I know a lot of Germans are fiercely against this but being totally honest I can only see benefits in the long run.
It would in no way undermine the German language while actually making this country much more attractive to high skilled foreigners. English opens the door to the world while German opens the door to like 3 countries.
Alas, it won’t ever happen but I stand it’d genuinely beneficial to the country, speaking this as a third country national who moved to Germany to marry a German and once we’re done with university we’ll move to Netherlands instead because this country is just *that much* unattractive to immigrate to when you’re not an asylum/refugee seeker.
Would be great. But unfortuntalely not realistic. With labour shortage it will be hard to find these English speaking staff for state offices. They don’t pay that good…
My German is way worse than English but I’m against this. Make German classes better and more accessible instead.
Always good when our british friends take the time to inform us of what’s going on here, because just from living here you’d never have heard of this call.
Also it’s a pretty blatant non-solution.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
Good luck having all the legalese translated.
Knowing the availability of material in “Leichter Sprache” I’d expect it to be done in like 50 years.
So we already have a shortage of people willing to work in client facing government jobs, but I’m sure requiring those people to speak English and German on a C2 level won’t be a problem…
This would feed right wings for years to come.
It seems like some part of the immigration process would be easier for people outside of Germany if it was offered in English. The leap from that, to making English an official second language, seems unwarranted.
Why not make English an acceptable language specifically for those parts of the process that create the initial hurdles for skilled workers looking to reside and work in Germany?
Perhaps there’s some constitutional obstacle to doing that. I know that in the United States, many levels of government make a subset of services available in languages that help the local population. So, for example, Washington state, or Seattle, or King County, could choose to make a certain notices available in Spanish or Japanese or Hmong. It doesn’t mean law has to be written in all of these languages. It doesn’t mean that every bureaucrat or clerk, or legislator or judge needs to speak all of these languages.
I wonder why this person is making such an extreme proposal to solve a specific problem.
Only that the majority of the administrative offices does not speak English at all, and therefore they would immediately lose 90-80% of their staff. Such an intelligent proposal can only come from the FDP.
By now, I’m kinda sure the FDP is a bunch of bored US bankers who genuinely think they are doing Germany a service by giving r/thanksimcured level advice
I’m certain it will happen in the future. US influence on the world is so strong, every child on earth will at some point in time learn English as first or second language
what labor shortages are you guys having? I’m a Canadian citizen who has been trying to get into the job market applying for chemistry jobs.
No, German no call. No, German, no call.
Once-a Politician – from the FDP, current governmeeente in Berlin.
Wana-wanna-make-a headline in the news, stating – stating Bullshit hypocrite.
No, German no call. No, German, no call
….
This is the wrong way. And I say this as someone who is still learning german. Make those language courses readily available, invest more in DaF teachers, and the problem would solve itself in a few years. The solution is rather obvious, or am I stupid?!
We need to start somewhere and if thats one approach – I’m all for it.
Most Native Germans can’t even speak German properly. Especially the Austrians someone ordered on Wish (Bavarians)
If they do this. Would they be required to have English channels on TV? So my TV tax might be finally used on something I can watch ?
I’d rather they spent time digitizing and modernizing everything. The amount of times I need an appointment at some amt to do some mundane task is mind blowing.
So many of my coworkers hate this very much. I got told to speak German because I live in Germany at least once a week but then get called to translate for the sales people at least a few times a week.
Please, Germany, have some pride…don’t go down this road.
Someone who has to do a number of translations from German to English for wealthy foreigners in Germany here: I’d highly welcome this. It’s long overdue. The largest economy in the world speaks English, it’s a world language. German is not. Germany is an export nation. The government is a key obstacle here. Why is fluent English in government jobs not already an entry requirement? This is hilarious.
don’t need to go all in, and does not make sense to make all the system bilingual.
But if Germany wants to attract talent in the internacional market, efforts needs to be made and some public services do need to be able to work in English.
Good god, I am English (und Deutsch, Ich bin hier als Brefugee) and I don’t think I could pass a C2 English exam…
24 comments
I know a lot of Germans are fiercely against this but being totally honest I can only see benefits in the long run.
