskriterium zu sein, daß die Sprecher seltsame Namen haben. Einer dort hieß Axel Schweiss. Ich glaube, er war ein unerwünschtes Kind
Oh I fixed the problems with the change of seasons and clothing with introducing a simple rule. From April 15th to October 15th it's time for summerwear, the rest it's time for the winter stuff. This means I won't ever let the weather be a decisionmaker for what's appropriate to wear.
It would be very weird if it would have been allowed to call your child "Fussball" in Germany! Thank God that isn´t allowed! (in Comparison to Rugby In NZ)
Have a friend whose parents and herself were born in russia and then moved to germany, when she was a kid. Her parents gave her a name that does exists in a different version in germany, but it's a bit different. They weren't allowed to register her russian name, so officially her name is the german version of that name.
The part with the 'I speak a little bit of English' made me smirk so much because it is true and somehow we Germans are shy about our foreign languages. I guess we're trained to be so eager in proper pronunciation and grammatics... Other thing I could relate to so much is the clothing in different weather. There has been several times where I look out of the window and the sun is so pretty and then I get dressed lightly and freeze to the bone lol. I have grown a habit of going on the balcony lightly dressed to test the temperature. Older folks often have a thermometer somewhere at the front door or the window sill or so. Also, do other countries have things like 'Übergangsjacke'? I guess it could be translated as a 'Fall jacket'... Just something to cover up to not freeze, but cool enough not to sweat. It is for the change of seasons. But the phrase is not often used, it is more an intuitive habit of some. However, many people don't do that anymore I guess and indeed wear either the light or the warm stuff, according to what they feel they can bear better.
Here is what I wonder: Suppose my sister celebrates her birthday on Saturday but it's not actually until Monday. And perhaps we don't live near each other, so I won't see her again for several months. Do I not wish her a happy birthday on that Saturday at her birthday celebration? To me, that would seem so rude not to wish her a happy birthday, but I understand different cultures/different customs of course.
in germany it would simply be more likely to have that party the weekend after the actual birthday instead of the weekend before the birthday if the weekend before the birthday somehow really is the only option to have a party you would probably simply hang out - but without all the "happy birthday" fuss and decorations - to enjoy your time together and call your sister on monday to wish her a happy birthday... you could also give her your present already at the party but many germans would probably not open it right away but wait for their actual birthday and would call (if you did not call first) to say thx for the second time because they most likely already said thank you when you gave them the present without knowing what the present actually is but like i said: it is far more likely that you simply have the party after the actual birthday than before
@@crappiefisher1331 Interesting. Thanks for the explanation. I wonder if part of the difference has to do with the relative difference in size between the two countries (US and Germany), along with the fact that so many Americans move away from home, and also that Americans have such limited vacation time. For example, I live in Texas, but my immediate family is spread out between Japan, New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Illinois. My closest relative is my sister who lives an hour away. With work schedules and distance, it's so impossible to get people together for a holiday on the actual holiday. Bicultural communication is so fascinating to me, as there are so many opportunities for disaster but also so many opportunities to learn.
@@ekaski1 it's very possible that the size of the countries has to do something with it, after all the US is 27 times bigger than germany - even if i would move to germanys most northern city and my parents would live in the most southern city it would be "just" an 11 hour drive (that's 4 hours less than it takes from californias north to californias south😮 ) - but i dont know if that's actually the reason or why traditions develop differently in different countries.. i am neither smart nor knowledgeable enough to solve that puzzle 😅
Hi Antoinette, great video! I was wondering where your video about German winter time has gone.. and also your video about your struggle with pneumonia 🤔 Did UA-cam take it down?
one time a foreign student in my class told me "happy early birthday!" and I was like "thanks :)" but if anything bad happens I'll blame it on her lol jk
I think I can explain why we prefer to say we speak "a little" English. With a random native speaker, I cannot garantee to understand anything, especially if he is originally from Texas or from India. With somebody who doesn't speak too fast I could discuss about anything, but nevertheless, my English level is far away from my level in German or even French. The comparison with Italian is not correct, because speaking English nowadays is expected. In Germany, if you are asked if you speak a foreign language, English is not an expected answer because everybody below the age of 65 had English at school. So if somebody only speaks the "normal" school English, he would not say he is a good English speaker. "Good" English speakers are those guys who lived several months in an English-speaking country. There are plenty of them.
Thank God for every country with name restrictions! Some people will obviously cry about "muh freedom" BUT it's not your own life you are ruining here. This is the age of the internet, your "unique" portmanteau or misspelling may even be the object of national mockery at some point. With some parents, the child would honestly be better off if the nurse rolled a dice on a list.
@@Alias_Anybody you can change your name at 16. Before then you do have to have your parents permission. You can do initials, middle name (most parents do a normal middle name), or nicknames before then. The only place it could come out is in school, but all you do is register your nickname and say you go by the nick name. My mom had a friend named BB Boy. Totally normal nickname. It was 50 years later that my mom found out his real name. It was at his funeral. It was Bouncing Baby Boy. Kids will bully over any name. I was Pessica. My brother was Crian meaning Brian. My brother was caught crying one time. I have a friend that I thought his name was always Brian. Come to find out his first name is Jean. Jean is a girls name for English speakers. Take my husband. His name is Yves. English speakers without a French background will totally mispronounce it. He goes by Robert.
Even with the restrictions names can be butchered a lot if you spell it a specific way. I know of a guy whose name was supposed to be maurice, his name is spelled morris though because the parents spelled it wrong 🤦🏼♀️ or jackelien instead of jacqueline.
What I will never understand is naming the people after the cities/countries, for example Paris, India, Sydney, London, and oh, Asia (not to mix up with polish disminuitive from female name of Joanna : D )... Why? Those people would not name their kid Kongo, Argentina, Dortmund, Beijing, Porto or Warsaw, right? : D Czech has a name Milan but it has nothing to do with the city in Italy, it comes from the adjective "loving" - if any Czech wants to correct me, please do : )
there is a similar situation in Poland , regarding the names, you can only choose a "normal" name, nothing like the examples you gave 😉 If i remember correctly, Gwyneth Paltrow has a daughter named Apple...it would not fly in Poland 😉
German name regulations vary from state to state, but they are stretchable. For example, if they were so strict about the official name lists, Cosma Shiva Hagen (actress), daughter of Nina Hagen (singer) would have never been registered. But what I and many others appealed to the Deutsche Bundestag years ago was that every person between 14 and 24 years of age should be able to change his/her first name, and that decision would be final. The appeal didn't even make it to parliament, we had too few supporters. I'm actually happy with my (real) name, it only has five letters. My last name isn't much longer. Makes life so much easier regarding how many things you'll have to sign in your life. And it protects the environment. Saves tons of ink. The birthday superstition maybe has a practical reason: Employers, or landlords in the middle ages, don't want you to celebrate birthday for a week. I personally have a filter list in my mail program, which expanded over the years and languages, that deletes automatically all birthday and christmas related topics. And I mean DELETE, not move to some folder. Real friends know my phone number. When I go supermarket shopping, I usually carry my rucksack and an additional bag; that's good enough for me. The basket seems like a woman thing to me. I see them often, and they stand in my way, when they're discussing which banana is yellower. Hell dammit, buy one of each, but get out of my way! As you can see here, I speak pretty good English. And what I have to mention: Everybody knows someone who speaks English, and most Germans have cellphones to call that person. In winter season, I'm trying to keep my regular outfit. Yes, gloves when it's cold, and different shoes, of course. But who knows how many layers of underpants are under my jeans? From the outside, you won't see much of a difference. But that's only me. I simply don't understand why I should look like hunting grizzly in the midst of a town.
