Married couples separated by German language test

AP ^ | April 6, 2014 | KIRSTEN GRIESHABER

[don-o]

Marriage was supposed to bring them together. Instead, it was the beginning of a long ordeal apart. Germany blocked Nguyen from entering the country after she flunked the language test that Germany requires aspiring immigrants to pass — even those married to Germans.

[don-o]

I did not know this.

[Dr. Sivana]

I only tried taking German for two weeks before conflicts prevented me from continuing.

I must say, it must be a nasty language. A little bit of “business English” goes a long way, and is spoken around the world. Places that have had a strong French presence happily adopt the language and are reluctant to give it up. Ditto Spanish. Even Japanese has a strong following. Outside of PhD candidates, who wants to learn German?

[Cowboy Bob]

England is the same way, but the level is very low (A1). You must pass a speaking and listening exam. Reading and writing is not required.

[kitkat]

We should do the same thing here concerning all the border crossing non-English speakers.

[kabar]

Bookmark

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Ist das nicht eine Schnitzelbank?
Ja, das ist eine Schnitzelbank.

Es geht weiter mit:

kurz und lang
hin und her
kreuz und quer
Schiessgewehr
Wagenrad
krumm und grad
grosses Glass
Ochsenblas
Haufen Mist
Schnickelfritz
dicke Frau
fette Sau
langer Mann
Tannenbaum
Hochzeitsring
gefaehrliches Ding

O - Die Schoenheit an der Wand - Ja das ist eine Schnitzelbank.

Ist das nicht mit einem freundlichen Gruess?
Ja das ist mit einem freundlichen Gruess,
Ist das nicht interessante News? (noos)
Ja das ist interessante News.....

freundlicher Gruess, interessante News, gefaehrliches Ding, Hochzeitsring...
Oh - die Schoenheit an der Wand, ja das ist eine Schnitzelbank.

Or another version:

langer Hund
offener Mund
grosse Kuh
ich und Du
Papagei
Metzgerei
gruene Wiese
Tante Liese
Sprung ins Meer
Bitte sehr
Tasse Tee
Mann aus Schnee
weisse Maus
Konzerthaus

und, und, und....

[BenLurkin]

We need to have a speaka da English requirement.

[BenLurkin]

I got this.

kreuz und quer - really needs to translsation

Schiessgewehr - The branch of their military which really stinks to be assigned to.

Wagenrad — Little Deuce Coupe

dicke Frau — you betcha!

langer Mann - hello ladies....

gefaehrliches Ding - Goldie Hahn in a bad mood

[Gay State Conservative]

I have absolutely no problem at all with this.German *is*...or,at least,should *be*...*the* national language of Germany and language plays a huge role in a nation's social (and economic) cohesion.It's a damn shame that the US,at one time,used to print ballots (just to use one example) solely in English.Today,they're printed in 35 different languages.
It sounds to me as if Germany is resisting the old “press 2 for German” thing...to their credit.

[yldstrk]

It’s a problem. Vietnamese keep to themselves and won’t learn English either

[expat1000]

The Dutch have gone the same way, and that is one tough language to master.

[Verginius Rufus]

Mark Twain learned German but enjoyed making fun of the language. His essay "The Awful German Language" is very funny (I think it may have appeared originally as part of The Innocents Abroad). He tells of a friend who, after a couple of months trying to learn German, only knew how to order two glasses of beer in German. But he had that down cold.

[dfwgator]

I know a little German...