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Ten Reasons to Learn Deutsch (besides the fact that it's fun!)
1. German is important for higher education. German is by far the most frequently recommended and/or required language for most universities. Most scientific and arts majors specifically recommend German.
2. German and English are both Germanic languages. They share many of the same words, word origins, and grammar characteristics, and that makes German a good choice for English speakers.
3. German is important to our American heritage. One out of every four Americans nationwide has German heritage. German-Americans are the largest ethnic group in America today. Germans have made innumerable contributions to our country.
4. Over 120 million people speak German as their native language. German is spoken in Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxembourg, and Liechtenstein, as well as in parts of other European countries such as Northern Italy, France, and Belgium. Twice as many people speak German in Europe than any other language, and after English, German is the most popular foreign language to learn in Europe.
5. German is important in the global economy. Germany also has the world's third biggest economy (after the USA and Japan). Germany is the largest economic and political influence in Europe. Germany has the highest paid workers in the world. Germany is also the leading export nation in the world in proportion to its population, and Switzerland is the world's richest country. The standard of living in German-speaking countries is among the highest in the world.
6. German is very important for business. On the Virginia Peninsula there are several German companies, i.e., Siemans, Liebherr, and Faber-Castell. More Americans have lived and worked in Germany than in any other foreign country since the end of World War II in 1945. Germany and the United States invest $40 billion in each other's businesses per year. Many companies name German as the language they would most like their employees to know. When Chrysler and Mercedes merged, many Chrysler employees had to learn German.
7. German is important for science. Many of the world's scientists came from or studied in German-speaking countries. Many new scientific discoveries originate in German-speaking countries, and some scientific information is only available in the German language. The newest elements added to the Periodic Table were recently discovered by a German scientist. Universities encourage science majors to learn German.
8. German is important in music. Most of the world's famous composers and musicians such as Mozart, Beethoven, Bach, Brahms, and Schubert came from German-speaking countries. Vienna, the capital of Austria, has been the world center of music for hundreds of years. Many classical musicians learn German.
9. German is important for the tourist industry. Germans are the most traveled people in the world. You will find German tourists everywhere. In the United States, they will especially frequent the top tourist spots like California, Florida, New York, and Williamsburg, Virginia. Many American tourists visit German-speaking countries. German is widely spoken throughout Europe.
10. The importance of German may not seem as obvious to Americans because oceans separate us from the rest of the world. German is one of the most popular foreign languages worldwide; in Europe it is the second most popular after English. We live in a global society, and the United States is not necessarily the center of the world.
Sources: American Assoc. of Teachers of German, Dartmouth College, Goethe Institute, National Council for the Social Studies, St. Olaf College, Univ. of St. Thomas, US News & World Report, World Book Encyclopedia
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