Sorry you guys go overboard with this. We had tons and tons of German exchange students at our school in Florida. Every single one of them would wear a gigantic winter trenchcoat and winter boots when it was 30 degrees outside. Now granted it rains pretty much whenever in Florida and the classrooms can be cold, but you dont need a trenchcoat and boots. We Americanized them by the end of the school term. It was flip flops, socks for the classrooms, an umbrella, and a pullover.
In my experience gender neutral names are allowed. You would be asked to give the baby a second (gender 'pointing' ) name. Or, in our case, acknowledge in writing that you're aware of the fact the name can be both for girls and boys. Maybe it depends on the Bundesland? Bayern tends to be more conservative than others.
I don't know how difficult it is in NZ to change your first name. In Germany it is *very* difficult and you would have a *very* good reason. Which of course a silly name would be. But to spare the baby the humiliation later at school (and, yes that *will* happen! Children can be very cruel), these rules for names are applied. The gender specification may change in the next few years, I would say.
I'm not kidding, one year, someone here in NZ named their kid "V8".... Yuuup V8, so yes this would be an extreme name for me. On the other hand, I once knew an awesome student I worked with (teen) and her name was Presley, I loved it so much and she really suited it. In general, I like real names too but I don't know if people shouldn't be allowed to call their kid certain names as ultimately its their child. Then again, V8 is pretty horrendous to me. My son's name is "Crispin" and in NZ people think it's so different 😅
liebe Antoinette: vorher Glückwünschen ist eine Art Bärenfell aufteilen bevor man ihn erlegt hat ! Was ist wenn die Jagd mislingt oder man eben diesen Geburtstag nicht mehr erlebt ! Das ist gemeint mit nicht vorher zum Geburtstag gratulieren ! Aus demselben Grund werden nicht sehr früh Babysachen angeschafft und Babyparties gefeiert . Die meisten Fehlgeburten geschehen in den ersten 3 Monaten und frau möchte sich nicht zu früh freuen sondern eher vorsichtig sein !
The "I speak English a little bit" part probably boils down to making excuses if there is some grammatical mistake. When you say you only speak a bit of the language, this implicates that you are likely to still make mistakes - and thus you won't be called out on it. Oh, and also, our definition of "being fluent" in a language is probably a bit different. I believe we Germans are taught in school that you are fluent if - you don't need prolonged pauses to either understand the person talking with you or to construct your own sentences - the conversation is indeed fluent, i.e. there is no "I don't know how to say that.". If you don't know the proper vocabulary, you can immediately paraphrase what you mean - there is very little to no "thinking sounds" like ehhh etc - there are no major mistakes I'd consider a person fluent in a language if they can talk with someone else for 10 minutes straight like this. If not, you might be an advanced learner, but not fluent. Maybe this is also a difference. At least in my opinion, "being fluent" is a lot better (and harder to achieve) than being an advanced learner of a language....
Two comments concerning baby name restrictions: 1. Gender-neutral names are allowed since a 2008 decision of the Supreme Court. A more recent development is that sex/gender of a babies that don't obviously fit the two standard categories are left open, in which case the original rule is of course obsolete anyway. 2. In my experience, baby names can sometimes be negotiated informally and telephonically at no cost. The spelling of my daughter's second name was initially rejected. (A bit of a shock, as it meant an additional complication after her birth.) When I gave a convincing justification for the slightly unusual spelling of an otherwise standard (though foreign) name, I was told we can register it if we promise not to publish the fact. Combining 1 and 2, I suspect that even before 2008 a gender-neutral name for an intersex baby would not normally have been a problem. Most likely it would just have required a short explanation. (Of course it's better that this is no longer necessary.) Also, when it comes to foreign names, I believe there is a difference depending on the child's nationality/nationalities. Principles of international law often force one country to apply laws or customs of another country when dealing with its citizens. I am not sure how, precisely, German authorities handle this in the case of baby name restrictions. But it's pretty clear that they shouldn't force restrictions specific to German culture on the name of a baby when the parents aren't even German citizens and not planning to stay in the country. (They might still be more strict in other ways, but I guess they are not, in order to keep things simple.) PS: German authorities are more restrictive about name choice in part because they are a lot more restrictive about name change. This is extremely restrictive. To change your name other than by marriage (or because of a gender change), you must prove that it's unreasonable to force you to keep the old one. Typically this means you must prove that your current name is ridiculous.
I actually think there is a few certain names in NZ you are not allowed to name your child. omg I remember birth announcements in the paper. Not really a thing anymore due to FB right?! I feel that more traditional names are definately making a come back!
Gender neutral names are allowed if you give a gender specific middle name to your child. My name used to be gender neutral so I have a middle name as well. Nowadays my name is actually allowed to be used on its own cause it was only used for one gender in Germany while the origin of the name is of the opposite gender.
I live in germany and work in obstetrics and I heard all sorts of names. 2019/2020 names wich are considered "gender neutral" actually were very popular. And I also know people which have surnames as their first name. If there is no danger that the child gets bullied because of the name or will have difficulties in future life (finding a job, getting married etc.) there are no limits of naming your child like you want to. (Names that cannot be allowed are for instance: Adolf or Hitler, Stalin, Satan, Mcdonald, Judas, Störenfried (in english troublemaker etc.).) The reason most names are "normal" is because germans are mostly traditional and reluctant to use "crazy" names.
I think it is the german way of perfectionism plus being modest is seen as a good trait of character. so years ago when someone asked me, I was also saying, yes, a little bit, but then I changed to, yes, I speak english, because, as you say it, we tend to underestimate our level of english or underestimate our skills in general quite often. But, as I tried to say... I think this also lies in the way we are brought up in germany. Women maybe even more than men.
