German: F–10 Sequence / Levels 3 and 4 / Understanding / Role of language and culture
Content description
Make connections between culture and language use, for example, by identifying vocabulary and expressions that reflect cultural values, traditions or practices
Elaborations
comparing terms across German-speaking cultures, for example, Liebchen/Liebling, mein Schatz, Spitznamen
recognising that language carries cultural ideas, for example, Sommerbeginn, which is officially 1 December in Australia but 21/22 June in Europe; hitzefrei (‘heat-free’), referring to the practice of dismissing students early from school if a certain temperature is reached or forecast; or Wald, the setting in many German fairy tales
recognising character traits and values, such as those of animal characters in German stories, for example, the wolf in Rotkäppchen, and comparing them with familiar Australian stories
learning how to communicate about culture and language using terms such as ‘meaning’, ‘difference’ and ‘behaviour’
discussing parallel expressions such as ‘G’day’/Tag, ‘morning tea’/Kaffeepause and ‘Bless you’/Gesundheit
