- Welcome to German Class

Have you ever seen the storybooks of the brothers Grimm? Do you remember the country which hosted the world cup in 2006? Where is the country of sausages? What is the country which reunified as a nation in 1999?

Yes, these questions are all related with the country- Germany. Most of you might have heard about Germany many times. But do you really know the country well? Many students would be surprised if they knew that Germany always ranks high in trade balances and German is the sixth most widely used language in the world. In these ways Germany is always close to us yet it may be true that it feels unfamiliar. So we, NEWS@UOS, would like to introduce you to a place in the University of Seoul (UOS) where you can meet the so far yet so near country-Germany.

“At first I was really worried. I heard about Germany many times but German language was completely unfamiliar to me. So, it felt difficult” said Heo So-ra (School of Business Administration ’07). Maybe most students worry about similar things when they choose a foreign language class as their cultural study. And when it comes to unfamiliar words they would be more serious and hesitate.

However in this German class you don’t have to be nervous. This class is aimed at beginners. So, it consists of basic grammar and colloquialisms. Everything is set up for university students who are learning German for the first time. In addition you can hear many interesting stories from the professor which he experienced when he was a student studying in Germany. In this way you can have an interest in Germany and you will feel friendly towards the course.

“German is not as hard as you think. If English is your native language or if you already know English, then you already have an advantage when it comes to learning German. In addition, German is spelled phonetically. Once you learn the system of sounds, it is easy to predict how the spoken word is written and how the written word is pronounced” said professor Park Jin-gwon.

Nowadays most students study foreign language hard. However it is true that the range is limited to only a few languages. Remember that German is one of the most widely spoken languages in Europe and with Germany’s economic strength, studying German can bring you a lot of opportunities. For example the Japanese, who have the second most powerful economy in the world, understand the business advantages that knowledge of German will bring them: 68% of Japanese students study German. So, do you still feel distant from German? Then how about finding a new breakthrough by studying German?
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