The same thing I do with French. I understand quite much but am not to sure when it comes to speaking. So I would answer "oui, un peu, je peux comprendre très bien, mais pas parler..." so in French I still feel to unsure to say yes I speak it... haha
I think the rules concerning baby names aren't as strict... they must give a clear indication of the sex and not be ridiculous. What's ridiculous is up to a judge though. It's certainly not just traditional names that will be allowed. In my generation in Eastern Germany pseudo Anglo-Saxon names became very popular. I know a couple of "Maik"s (like Mike, only with a German spelling), Jenny, Justin, Kevin
Germans are very superstitious, my German wife lost it when in Mexico with my family we even celebrated our daughters birthday ...... a week too early!! >.< Madness!!
I enjoy your videos, especially these ones. I had to love so badly when you pointed out the fact that Germans dress weird when it comes to season changes. I am definitely the type of person who dresses way too warm, because I am afraid to get cold 🤣🤣
I also love more traditional names and I find some names here in Australia ridiculous. I prefer the German method of protecting children from their parents stupidity
Yes you can have gender neutral names. Until a few years ago you had to have a second name thats either male or female (like „Kim Martin“ or „Kim Lisa“). But then there was a court decision about gender neutral names and since then they are allowed without the second distinct name. There is basically just one important rule that the other regulations build upon: the name cannot be harmfull to the child in any way.
Some things are actually related to the choice of a person. Not everything is dependent on Germany even if you New Zealander are trying to make Germany for everything responsible.
I am Norwegian and our language are in the same family, and I get the word, and it is called: allværsjakke here in Norway, and of course I have one, actually I have more than one, since I love hiking, and do it for around 20 hours a week, and I need one when the other is drying 🤣💦💧
Well there is a good reason, to say, "I only speak little english": This forces thatone, who asking to speak slow, clear and with a less accent as possible, and then, I'm able to give a proper answer if I knew the answer. If I would say yes, english people talk as gunfire and I wouldt'n barely understand one word if any. Thats the trick, of not answering yes.
German names used to need to have a clear distinctive feature of the gender. Nowadays this has somehow changed. We have names like Gerrit, Malin, Merlin, or Luka which really cannot relate to the gender.
I think some Germans can't really tell how good their English really is because they haven't been in an English Speaking Country. And the English I learned in School had nothing to do with the English they speak in England, for example. So they say "a little bit" because they don't want to get your hopes up.
Happy belated birthday is okay :-) I think we Germans often underestimate the level of English, because of the younger generation, who watch and understand series or documentaries in English and read English texts, but rarely have contact with a native speaker. At least that's how I feel, the practice of speaking English is missing. I often dress inappropriately, but always laugh myself half to death when I see people in long pants and pullovers at 25 degrees Celsius, I would die a heat death :D I think it's good that many names are rejected, the poor children....here are a few funny names, which (unfortunately) were approved: Biene (bee in German), Champagna, Cinderella-Melodie, Fanta (as a girl), Frangi-Pany, Harley, Legolas, Matt-Eagle (sounds like Mettigel, a German delicasy, google for it to lol), Pepsi-Carola, Popo (this means butt in German), Schokominza, Triumf, Solarfried. Here are a few rejected names (thank God!): Agfa, Gastritis, Gucci, Liebknecht, McDonald, Nelkenheini, Pepsi-Cola, Pfefferminza, Möhre (Carrot in German), Verleihnix, Satan, Schnucki . Popo and Matt-Eagle, lol, really...?! 😂 Currently, old Frisian names have a tradition here in Northern Germany again, I think that's nice. For example Sönke, Frauke, Levke, Antje (that's my mother's name), Harm (short form of Hermann, that's my father's name), Okko, Ebbo, Rena, Lübbo ... Sounds also very unusual in most regions of Germany, but that's normal for us here.
This is not only like that in Germant but in France, too. French administration would not allow names which would be a burden in the future for the baby.
There is a black side to this in Germany. The Turkish Embassy provides to German administration a list of licensed names which, of course would not contain names which ethnical Armenians or Kurdish people would like to give to their children. When German state official look at their Turkish name list when a new born baby of Turkish citizens is registered, you rather should not be in the position of any ethnical minority inside Turkey.
My sister wanted to name her first daughter Joana...but they said, it’s not a proper name...Johanna...or another first name (mind you that was in the southern catholic part of Germany) So they ended up with Marie Joana 😂😂😂
If you want to name your child "Rugby" in Germany, you just have to prove that this is a common name in New-Zealand ;) About the Gender-Neutral Names, I'm not sure if this rule has disappeared, anyhow double-names are possible, like Klaus-Maria for a boy. And I think, German law is right, sometimes you have to protect children from their parents.
Man kann Babys mit normalen Namen schon genug Schaden wie z.Bsp. Claire oder Ole. Für sich alleine sind die kein Problem. Wenn das Mädchen aber mit Nachnamen Grube heißt machen Kinder daraus Klärgrube. Ole ist ein schöner Niederdeutscher Name aber man sollte mit Nachnamen nicht Hering heißen, dann machen Kinder daraus Stinkfisch. Ich kannte so jemanden und das ist von den Eltern einfach abscheulich.
Belated birtday wishes are absolutely okay. Alles Gute nachträglich is super common. No bad luck or anything.
Yeah, it's also very common. Like, if you collegue has their birthday on the weekend you won't necessarily call them, but you will wish a belated birthday the next time you see them.
What if I said:"I would wish you happy birthday tomorrow, if I could"?
@@Gert-DK I think in a scenario where you'd say that you are close enough that you'd call them on the day anyway. Just wish them a nice day or a nice party or something.
@@CatzHoek OK, thnx.
Baby names: sick parents egos shouldn't be allowed to ruin another human's later life, I totally support that.
Hahaha so true.
Yeah, the protection of the child should always stand over the ego of their parents. If the children want a strange name they can always take on an artist name later on.
Refused names were: Satan, Pain, Whisky, Lenin, Grammophone, Superman, Popcorn, Batman, Peanut, Bandito. Conclusion: It makes sense to refuse names.
Grammophone lmao
Peanut is cute for child, but not for the later adult.
Sometimes their decisions are kind of strange, though. Möwe for example got rejected. But Baldachinprinzessin was actually allowed by some office.
@@swanpride It might depend if the name is chosen as first or second/third/fourth name?
i read of Atomfrieden and Pumuckl being refused
In Germany you can always wish a belated happy birthday ("Herzlichen Glückwunsch nachträglich") - but don't do it before the actual birthday, because you never know what will happen in the meantime.
Belated birthday wishes are common. In German it is "Herzlichen Glückwunsch naträglich." or "Nachträglich alles Gute."
Yes, i wanted to say the same. It is absolut normal to wish happy birthday even a view days after.
6:17 In Germany, that is considered a shopping basket (Einkaufskorb), not a picnic basket.
The weather thing is probably just personal preference.
Also, dunno whether this is very different elsewhere, but in spring and autumn you get those annoying days where the temperature in the morning can be something like around or below freezing, and then at midday you got 15°C in the sun. So as many Germans start work very early - like at 6 or whatever - they might be dressed for that super cold time, even when on the way back home from work it's not strictly necessary anymore.