It would in no way undermine the German language while actually making this country much more attractive to high skilled foreigners. English opens the door to the world while German opens the door to like 3 countries.
Alas, it won’t ever happen but I stand it’d genuinely beneficial to the country, speaking this as a third country national who moved to Germany to marry a German and once we’re done with university we’ll move to Netherlands instead because this country is just *that much* unattractive to immigrate to when you’re not an asylum/refugee seeker.
Would be great. But unfortuntalely not realistic. With labour shortage it will be hard to find these English speaking staff for state offices. They don’t pay that good…
My German is way worse than English but I’m against this. Make German classes better and more accessible instead.
Always good when our british friends take the time to inform us of what’s going on here, because just from living here you’d never have heard of this call.
Also it’s a pretty blatant non-solution.
Nope. Nope. Nope.
Good luck having all the legalese translated.
Knowing the availability of material in “Leichter Sprache” I’d expect it to be done in like 50 years.
So we already have a shortage of people willing to work in client facing government jobs, but I’m sure requiring those people to speak English and German on a C2 level won’t be a problem…
This would feed right wings for years to come.
It seems like some part of the immigration process would be easier for people outside of Germany if it was offered in English. The leap from that, to making English an official second language, seems unwarranted.
Why not make English an acceptable language specifically for those parts of the process that create the initial hurdles for skilled workers looking to reside and work in Germany?
Perhaps there’s some constitutional obstacle to doing that. I know that in the United States, many levels of government make a subset of services available in languages that help the local population. So, for example, Washington state, or Seattle, or King County, could choose to make a certain notices available in Spanish or Japanese or Hmong. It doesn’t mean law has to be written in all of these languages. It doesn’t mean that every bureaucrat or clerk, or legislator or judge needs to speak all of these languages.
I wonder why this person is making such an extreme proposal to solve a specific problem.
Only that the majority of the administrative offices does not speak English at all, and therefore they would immediately lose 90-80% of their staff. Such an intelligent proposal can only come from the FDP.
By now, I’m kinda sure the FDP is a bunch of bored US bankers who genuinely think they are doing Germany a service by giving r/thanksimcured level advice
I’m certain it will happen in the future. US influence on the world is so strong, every child on earth will at some point in time learn English as first or second language
what labor shortages are you guys having? I’m a Canadian citizen who has been trying to get into the job market applying for chemistry jobs.
Johannes Wailey and the Marleys: No, German no call © 2023 by FDPusic
No, German no call. No, German, no call.
Once-a Politician – from the FDP, current governmeeente in Berlin.
Wana-wanna-make-a headline in the news, stating – stating Bullshit hypocrite.
No, German no call. No, German, no call
….
This is the wrong way. And I say this as someone who is still learning german. Make those language courses readily available, invest more in DaF teachers, and the problem would solve itself in a few years. The solution is rather obvious, or am I stupid?!
We need to start somewhere and if thats one approach – I’m all for it.
Most Native Germans can’t even speak German properly. Especially the Austrians someone ordered on Wish (Bavarians)
If they do this. Would they be required to have English channels on TV? So my TV tax might be finally used on something I can watch ?
I’d rather they spent time digitizing and modernizing everything. The amount of times I need an appointment at some amt to do some mundane task is mind blowing.
So many of my coworkers hate this very much. I got told to speak German because I live in Germany at least once a week but then get called to translate for the sales people at least a few times a week.
Please, Germany, have some pride…don’t go down this road.
Someone who has to do a number of translations from German to English for wealthy foreigners in Germany here: I’d highly welcome this. It’s long overdue. The largest economy in the world speaks English, it’s a world language. German is not. Germany is an export nation. The government is a key obstacle here. Why is fluent English in government jobs not already an entry requirement? This is hilarious.
don’t need to go all in, and does not make sense to make all the system bilingual.
But if Germany wants to attract talent in the internacional market, efforts needs to be made and some public services do need to be able to work in English.
Good god, I am English (und Deutsch, Ich bin hier als Brefugee) and I don’t think I could pass a C2 English exam…