There are around 120 million German speakers in 8 countries around the world. German is not only native to Germany: it is the official or co-official language in Austria, Switzerland, South Tyrol in Italy, part of Belgium and Luxembourg. It is the first language of some 95 million people and the most spoken language in the European Union.
German is also one of the most widely taught foreign languages in the world.
The different types of German
With so many speakers spread across eight countries around the world, the use of German will vary, making it a multicentric language.
If one has heard of High and Low German, one should understand that it does not refer to any social order: this classification refers to the geographical part of Germany where the version of the language was/is spoken.
Low German (Niederdeutsch or Plattdeutsch) is spoken in the lower part of northern Germany. It is an old form of German in use even today. Low Germans also crossed the oceans to the US, Canada, and Brazil with the Mennonites when they left Germany to avoid religious pressure.
High or Upper German (Oberdeutsch or Hochdeutsch) was originally used in the southern German highlands. It became popular due to the translation of the Bible into German by Martin Luther in the 16th century.
This type of German became the standard German of today.
Standard German is a mixture of High German and different dialects, created ‘artificially’ by poets, philosophers and scholars. When we talk about German nowadays, we mean standard German, and this is what is taught in all language schools.
Germany: England’s Close Cousin
German and English are part of the West Germanic language family and are closely related.
King George I of Great Britain was a German import from Hanover and, even today, the British royal family has Teutonic (read German) heritage.
English and German are related languages but too far apart to require translation. Since English is a dominant world language, it is not surprising that translators and translation services are needed to travel freely between the two languages.
Deutsch nach Englisch: What is the need for translation into English and vice versa?
Germany: the economic powerhouse
The obvious answer is that Germany is a power to be reckoned with even today, when the world has become the United States of America for most people.
Just consider that Hitler had led Germany to annihilation, financially and morally, at the end of World War II in 1945. Today, Germany is the largest national economy in Europe with the fifth largest GDP in the world. It has risen like the Phoenix from the ashes of World War II.
In 2016, Germany had the highest trade surplus in the world at a value of $310 billion. This makes the country a giant exporter. Germany, in fact, exports $1.27 trillion worth of goods and services each year.
Business and trade with Germany is highly desirable. All economic activity requires contracts, correspondence, documentation and legal activity: in short, all the wheels of commerce must be greased to close deals. This is not possible if communication is a barrier. The highest quality professional translation services are therefore in high demand.
Germany: the center of culture
German philosophers like Kant, Nietzsche, and Schopenhauer have shaped Western philosophy.
Mozart and Beethoven were German giants who shaped the Western classical music scene. Today, Germany is the largest music market in Europe and the third largest in the world.
10% of all books published worldwide are in the German language.
German cinema, media, art and architecture are no less famous.
Man does not live by bread alone: it is the fine arts of life that place the human being as the highest form of Nature’s creations. In the absence of a German to English translation, we risk missing out on all that Germany has to offer in this regard.
Germany: the innovator in Science, Engineering and Technology
Germany has been home to the most outstanding scientists and researchers, generating more Nobel prizes than any other nation. Einstein was German: is it necessary to say more?
Germany is a world leader in innovation. Leading universities and research institutes spearhead pioneering work in technology and science and work closely with manufacturing and engineering giants.
If the Arts are important to an elevated life, the sciences and engineering innovation are important to life itself.
The free flow of knowledge and information is impossible without translation from German to English. Such a translation has to be accurate, well informed and well researched: only an expert is capable of such a task.
Germany: Home of Giant Manufacturers
Germany is a large manufacturing center. Who has not heard of German-made cars? Mercedes Benz, Daimler, Porsche, Volkswagen and BMW are brands that make your heart beat faster.
Pharmaceutical companies like Bayer and Siemens, sports superstar Adidas and Faber-Castell stationery are the tip of the iceberg for German manufacturing, though they are also major properties on the world stage.
Do you want to trade with the Germans? Being bilingual takes on a new meaning.
In conclusion, it must be stated that the world not only needs to interact with Germany, but wants to. We cannot divorce the popularity of a language from the favorable global perception of the country of its birth. In other words, German is a globally sought after language because Vaterland is a favorite country.
A global opinion poll conducted by the BBC revealed that Germany is the second most respected nation in the world out of FIFTY countries and has had the most positive influence in the world since 2011.
Do you still have doubts about the importance of translating from German to English?