There are customers who approach Mohammad at the vegetable stall and want to buy 500 grams of celery. He asks: Would you like a bulb? A big or a small one? He has been selling vegetables and fruits for four years now and still wonders: People don’t know the “package size”. It is important to understand one another. Because of this, it is also important how one says something. At his home in Afghanistan, one has to say exactly what they want at the vegetable seller: A bulb of garlic, not a piece; you ask for a stick or a… Read More
Category: Diverse
Corona-crisis is changing the German language
The corona-crisis has also affected the German language: 1230 new words and words with a new meaning have been collected by “Leibniz-Institut für Deutsche Sprache”. One of these institution’s task is to study the changes in the German language. The directory of neologisms, as linguistics calls new words, features words from Alltagsmaske (community mask) to Zoom-Party. The best known are Lockdown and Shutdown. Other words that are now part of the normal vocabulary are: Geisterspiel (ghost game, a soccer game without spectators), Klopapierhysterie (toilet paper hysteria), Covidioten (covidiots, a politician called people who thought the virus was an invention this), … Read More
Carrots and field lettuce preferably with soil
When customers currently say to Mohammad that the carrots or the field lattice are dirty, he gets annoyed. Right now, the apprentice in retail trade mainly sells these two fresh products from the region. Patiently, he then explains to the customers: “The carrots aren’t dirty, they are carrots with soil on them.” He then points out to them that carrots with soil are fresher and taste better than the pre-washed vegetables. He also knows the Swabians amongst his customers. Some of them fear that they have to pay for soil when the vegetables are being weighed at the checkout. This… Read More
Let’s talk about the weather: Is there snow in Syria?
By Oula Mahfouz Due to the heavy snowfall in Germany, I remembered that every time, when it snowed, I got asked the same question: Does it snow in Syria? I am always very happy to hear this question, as it reminds me of the last winter I spent in Damascus. That winter, there was a lot of snowfall. Syria is situated in the eastern Mediterranean and borders on Turkey, Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan and Palestine. This special position between three different continents and cultures is important. It shapes Syria and gave the country a diversity in many areas, including nature, climate… Read More
What the heart symbol means
By Oula Mahfouz “The heart breaks”. This metaphor expresses sorrow, but doctors also acknowledge a “broken heart syndrome”. A “strong heart” may refer to a healthy heart or strong character. One with a weak heart may be sick or not resilient. Why does the word hold so many meanings? Many consider the heart a symbol of love, but the heart may also hold love’s opposites, envy, hate, and others. In fact, science shows all emotions originate from the brain. The current symbolic depiction of the heart originates from depictions of fig leaves and ivy leaves, explaining why the symbol bears… Read More
International Body Language
By Reem Al Sagheer and Natalie Hekmat Body language often accompanies us unconsciously through life. We learn body language, especially gestures and facial expressions, from our parents and fellow human beings. However, there are mannerisms in every culture, many of which differ. This can lead to intercultural misunderstandings. A shake of the head, for example, can be understood as approval in some countries and as rejection in others. In Pakistan, Bulgaria and India, a shake of the head means approval. On the other hand, in other countries such as Germany or Syria, it marks a rejection. A thumbs up can… Read More
Why do many people with a background in migration have their birthday on January 1st?
By Reem Al Sagheer In Germany, about 416.420 people with a background in migration have their birthday on January 1st. This is according to data by the Federal Agency of Migration (BAMF). Most of them are from Syria (about 123.000), Turkey (85.000), Afghanistan (60.000) and Iraq (30.000). Other countries such as Eritrea, Morocco and Lebanon follow with fewer numbers. Is that supposed to be a joke? Are there actually that many people who were coincidentally born on the same day or is there a reason for this date? In contrast to Germany, birthdays aren’t that important in the mentioned countries.… Read More
Customs in the Advent season
The Advent season in Germany has many traditions and customs. Advent means “the coming of God”, referring to the birth of Jesus Christ, which many people in Germany celebrate on December 24th. Advent begins on the first Sunday after November 26th and is then celebrated on all four Sundays until Christmas. The celebrations have many customs. One of them is the Advent wreath, a beautifully decorated wreath made of fir branches with four candles on it. One candle is lit every Sunday, so that all four candles are lit by Christmas. Another custom, especially for children, is the Advent calendar,… Read More
What is the St. Nicholas’ Day?
The St. Nicholas’ Day on December 6th is the death anniversary of the bishop Saint Nicholas of Myra. Many legends exist about Nicholas. He supposedly shared his entire inheritance with the poor and was a very religious man. St. Nicholas’ Day is a Christian holiday during the advent season and is also celebrated by many non-Christians with their children in Germany. On the eve before St. Nicholas’ Day, children put their boots or shoes in front of the door. They hope that St. Nicholas will come and put sweets, tangerines, nuts or chocolate, in them. A common part of the… Read More
The importance of a pearl necklace in refugee women’s lives
“The women are all very different and every woman is so impressive,” says Laura Gudd, a social worker at the Asylum Center in Tübingen. Together with Dana Pietsch and two psychologists, she works on the project “Biography work. Culture-sensitive empowerment of vulnerable and abused refugee women”. Biography work involves participants thinking positively about their own life and developing perspectives for their personal future. This method is often used after a crucial experience in one’s own life, such as having to flee one’s country of origin. Women who fled their country of origin on their own often experienced violence, coercion and… Read More