In our first post this year, we wanted to tell you a little bit about our instructors! So, what does “boarisch”, ”icke” , “Schnackbüddel”, “Schwabenländle”, “Ge?”, and “wienerisch” have in common? Well, it’s how people speak in the areas our instructors come from, and which is now the big pot of diversity our teachers bring to the DANK, coming from every corner of the German speaking countries.  

Can we still understand each other? Mostly :D ! Do our students learn “good German” then, if everyone talks in their own dialect? Yes! With a bit of dialectical seasoning - I for sure have heard students greet each other with the northern “Moin!”, and have students refer to their kids with the very Austrian “Bub”. So while “Hochdeutsch” is taught, each instructor also brings their own part of Germany, or Austria, or Switzerland with them. 

Which is why our learner community does not only learn German at the DANK, but also a lot about German culture. And we are very grateful for all our students who so wholeheartedly embrace this diversity, and engage in discussions about cultural differences. 

So, can you find our teachers’ “Heimaten”, and place Flensburg, Berlin, Stuttgart, Utting a.Ammersee, Wien, Bad Homburg von der Höhe, Gera, and Kassel on the map? Test your geographical knowledge here:

Geography Quiz