I just love your observation about Germans getting the weather wrong when seasons change. I as a German struggle with this all the time. I don't know what to wear when the weather changes and I can't tell from looking at what other people wear. Very irritating.
You might be right that the reason for this is that it's always warm inside but I think the fact that Germans ususally have a hard time adapting to change also has a lot to do with it.
Often it's pretty cold in the dark morning, but later the sun shines and it's warm.. Or the wind blows in the fields, but it's warm in the city. It's not that easy. :D
And of course.. some people tend to freeze, some warm up quickly.
This is so me. Always freezing in the morning sweating during daytime 😭😂
Not only Germany...here in Italy we have name rules: no offensive or ridiculous names. No name owned by father or brother (no, "junior" is not an option, if you are Carlo you can't name your son Carlo, not even Carlo Jr.). No geograpfical name, exc. Italia, Asia, America, Europa. No male name for a female child, and vice versa (neutral names are ok). No literary or movie names, so no Madame Bovary, no Moby Dick, no Hannibal Lecter and so on. No surnames used as names, with a handful of exceptions. No historical names, so no Winston Churchill or Benito Mussolini. No more than 3 names. Quite tough, eh?
That sounds just good and practical. The part of not naming a child after it's parents is something I like especially. People who do that allways seem to have far to less imagination or a way to big ego (or both)
Isn’t Americo a given Italian name?
@@carlali2405 it's Amerigo but it's very unusual, Amerigo Vespucci is the only one I ever heard with that name...
As a German that speaks pretty good English and would also claim that I just do speak it when asked, I have to say that I find the German way of not overstating it better. I mean, sure it's true that often people who say "a little bit" can actually communicate quite effectively around a specific issue, but then I guess that's a nice surprise and by saying "a little bit" they have correctly informed the other person that they might not understand everything and be able to express themselves around every topic. I have never seen a German person who speaks English siginificantly beyond a basic school level say "a little bit".
Some English native speakers - especially Americans - seem to believe they are fluent when they might just about manage to order a hamburger at McDonalds in the language they claim to speak, which I have seen lead to pretty embarrassing situations. That, in my view, also belittles the ability of people who have actually learned a foreign language properly; it's a bit like saying "sure I can fly that thing" to a pilot, when you have actually just watched a few youtube videos and might just about be able to pull the nose up before crashing into the next mountain.
Are you claiming that Germans speak better English than native speakers?
@@shaungordon9737 nope, he/she is saying that germans who claim to speak english are more honest about their ability than, in this case, americans who claim to speak german.
i think it comes down to the point that germans in general are very critical,reserved,"shy". so for most germans it is probably more likely to understate than to overstate or boast
@@Dave1507 Yes thanks, that's what I was going for. In the grammar-nazi sense, some Germans do speak better English than some native speakers, but certainly not on average and definitely not in the real sense of using language.
I don't think Germans are absolutely accurate in how they depict their English (if there is any objective measure to that), but they are usually dishones in the socially preferable direction, I'd say.
@@crappiefisher1331 No, it's pure honesty and/or understatement. If they know they are not perfect, they say it. This is the opposite of shy. An American is shy or prudish to admit to not being perfect.
Here in Austria, at least where I live, you can wish someone Happy Birthday before Birthday.
But in the meantime I know that you could just shock friends in Germany if you wish them a Happy Birthday before that day.
Some people get out their "winter gear" as soon as the leaves are starting to change color - winter coat, thick scarf, woolen hat. I always wonder what they will wear when it does get cold.
Hypatia N Skianzug!!!
Skiunterwäsche. Ich bin einer dieser Leute, und wenn es RICHTIG kalt ist, dann trage ich Skiunterwäsche.
Hi Antoinette and thank you for this video. I also find it cute that so many people go shopping with a basket 😊
I am German and it's even considered bad luck if you wish happy birthday the day before. There are birthdayparties on the other hand, which are planned for the evening before the actual birthday but are supposed to last until at least midnight. That's called "Reinfeiern" = celebrating into. It's a lttle bit like New Years eve.
I once traveled to australia with my family and had a tour there with a one night farm stay. It was winter in Australia by that time. I remember that we got a heat blanket for the bed. At first I found it quite weird but the later it got the more I learnt to love it ;-)
I think the difference is in the wording of birthday wishes. In German you "congratulate" someone on achieving another birthday and you don't want to jinx it by doing that before the birthday actually happens. Wishing someone a "happy birthday" like you do in English is different, it just means you hope they have a nice day - even Germans don't consider it bad luck to wish someone a happy Christmas a few days before Christmas.
very intelligent comment! I think not only the wording of the wishes is very different, but also how we look at the birthday itself. It makes me smile, because back in the day, in catholic regions, we only used to celebrate our name day, the day of the saint you were named after. That was humble, and had to do with the virtues of that saint, and should remind you of thriving to be a good person. In the end of the sixties the birthday celebrations came up, and as a child I had the privilege to celebrate both.I remember my late father not agreeing with that, he felt that the birthdays were to much of celebrating the ego. The latter is something people in all cultures might like, but I feel that especially in America the birthday celebration is much more about getting attention, getting love and being celebratet, being happy that day. In Germany it is more celebratung the achievment and wishing luck for the new year of ones life
The problem of proper clothing in spring or autumn is totally me! 😂 I check the outdoor thermometer, the weather forecast, and if I'm still not sure, I go outside on the balcony to try it out for myself. And yes, it's totally true, I am simply not able to judge the weather from inside since our houses are so well insulated.
gender-neutral names are allowed but i think you have to give your child a second name as well
Yes you do. I am one of those people who had to be given one because of that. My name is a normal Frisian name but it can be used for girls and boys.
@@folkehoffmann1198 Even that is not necessary any more. At least not in every part of Germany. We just had to sign, that we understand that the name we chose is not gender-specific and were allowed to give it to our child without having to chose a second name. This was in 2012.
@@evasbuchereckchen9864 Oh okay so that law might have changed.
Yeah, I was curious were this was coming from, as for example Kim is a super-common gender-neutral name. There's no law regarding this; it's blatantly false.
The only criteria is basically if somebody at the Standesamt thinks that your child might suffer from their name. You can make up names too; it's not like there's any sort of official name list or anything. It just has to be judged as not harmful to the child.
The Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht) decided in 2008 that it's not ok for authorities in Germany to reject gender-neutral names or to demand an additional name that is not gender-neutral. Before this decision, local authorities tended to do just that.
A very funny video, i like that kind of videos and I guess you will find a lot more weird things.
The birthday wishes and bad luck means the person that has the birthday.
If we can't do thing's perfectly, like a language, we are just careful and say a little bit even if it's good or almost fluent it sounds more honest in the first case and sometimes it can be a kind of fishing for compliments.
