German
German is a member of the West Germanic group of the Indo-European family
of languages. It is the official language of Germany and Austria
and is one of the official languages of Switzerland. Altogether nearly
100 million people speak German as their first language, and it is important
as a cultural and commercial second language for millions of people in
Central, Northern, and Eastern Europe and in North and South America.
Historically, German falls into three main periods: Old German (c.A.D. 750-c.A.D. 1050); Middle German (c.1050-c.1500); and Modern German (c.1500 to the present). The modern period is usually said to begin with the German used by Luther, which became the basis of Modern High German, or Modern Standard German. The spread of uniformity in written German was also helped by printers, who, like Luther, wanted to attract as many readers as possible. During the 18th century a number of outstanding writers gave modern standard German essentially the form it has today. It is now the language of church and state, education and literature. A corresponding norm for spoken High German, influenced by the written standard, is used in education, the theater, and broadcasting. German dialects that differ substantially from standard German, not only in pronunciation but also in grammar, are found in regions of Germany, Eastern France, Switzerland, and Liechtenstein. Although dialectal differences within both the High German and Low German regions remain, a trend toward uniformity in the direction of the written standard is expected, partly as a result of widespread broadcasting, diminishing isolation, and increased socioeconomic mobility.
Sources:
Independent Study Courses Available at UCSD:
Other Courses Available at UCSD:
Other Local Resources:
UCSD International Center
Mingei museum of folk art
SD cultural
events
International channel
Balboa Park
House of Pacific Relations
International
web radio
Landmark
Theaters: foreign films
San Diego Instructional
TV
UCSD international performers
and films
UCSD Extension courses
UCSD German Program