Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect
Aug 14, 2025
Deutsch ist nicht direkt — Why Not Everything Is Said Directly in German
🔗 Choose your language Not every “no” is a “no.” In many languages, communication is direct. Clear. Immediate.But German isn’t always like that. And that surprises a lot of students. They ask:“Why do Germans say ‘Ich weiß nicht, ob das geht’ instead of just ‘Nein’?”Or:“Why do textbooks use so many ‘vielleicht’, ‘meistens’, ‘normalerweise’, ‘eventuell’?” The answer is simple:Because German is not a direct language — […]
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