I am a German living in New Zealand I Love your Channel 😀😊
There was a time when I started working very early in the morning and it was springtime. The mornings were chilling cold and I had to leave home in my winter jacket. When I left work at the afternoon it sometimes was nearly 30 degrees, but I didn`t want to carry my jacket and kept wearing it, sweating like hell, feeling ridiculous. Today I don`t understand what´s driven me
In my experience Germans speak a decent level of English compared to Eastern Europe, France or Italy but pale in comparison to the Netherlands and Scandinavia. I think it might have to do with those countries not dubbing foreign movies so you're kinda forced to develop a listening comprehension.
They do subtitles. And… went to a movie in Denmark (way before home video). A comedy. A *german* comedy. And that was annoying because I didn't understand the subtitles, and neither could I understand the dialogue because it was drowned out by the Danes' laughter. :D
@ They do, but still. Everyone learns English at school so there are basics. When I started watching movies in English I also used English subtitles to help with my understanding until I got more used to it.
@Antoinette Emily
Germans wear unsuitable clothing at the end of seasons?
Have you forgotten how many NZers wear shorts no matter what the weather is? :-)
In the summer they wear shorts, jandals and a singlet, and in the winter they wear shorts, boots with woollen socks and a thick jersey, even if it's sleeting and freezing cold.
That’s a good point actually 🤣
My brother actually has a "made up" name. The "Standesamt" even called my mother and asked where she got it from. She said "I made it up" and they where totally okay with it as it has no weird connotations. That was in 1986.
what's the name?
Nachträgliche Geburtstagsgrüße sind absolut in Ordnung! 🤗 Nur eben nicht davor!😁
"Alles Gute nachträglich" is perfectly okay, even a week or two later.
If I meet someone a few days before their birthday and I know that I won't see them that day or shortly afterwards, I can ask them what they have planned for the day and then wish them a nice celebration or just have a nice day .
That's a great solution :)
"Herbst ist, wenn Männer sich anziehen, als wäre noch Sommer, und Frauen, als wäre schon Winter" - auf einem Schild vor einer Boutique gesehen.
As for underestimating one's English - that probably comes from rather hard grading in schools; anything less than a series of straight "A"s isn't considered good enough to boast. Also, abilities and knowledge can lead to more work ;-)
Late "happy birthday" is OK, usually with an excuse about having forgotten or not beeing able to wish on the exact day.
Didn't you find the shelf/ledge toilets a bit strange at first? I'd quite like to get one in England, but I can't find one anywhere.
If I see someone ahead of their birthday, I might say viel Spaß beim feiern - I wish you fun celebrating. Or I wish you a fun/nice day. But never the words happy birthday. Of course, you can wish them a happy birthday a few days later. Alles Gute nachträglich!
I think the weather thing is because it can change so drastically within a few hours.
When the season change it's the worst. I work 7am-3pm and there were times when in the morning it was 10C and during the day it got up to 22C, it makes dressing pretty hard, so I always check the weather forecast thee night before : D
Im Englischunterricht wird den deutschen Schülern genau jene Phrase beigebracht und als Standartantwort empfohlen, wenn man sie nach ihren Englischkenntnissen fragt, die unser gute Antoinette als falsch und zu ändern empfindet!
Aber ich denke, sie ist doch ein sehr liebenswerter Ausdruck deutscher Bescheidenheit, denn im Gegensatz zu vielen anderen Völkern lieben wir es gar nicht, sich aufzublasen und seine bescheidenen Kenntnisse als toll zu verkaufen, oder sonstwie etwas aufzuhübschen und zu übertreiben, wie es die Amis zum Beispiel so exzessiv tun!
I'm the one with a big scarf when men start wearing shorts in spring, because I'm always cold 😂
Saying "Alles Gute nachträglich" (happy belated birthday) is totally normal.
Rugby (the game) is actually named after a town here in England so it wouldn’t be the same as naming ur kid „football“ or anything like that 😋
Regarding the clothes, I always thought it's just because people are different, like some people still feel cold (like me, usually) when others are already sweating. So they will dress accordingly. I don't know why this should be different in New Zealand though.
I live in NZ. Yesterday I wore a aumner dress. I saw some people with t-shirts and shorts, some with long sleeved shirts and long trousers, some with dresses of different warmth, a few with warm cardigans or pullover and long trousers. And more combinations, I am sure. People definitely have different ideas about how warm it feels in NZ too.
I agree with the name. Parents don't think about their children future if they name their kids crazy names.
The Department of Internal Affairs in New Zealand also rejects baby names! But they are much weirder about it since the main reason names are banned is that they resemble a royal title.
I reflected a bit on the birthday thing and I think I've found another answer! I just had to think about it because I'm not superstitious at all and I definitely didn't learn this as a kid as my family was very allergic to superstitions, but I also would never say happy birthday in advance (I'm German). I think the answer is a linguistic one: In English, you wish the person a happy birthday. This is something you can do in advance. But in German, you don't wish a happy birthday but rather congratulate the person on reaching a new milestone ("Herzlichen Glückwunsch"). It doesn't really make sense to congratulate someone on something they haven't reached yet.
I didn't like my first name as a child in the USA. Got used to it over the years. Very interesting video!
Manche Eltern vergessen, was sie ihren Kindern mit solchen Namen eigentlich antun!
@Kessa S. Wanneeickel, kommst du rein, essen!
Furchtbare Vorstellung! Schlimm finde ich, dass es dafür eine gesetzliche Regelung geben muss. Meine Töchter heißen Yvonne und Lara. Gibt es schönere Namen? Grins..
Bleib gesund
Ich höre immer den Nachrichtensender B5 Aktuell. Dort scheint es ein Einstellungskriterium zu sein, daß die Sprecher seltsame Namen haben. Einer dort hieß Axel Schweiss. Ich glaube, er war ein unerwünschtes Kind
Genau! Bestes Beispiel dass mir dazu einfällt: X Æ A-12 Musk
wollen wohl ihr Leben lang gehasst werden
@@arnodobler1096 Geht ja auch darum, wie ihre Jobchanchen später aussehen...
You can name your child a made up name as long as it's not hurting and as long as it still sounds like a name.
Oh I fixed the problems with the change of seasons and clothing with introducing a simple rule. From April 15th to October 15th it's time for summerwear, the rest it's time for the winter stuff. This means I won't ever let the weather be a decisionmaker for what's appropriate to wear.
It would be very weird if it would have been allowed to call your child "Fussball" in Germany! Thank God that isn´t allowed! (in Comparison to Rugby In NZ)
Rugby is a proper name too and the name of a town. I'm not defending it, but it's not the same as 'Football'
Have a friend whose parents and herself were born in russia and then moved to germany, when she was a kid.
Her parents gave her a name that does exists in a different version in germany, but it's a bit different.
They weren't allowed to register her russian name, so officially her name is the german version of that name.
