Ian Farrell explores the origins and development of Berlinerisch…
MGoing to Berlin is a big step in anyone’s life. No matter where you’ve lived before—Paris, Rio, Stockton-on-Tees—Germany’s capital is guaranteed to be a new experience for you. Every day holds a new discovery: a future favorite pub or café , stumbling upon a spontaneous live concert or dance performance, or simply making friends with some of the many colorful folk on the streets of your adopted home.
If you want to make the most of this life-changing decision, you’re going to want to learn the language. Maybe you studied German at university in your home country. Maybe you’re planning on doing a crash course when you get here. Maybe you are German (or Austrian, or Swiss, or another native speaker of German ).
Either way, you’ll settle into it sooner or later. The grammar might be a bit tricky for beginners, but after a month or two you’ll probably be able to hold down a half-decent conversation, and this multi-cultural metropolis is generally pretty tolerant of your mistakes.
At some point, you’ll stumble across one of those elusive creatures: a born-and-bred Urberliner . Maybe someone will come round to read your meter, or install a new boiler, or perhaps you’ll make the mistake of trying to strike up a conversation with your bus driver when buying a ticket. You greet them with confidence, the opening gambit you prepared in your head tripping relatively smoothly off your tongue.
You prick up your ears for the response…but wait, what was that ?! What is even German ? It sounded like something between a grunt and a mother, far too fast for you to understand, and now they seem to be laughing and/or scowling at you! Did you say something wrong? You are very, very confused. Welcome to the world of Berlinerisch.
What is Berlinerisch?
“Berlinisch ist eine Art von Nuscheln mit eigenartiger Intonation, wobei der Hörer das Gesprochene kaum versteht” / “Berlinerisch is a type of mumbling with a peculiar intonation whereby the listener barely understands what is being said“ – Helmut Schönfeld, Berlinisch Heute
Contrary to what some natives would have you believe, Berlinerisch, or B…