AC9LG8EU03 Years 7 to 8 Languages

Content descriptor compare German language structures and features with English, using familiar metalanguage

Elaborations

• • Elaboration recognising and explaining to others, aspects of German language and culture that are interesting and/or different when compared with English language texts, for example, answering telephone with surname
• • Elaboration understanding the concept of regular and irregular verbs, for example, spielen and lesen, and noticing that this is a feature of both German and English and other languages such as French, Italian and Spanish
• • Elaboration recognising that in German a subject+verb can have multiple English translations, for example, wir spielen can mean we play, we are playing, we do play, we shall/will play and we’re going to play, and applying this understanding when formulating own German sentences
• • Elaboration identifying and analysing the purpose, intended audience and key features of familiar texts such as signs, instructions, postcards, advertisements, songs and conversations in German, and comparing these with texts in English
• • Elaboration comparing German and English written and spoken modes of a particular language function, noticing language structures used and varying levels of formality, for example, an invitation
• • Elaboration comparing pluralisation of nouns in German and English, for example, die for plural nouns and differing ending patterns in German, for example, Maus, Mäuse; Katze, Katzen, and in English
• • Elaboration understanding that English grammar used to be more closely aligned with German grammar, and that English has changed, for example, recognising the link between the Middle English “What thinkest thou?” and Was denkst du?

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• • Elaboration recognising that languages are dynamic and borrow and adapt words and expressions from each other, for example, English has borrowed the German words Hamburger, kaputt, Kindergarten and Glockenspiel and German has borrowed the English words das Internet, die App, joggen, shoppen, Stopp! and Sorry!, and comparing how these words are pronounced by German and English speakers
• • Elaboration noticing that German and English share many words, for example, Computer, Bus, Taxi and Auto, and understanding that this is a result of historical events, as well as the evolving nature of languages
• • Elaboration comparing the concept of diversity in accents, dialects and vocabulary in German-speaking communities, with similar diversity in the use of English within and beyond Australia