The part with the 'I speak a little bit of English' made me smirk so much because it is true and somehow we Germans are shy about our foreign languages. I guess we're trained to be so eager in proper pronunciation and grammatics...
Other thing I could relate to so much is the clothing in different weather. There has been several times where I look out of the window and the sun is so pretty and then I get dressed lightly and freeze to the bone lol. I have grown a habit of going on the balcony lightly dressed to test the temperature.
Older folks often have a thermometer somewhere at the front door or the window sill or so.
Also, do other countries have things like 'Übergangsjacke'? I guess it could be translated as a 'Fall jacket'... Just something to cover up to not freeze, but cool enough not to sweat. It is for the change of seasons. But the phrase is not often used, it is more an intuitive habit of some. However, many people don't do that anymore I guess and indeed wear either the light or the warm stuff, according to what they feel they can bear better.
Here is what I wonder: Suppose my sister celebrates her birthday on Saturday but it's not actually until Monday. And perhaps we don't live near each other, so I won't see her again for several months. Do I not wish her a happy birthday on that Saturday at her birthday celebration? To me, that would seem so rude not to wish her a happy birthday, but I understand different cultures/different customs of course.
in germany it would simply be more likely to have that party the weekend after the actual birthday instead of the weekend before the birthday
if the weekend before the birthday somehow really is the only option to have a party you would probably simply hang out - but without all the "happy birthday" fuss and decorations - to enjoy your time together and call your sister on monday to wish her a happy birthday... you could also give her your present already at the party but many germans would probably not open it right away but wait for their actual birthday and would call (if you did not call first) to say thx for the second time because they most likely already said thank you when you gave them the present without knowing what the present actually is
but like i said: it is far more likely that you simply have the party after the actual birthday than before
@@crappiefisher1331 Interesting. Thanks for the explanation. I wonder if part of the difference has to do with the relative difference in size between the two countries (US and Germany), along with the fact that so many Americans move away from home, and also that Americans have such limited vacation time. For example, I live in Texas, but my immediate family is spread out between Japan, New Mexico, California, Arizona, and Illinois. My closest relative is my sister who lives an hour away. With work schedules and distance, it's so impossible to get people together for a holiday on the actual holiday. Bicultural communication is so fascinating to me, as there are so many opportunities for disaster but also so many opportunities to learn.
@@ekaski1 it's very possible that the size of the countries has to do something with it, after all the US is 27 times bigger than germany - even if i would move to germanys most northern city and my parents would live in the most southern city it would be "just" an 11 hour drive (that's 4 hours less than it takes from californias north to californias south😮 ) - but i dont know if that's actually the reason or why traditions develop differently in different countries.. i am neither smart nor knowledgeable enough to solve that puzzle 😅
Hi Antoinette, great video! I was wondering where your video about German winter time has gone.. and also your video about your struggle with pneumonia 🤔 Did UA-cam take it down?
You can choose a gender neutral name as long as you give your child a second Name that specifies the gender of the child.
Gender neutral names as only names have been allowed for a couple of years now, too.
Recently the gender can also be 'diverse' . In this case a gender neutral name is a good idea.
this isnt true anymore for about 12 years.. since 2008 gender neutral names are perfectly fine even without a second name
one time a foreign student in my class told me "happy early birthday!" and I was like "thanks :)" but if anything bad happens I'll blame it on her lol jk
I think I can explain why we prefer to say we speak "a little" English. With a random native speaker, I cannot garantee to understand anything, especially if he is originally from Texas or from India. With somebody who doesn't speak too fast I could discuss about anything, but nevertheless, my English level is far away from my level in German or even French.
The comparison with Italian is not correct, because speaking English nowadays is expected. In Germany, if you are asked if you speak a foreign language, English is not an expected answer because everybody below the age of 65 had English at school. So if somebody only speaks the "normal" school English, he would not say he is a good English speaker. "Good" English speakers are those guys who lived several months in an English-speaking country. There are plenty of them.
Thank God for every country with name restrictions! Some people will obviously cry about "muh freedom" BUT it's not your own life you are ruining here. This is the age of the internet, your "unique" portmanteau or misspelling may even be the object of national mockery at some point. With some parents, the child would honestly be better off if the nurse rolled a dice on a list.
You as the child can change their name. It isnt a big deal
@@jessicaely2521
18 years of bullying are bad enough.
@@Alias_Anybody you can change your name at 16. Before then you do have to have your parents permission. You can do initials, middle name (most parents do a normal middle name), or nicknames before then. The only place it could come out is in school, but all you do is register your nickname and say you go by the nick name. My mom had a friend named BB Boy. Totally normal nickname. It was 50 years later that my mom found out his real name. It was at his funeral. It was Bouncing Baby Boy.
Kids will bully over any name. I was Pessica. My brother was Crian meaning Brian. My brother was caught crying one time. I have a friend that I thought his name was always Brian. Come to find out his first name is Jean. Jean is a girls name for English speakers. Take my husband. His name is Yves. English speakers without a French background will totally mispronounce it. He goes by Robert.
Even with the restrictions names can be butchered a lot if you spell it a specific way. I know of a guy whose name was supposed to be maurice, his name is spelled morris though because the parents spelled it wrong 🤦🏼♀️ or jackelien instead of jacqueline.
@@Kloetenhenne
Isn't Morris a last name and pronounced differently?
What I will never understand is naming the people after the cities/countries, for example Paris, India, Sydney, London, and oh, Asia (not to mix up with polish disminuitive from female name of Joanna : D )... Why? Those people would not name their kid Kongo, Argentina, Dortmund, Beijing, Porto or Warsaw, right? : D
Czech has a name Milan but it has nothing to do with the city in Italy, it comes from the adjective "loving" - if any Czech wants to correct me, please do : )
Well done!
I think the gender-neutral name rule might have been recently abolished
And they never were forbidden, you just had to have a second not-neutral name
there is a similar situation in Poland , regarding the names, you can only choose a "normal" name, nothing like the examples you gave 😉 If i remember correctly, Gwyneth Paltrow has a daughter named Apple...it would not fly in Poland 😉
Zum Geburtstag kann man genauso wie zum Neuen Jahr "einen guten Rutsch in den Geburtstag" wünschen!
I think (again) some of these mostly apply to all Europe (especially the naming rule)....
Ich liebe deine Sicht auf meine Heimat und lerne durch dich english. 👍❤️
I wear shorts as soon as the temps reach 15 c but my brother wears winter clothing even if it's 21 c so I understand the difference.
German name regulations vary from state to state, but they are stretchable. For example, if they were so strict about the official name lists, Cosma Shiva Hagen (actress), daughter of Nina Hagen (singer) would have never been registered. But what I and many others appealed to the Deutsche Bundestag years ago was that every person between 14 and 24 years of age should be able to change his/her first name, and that decision would be final. The appeal didn't even make it to parliament, we had too few supporters.
