kathy

I´m applying for a place in a bilingual kindergarten for my daughter. But since I´m trying so hard to avoid mistakes I´m very confused now. So please help.

native language is german and nationality is German? do I get this right?

Do you attend kindergarten or do you visit kindergarten? or maybe just go?

Xerxys

You attend kindergarten. Native language is german, nationality is German. You were right. You only visit it if you don't intend to stay there ....

kathy

thanks a lot

Baraka_Guru

Actually, it goes either way. I would capitalize both for German.

In my own usage (normally, Oxford), I capitalize all languages: English, French, German, etc., as I would nationalities.

Then there is "French braid" and "French bread," etc. But "french fries."

Then there is "german," which means having both parents the same: eg. "brother german."

It all comes down to usage/style, I suppose.

For the record, I would never use "english"; not even with "English muffin." And the same goes for "German" beyond the use of "german" in that other context.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Plan9

Baraka illustrates how I was taught. Proper nouns and all that. I capitalize the hell outta things for no reason to cover my bases when I'm feeling stupid. That Happens Often.

...

Attend and visit seem straightforward. You could throw a lot of words in there and convey the point.

"I served my time in kindergarten." "I did a tour in kindergarten." "Many moons..."

Sorry.

__________________
Whatever you can carry.

"You should not drink... and bake."

Charlatan

In french fries, the "french" isn't capitalized because it refers to a method of cutting the potatoes rather than the nation of France.

__________________
"My hands are on fire. Hands are on fire. Ain't got no more time for all you charlatans and liars."
- Old Man Luedecke

Baraka_Guru

Exactly. It has a parallel to the "german" use above.

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

guyy

German people and German language.

However, i don't put english on the ball with a capital E.

Looking at old English Books one sees many more Capitals than one does in our Times. It's a Pity, because i think the Old Way is slightly easier to read, especially when writing by Hand. But, what happens with Compounds? It's easy enough in German, but Writers of English face a Dilemma at each Compound. One? Both? Oh my! In my Notes, i sometimes dispense with the Problem by using the German Equivalent.

Baraka_Guru

many people do interesting things with english just like that writer who was the first to compose a work without using any capitals or puncutation do you remember who that was i cannot remember for the life of me but if i for whatever reason remember i will come back here and let you know until then remember that english as with all living languages is always in flux and that there will always be artists who do interesting things with it it reminds me of some of the poetry i have read especially from the kootenay school from out in western canada though i am pretty sure they were influenced by an american group they were called black mountain i think there you go there is something else i cannot quite remember i am pretty sure it was the black mountain movement in the states someone correct me if i am wrong on that one i kinda like that stuff though maybe i will read more of it soon

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

guyy

While we're on this topic, i'll mention that even a single author at the right time-n-place can have Enormous Influence. In my now Copious Spare Time, i've been translating a little piece by Natsume Soseki. Soseki was almost singlehandedly responsible for third person pronouns in Japanese. He needed them for his novels & translations, so he made them up. He even changed the way some words were written. For example, he was the first to use 沢山 (swamp + mountain) for たくさん (=many). These were little jokes/puns of his that caught on and lost their Sense of Humour.

English has also come a long way in a relatively short time. Its Orthographic Conventions & Manners of Punctuation & Such are all relatively new. Even as Modern as it really was, that Goddamnpynchonbook made for a bit of a slog. The aforementioned Gap can make reading Old Books painful for us Moderns -- so much so that old French Stuff may pose less of an Obstacle to Comprehension.
-----Added 6/2/2009 at 12 : 44 : 40-----
Can we really be so sure what the referent truly is? The esteemed Members of Congress obviously thought it referred to the Hexagon. I have heard it said that the origin of pommes frites is "really Belgium and not France" which would also seem to make it an Issue of National Origin. There is much confusion, especially with Ignorance of Culinary Techniques galloping throughout the Land. (I fancy myself knowledgeable in the Way of the Kitchen, but even i have never made french fries.)

It all comes down to whether or not one is aware of a particular kitchen technique.

This is a distinction that Bourdieu might find intriguing.

ring

I am trying to remember who it was I read, that was experimenting with English
in a more phoenetic fashion. Punctuation was used, and I was pleased
at how easy it was to read....it had an almost Chaucerian feel to it.
I recall he used symbols for punctuation that I had never seen before,
and he changed tense often,
but somehow it made sense. It flowed smooth.

Maybe if I look at it sideways, I might remember who that was.

thingstodo

Be aware of the tense you use. For example, in the original post you said "do I get this right?" Do is present tense; did would be the correct tense for your statement since you had already written the sentence.

Tense and gender are two of the typically problematic areas that cause people trouble with other languages.

__________________
If you're wringing your hands you can't roll up your shirt sleeves.

Stangers have the best candy.

ketch90

I saw above French braid but french fries... Is it French horn or french horn? I've played it for five years now, and to avoid this problem I just put horn. What is the right way?

__________________
Well, we're doing mighty fine, I do suppose, in our streak of lightning cars and fancy clothes. But just so we're reminded of the ones who are held back, up front there ought to be a man in black.

Xerxys

I'd have to go with capital "F" in French horn because I can't see it as a way of describing how the horn is handled or used ... I could just google it but I am lazy!!!

Baraka_Guru

It's "French horn."

__________________
Knowing that death is certain and that the time of death is uncertain, what's the most important thing?
—Bhikkhuni Pema Chödrön

Humankind cannot bear very much reality.
—From "Burnt Norton," Four Quartets (1936), T. S. Eliot

Willravel

Well played, Baraka word-guru. Where were you when we were looking for a temporary editor?