Answers
Oct 17, 2016 - 01:34 AM
Which single accent should they pick? The one most representative of the region you're likely to visit ... or the one from a region you'll never go to?
It's always been pretty obvious that Fluenz is designed for tourists, people who are likely to travel to more than one city in a country in a single vacation. That's why I believe it makes sense to hear a variety of accents with their subtle pronunciation differences, because I think it better prepares the tourist for what she's likely to encounter in a country. But if all you've heard in your language studies is a Berliner accent, with its unique pronunciations and vocabulary, what happens when you travel to Frankfurt, and things suddenly sound different?
Yeah, I get that it's a little confusing at first, but you'll get the hang of it. And once you do, you'll be far more prepared to deal with understanding the spoken language across a variety of regions.
It's always been pretty obvious that Fluenz is designed for tourists, people who are likely to travel to more than one city in a country in a single vacation. That's why I believe it makes sense to hear a variety of accents with their subtle pronunciation differences, because I think it better prepares the tourist for what she's likely to encounter in a country. But if all you've heard in your language studies is a Berliner accent, with its unique pronunciations and vocabulary, what happens when you travel to Frankfurt, and things suddenly sound different?
Yeah, I get that it's a little confusing at first, but you'll get the hang of it. And once you do, you'll be far more prepared to deal with understanding the spoken language across a variety of regions.
Oct 18, 2016 - 09:52 PM
You might believe it makes sense. I don't disagree. But it would be helpful perhaps, in the initial introduction, to point out how all-over-the-map German pronunciation is. You are smart enough to catch the different accents in the educational program and compensate. Some users might not be as brilliant as you.