I'm actually happy with my (real) name, it only has five letters. My last name isn't much longer. Makes life so much easier regarding how many things you'll have to sign in your life. And it protects the environment. Saves tons of ink.
The birthday superstition maybe has a practical reason: Employers, or landlords in the middle ages, don't want you to celebrate birthday for a week. I personally have a filter list in my mail program, which expanded over the years and languages, that deletes automatically all birthday and christmas related topics. And I mean DELETE, not move to some folder. Real friends know my phone number.
When I go supermarket shopping, I usually carry my rucksack and an additional bag; that's good enough for me. The basket seems like a woman thing to me. I see them often, and they stand in my way, when they're discussing which banana is yellower. Hell dammit, buy one of each, but get out of my way!
As you can see here, I speak pretty good English. And what I have to mention: Everybody knows someone who speaks English, and most Germans have cellphones to call that person.
In winter season, I'm trying to keep my regular outfit. Yes, gloves when it's cold, and different shoes, of course. But who knows how many layers of underpants are under my jeans? From the outside, you won't see much of a difference. But that's only me. I simply don't understand why I should look like hunting grizzly in the midst of a town.
In Germany no bad weather, only bad clothes.
Sorry you guys go overboard with this. We had tons and tons of German exchange students at our school in Florida. Every single one of them would wear a gigantic winter trenchcoat and winter boots when it was 30 degrees outside. Now granted it rains pretty much whenever in Florida and the classrooms can be cold, but you dont need a trenchcoat and boots. We Americanized them by the end of the school term. It was flip flops, socks for the classrooms, an umbrella, and a pullover.
To me a punctual birthday wish is not a prerequisite for a good friendship. Laughing together is very important 🙂
In my experience gender neutral names are allowed. You would be asked to give the baby a second (gender 'pointing' ) name. Or, in our case, acknowledge in writing that you're aware of the fact the name can be both for girls and boys. Maybe it depends on the Bundesland? Bayern tends to be more conservative than others.
I don't know how difficult it is in NZ to change your first name. In Germany it is *very* difficult and you would have a *very* good reason. Which of course a silly name would be. But to spare the baby the humiliation later at school (and, yes that *will* happen! Children can be very cruel), these rules for names are applied. The gender specification may change in the next few years, I would say.
I'm not kidding, one year, someone here in NZ named their kid "V8".... Yuuup V8, so yes this would be an extreme name for me. On the other hand, I once knew an awesome student I worked with (teen) and her name was Presley, I loved it so much and she really suited it. In general, I like real names too but I don't know if people shouldn't be allowed to call their kid certain names as ultimately its their child. Then again, V8 is pretty horrendous to me. My son's name is "Crispin" and in NZ people think it's so different 😅
liebe Antoinette: vorher Glückwünschen ist eine Art Bärenfell aufteilen bevor man ihn erlegt hat ! Was ist wenn die Jagd mislingt oder man eben diesen Geburtstag nicht mehr erlebt ! Das ist gemeint mit nicht vorher zum Geburtstag gratulieren ! Aus demselben Grund werden nicht sehr früh Babysachen angeschafft und Babyparties gefeiert . Die meisten Fehlgeburten geschehen in den ersten 3 Monaten und frau möchte sich nicht zu früh freuen sondern eher vorsichtig sein !
The "I speak English a little bit" part probably boils down to making excuses if there is some grammatical mistake. When you say you only speak a bit of the language, this implicates that you are likely to still make mistakes - and thus you won't be called out on it.
Oh, and also, our definition of "being fluent" in a language is probably a bit different. I believe we Germans are taught in school that you are fluent if
- you don't need prolonged pauses to either understand the person talking with you or to construct your own sentences
- the conversation is indeed fluent, i.e. there is no "I don't know how to say that.". If you don't know the proper vocabulary, you can immediately paraphrase what you mean
- there is very little to no "thinking sounds" like ehhh etc
- there are no major mistakes
I'd consider a person fluent in a language if they can talk with someone else for 10 minutes straight like this. If not, you might be an advanced learner, but not fluent.
Maybe this is also a difference. At least in my opinion, "being fluent" is a lot better (and harder to achieve) than being an advanced learner of a language....
You're also not allowed to give your child a name that is hurtful for the child, like names that are synonyms for evil people. Like Judas or Cain.
Two comments concerning baby name restrictions:
1. Gender-neutral names are allowed since a 2008 decision of the Supreme Court. A more recent development is that sex/gender of a babies that don't obviously fit the two standard categories are left open, in which case the original rule is of course obsolete anyway.
2. In my experience, baby names can sometimes be negotiated informally and telephonically at no cost. The spelling of my daughter's second name was initially rejected. (A bit of a shock, as it meant an additional complication after her birth.) When I gave a convincing justification for the slightly unusual spelling of an otherwise standard (though foreign) name, I was told we can register it if we promise not to publish the fact.
Combining 1 and 2, I suspect that even before 2008 a gender-neutral name for an intersex baby would not normally have been a problem. Most likely it would just have required a short explanation. (Of course it's better that this is no longer necessary.)
Also, when it comes to foreign names, I believe there is a difference depending on the child's nationality/nationalities. Principles of international law often force one country to apply laws or customs of another country when dealing with its citizens. I am not sure how, precisely, German authorities handle this in the case of baby name restrictions. But it's pretty clear that they shouldn't force restrictions specific to German culture on the name of a baby when the parents aren't even German citizens and not planning to stay in the country. (They might still be more strict in other ways, but I guess they are not, in order to keep things simple.)
PS: German authorities are more restrictive about name choice in part because they are a lot more restrictive about name change. This is extremely restrictive. To change your name other than by marriage (or because of a gender change), you must prove that it's unreasonable to force you to keep the old one. Typically this means you must prove that your current name is ridiculous.
I fully agree with the German policy regarding naming of your baby.
oin Moin Antoinette. lustig, was du weir fandest. Lauter Dinge, die einem als hier geborenen so gar nicht auffallen.
Bleibt alle gesund Ben
I actually think there is a few certain names in NZ you are not allowed to name your child. omg I remember birth announcements in the paper. Not really a thing anymore due to FB right?! I feel that more traditional names are definately making a come back!
What is weird about refusing weird names? Its not a "baby" name, its a name for a lifetime of a human being.
In US we use thermometers to see how to dress for day, or listen to news on TV and radio.
Gender neutral names are allowed if you give a gender specific middle name to your child. My name used to be gender neutral so I have a middle name as well. Nowadays my name is actually allowed to be used on its own cause it was only used for one gender in Germany while the origin of the name is of the opposite gender.
