Nur die Harten kommen in den Garten

Only the Strong Survive

What’s in an Umlaut? ( ¨ )

An Umlaut by any other Name would still be Confusing

Another dreary Tag hier. Die Sonne scheint nicht. Vielleicht der Regen später kommt. That was fun! I’ve actually seen stuff written like that – some German and some English all mixed together. Heute I’m going to investigate the mysterious and powerful umlaut.

When I’m done, I’m going to do some more research on how to type it without resorting to copy and paste. I know there’s something I can do with the keyboard. I’ve already got the computer set up to proofread in German, but there are more tricks to learn.

So, what do I want to know about this curious mark?

• ·       What is it?
• ·       When do I use it?
• ·       Where does it go?
• ·       What’s its purpose?
• ·       How does it change a word’s pronunciation?
• ·       How do I type it?

·       And, as mentioned in an earlier post, why doesn’t an umlaut have an umlaut?

My first stop was Langenscheidt’s Pocket Dictionary. No listing for umlaut in either the German or English sections. Hmmm.  OK. Time to Google.

Success! Sort of. It seems that the noun form defines a mark used over a vowel to indicate a different vowel quality, usually fronting or rounding. Huh?

As a verb (To umlaut ?????) it means to modify a form or sound by using an umlaut. And it can be conjugated. Good Grief! ( ¨ )

Interesting bit of trivia: The word’s origin dates from the 19^th century and is a combination of um (about) and Laut (sound). 

I stared at the Wikipedia article until my eyes glazed over. It might as well have been written in Urdu. Basically, when two vowels come together, they quarrel. Instead of divorcing and kicking one out, they go to arbitration and meld into a new sound that takes qualities from both. It all boils down to a change in pronunciation for the vowels, a,o, und u. You will run across it in noun plurals and in conjugation of verbs.

I did listen to a couple of YouTube videos and got the pronunciation sort of figured out. As for when to use an umlaut, you’ve just got to memorize it when you encounter its use in a noun or verb. No shortcuts here.

Good video to hear pronunciation is German Umlauts for Dummies

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEpsLVKo5vg

Now, as for the typing of said umlauts.

Wow!! That was a piece of cake! Here’s how:

Hold down “control” and “shift” and press “:” (colon). Nothing will appear on the screen, but release all three keys and then type the letter that needs the umlaut. It’s magic!!! 

Ö, ö, Ü, ü, Ä, ä

There are also many YouTube videos that give other methods.  That’s the story on umlauts, and it leads to the next symbol or combination of letters used in German:

ß ß ß ß

More in the next grammar post.

Here are my sentences!

Heute, habe ich den Mais und die Aubergine geentet.

Morgen früh esse ich die Karotten.

Ich mag den Spargel aber hasse ich die Zweibeln.

Mein Sohn mag den Kohlrabi nicht.

Wir haben keinen Artischocken.

Mit den Ingwurzel und Pilzen kann ich die Abendessen machen.

Magst du den Meerrettich?

Der Blumenkohl geht gut mit Käse.

Die Linsensuppe ist lecker.

Ich brauche drei Avocados.

 bis bald!