I live in germany and work in obstetrics and I heard all sorts of names. 2019/2020 names wich are considered "gender neutral" actually were very popular. And I also know people which have surnames as their first name. If there is no danger that the child gets bullied because of the name or will have difficulties in future life (finding a job, getting married etc.) there are no limits of naming your child like you want to. (Names that cannot be allowed are for instance: Adolf or Hitler, Stalin, Satan, Mcdonald, Judas, Störenfried (in english troublemaker etc.).) The reason most names are "normal" is because germans are mostly traditional and reluctant to use "crazy" names.
I think it is the german way of perfectionism plus being modest is seen as a good trait of character. so years ago when someone asked me, I was also saying, yes, a little bit, but then I changed to, yes, I speak english, because, as you say it, we tend to underestimate our level of english or underestimate our skills in general quite often. But, as I tried to say... I think this also lies in the way we are brought up in germany. Women maybe even more than men.
The same thing I do with French. I understand quite much but am not to sure when it comes to speaking. So I would answer "oui, un peu, je peux comprendre très bien, mais pas parler..." so in French I still feel to unsure to say yes I speak it... haha
I think the rules concerning baby names aren't as strict... they must give a clear indication of the sex and not be ridiculous. What's ridiculous is up to a judge though.
It's certainly not just traditional names that will be allowed. In my generation in Eastern Germany pseudo Anglo-Saxon names became very popular. I know a couple of "Maik"s (like Mike, only with a German spelling), Jenny, Justin, Kevin
Germans are very superstitious, my German wife lost it when in Mexico with my family we even celebrated our daughters birthday ...... a week too early!! >.< Madness!!
Picnic basket? Seriously now? It's just simply a basket, or actually a shopping basket.
I enjoy your videos, especially these ones. I had to love so badly when you pointed out the fact that Germans dress weird when it comes to season changes. I am definitely the type of person who dresses way too warm, because I am afraid to get cold 🤣🤣
I also love more traditional names and I find some names here in Australia ridiculous. I prefer the German method of protecting children from their parents stupidity
Yes you can have gender neutral names. Until a few years ago you had to have a second name thats either male or female (like „Kim Martin“ or „Kim Lisa“). But then there was a court decision about gender neutral names and since then they are allowed without the second distinct name.
There is basically just one important rule that the other regulations build upon: the name cannot be harmfull to the child in any way.
Some things are actually related to the choice of a person. Not everything is dependent on Germany even if you New Zealander are trying to make Germany for everything responsible.
Hello Antoinette, do you already own an Allwetterjacke? Because man weiß ja nie. ☝️
I am Norwegian and our language are in the same family, and I get the word, and it is called: allværsjakke here in Norway, and of course I have one, actually I have more than one, since I love hiking, and do it for around 20 hours a week, and I need one when the other is drying 🤣💦💧
@@DollyJohanne You really aren't a real Norwegian or German if you don't have such a jacket. 😆
Heißt Übergangsjacke bei uns😂
As long as there are names like Tankred, why make one up?
The baby grow and had to live with this name a whole life. The basket is named „Einkaufskorb“.
Und war schon als solcher bekannt, ehe Picknick überhaupt erfunden wurde. ;-)
Well there is a good reason, to say, "I only speak little english": This forces thatone, who asking to speak slow, clear and with a less accent as possible, and then, I'm able to give a proper answer if I knew the answer. If I would say yes, english people talk as gunfire and I wouldt'n barely understand one word if any. Thats the trick, of not answering yes.
Have you already filmed the way Germans windows are?
German names used to need to have a clear distinctive feature of the gender. Nowadays this has somehow changed. We have names like Gerrit, Malin, Merlin, or Luka which really cannot relate to the gender.
My english is not the yellow from the egg. 😉 😂 😂 😂 😂
I think some Germans can't really tell how good their English really is because they haven't been in an English Speaking Country. And the English I learned in School had nothing to do with the English they speak in England, for example. So they say "a little bit" because they don't want to get your hopes up.
Happy belated birthday is okay :-) I think we Germans often underestimate the level of English, because of the younger generation, who watch and understand series or documentaries in English and read English texts, but rarely have contact with a native speaker. At least that's how I feel, the practice of speaking English is missing. I often dress inappropriately, but always laugh myself half to death when I see people in long pants and pullovers at 25 degrees Celsius, I would die a heat death :D
I think it's good that many names are rejected, the poor children....here are a few funny names, which (unfortunately) were approved:
Biene (bee in German), Champagna, Cinderella-Melodie, Fanta (as a girl), Frangi-Pany, Harley, Legolas, Matt-Eagle (sounds like Mettigel, a German delicasy, google for it to lol), Pepsi-Carola, Popo (this means butt in German), Schokominza, Triumf, Solarfried.
Here are a few rejected names (thank God!):
Agfa, Gastritis, Gucci, Liebknecht, McDonald, Nelkenheini, Pepsi-Cola, Pfefferminza, Möhre (Carrot in German), Verleihnix, Satan, Schnucki
.
Popo and Matt-Eagle, lol, really...?! 😂
Currently, old Frisian names have a tradition here in Northern Germany again, I think that's nice. For example Sönke, Frauke, Levke, Antje (that's my mother's name), Harm (short form of Hermann, that's my father's name), Okko, Ebbo, Rena, Lübbo ... Sounds also very unusual in most regions of Germany, but that's normal for us here.
This is not only like that in Germant but in France, too. French administration would not allow names which would be a burden in the future for the baby.
There is a black side to this in Germany. The Turkish Embassy provides to German administration a list of licensed names which, of course would not contain names which ethnical Armenians or Kurdish people would like to give to their children. When German state official look at their Turkish name list when a new born baby of Turkish citizens is registered, you rather should not be in the position of any ethnical minority inside Turkey.
My sister wanted to name her first daughter Joana...but they said, it’s not a proper name...Johanna...or another first name (mind you that was in the southern catholic part of Germany)
So they ended up with Marie Joana 😂😂😂
Really? Cause the name Joana is not that uncommon if you ask me.
@@folkehoffmann1198 oh I forgot to write that was back in 1983
If you want to name your child "Rugby" in Germany, you just have to prove that this is a common name in New-Zealand ;) About the Gender-Neutral Names, I'm not sure if this rule has disappeared, anyhow double-names are possible, like Klaus-Maria for a boy. And I think, German law is right, sometimes you have to protect children from their parents.
I really liked your video😄! As a German I do absolutely concur with you in every point...
... and I never would say: "yes I do speak English"
As a Brit absolutely with the baby name thing
Man kann Babys mit normalen Namen schon genug Schaden wie z.Bsp. Claire oder Ole. Für sich alleine sind die kein Problem. Wenn das Mädchen aber mit Nachnamen Grube heißt machen Kinder daraus Klärgrube. Ole ist ein schöner Niederdeutscher Name aber man sollte mit Nachnamen nicht Hering heißen, dann machen Kinder daraus Stinkfisch. Ich kannte so jemanden und das ist von den Eltern einfach abscheulich.