How to: German Accent

[Mullraugh 313]

German accents have been quite popular recently, used by the Waldenian characters in LotC.

 

Most peoples way of typing the accent is often hard to read, doesn't look or flow right, mixes other accents in, or is just wrong.

 

The following are some basic rules to assist you in typing out a great accent that makes sense and looks good.

 

Rule 1: Pronounce 'TH' as either S or Z.

Don't get confused between the two substitution letters. You don't just choose one willy-nilly. There are specific times where you need to use them as explained below.

 

 

Use the S in a soft TH sound, or 'voiceless' TH sound like in the word THING. 

Words like:  Think, Things, Bathtub, Mouth, South, Path, Thirty, Three, Thirteen, Anything, Blacksmith.

All turn into: Sink, Sings, Basstub, Mouss, Souss, Pass, Sirty, Sree, Sirteen, Anysing, Blacksmiss.

 

If the TH sound is at the end or in the middle of a word, use an 'SS' instead of a single S to emphasize the SSSSsssss sound and to avoid certain words looking like misspellings of other words. For example; if you wrote Mouth as just Mous, someone might think you meant to say Mouse.

 

Use the Z in a hard TH sound, or 'voiced' TH sound like in the word THE.

Words like: The, Other, That, Than, Their, There, They're, Them, These, Those, Though, Brother, Feather, Weather, Smooth, Another, Father, Mother.

All turn into: Ze, Ozzer, Zat, Zan, Zeir, Zere, Zey're, Zem, Zese, Zose, Zough, Brozzer, Feazzer, Weazzer, Smooz, Anotzzer, Fazzer, Mozzer.

 

If the TH sound is in the middle of a word, use a 'ZZ' instead of a single Z.
 

 

 

Rule 2: Pronounce W as V.

 

 

 

Words like: Wait, Waist, War, Walk, Wall, Warm, Wander, Woman, Worms

All turn into: Vait, Vaist, Var, Valk, Vall, Varm, Vander, Voman, Vorms.

 

Use this only for words where the W is actually pronounced.

Words like Who, *****, Write, Wrinkle, Wrestle, Sword, Answer, Wriggle, Wrist, Writhe or Wry should just be spelt the way they are in English.

 

Wh is just V, not Vh.

Words like When, What.

All turn into: Ven, Vat

The exceptions to this rule would be "Where" because "Vere" could be interpreted as "Were" and 'Why'; because not only does 'Vy' look bad, it's also a word used by the Raevirs for 'You', and you don't want to look like a Raevir, do you?

 

Avoid creating two-letter words in general.

Words like We will turn into "Vee"
 

 

 

Rule 3: Pronounce J as Y

 

 

 

Words like Johannesburg, Jelly, Just, Jealous, Jam.

All turn into: Yohannesburg, Yelly, Yust, Yealous, Yam.
 

 

 

 

[Loose] Rule 4: You don't have to, but some words containing S could be spruced up with an SCH.

 

 

Words like Swine, Swill, Speak

Could be turned into: Schwein, Scwill, Schpeak. 

 

Use this loosely, though, since it sounds like you have a retainer if used wrong.
 

 

 

Rule 5: German words you can use in your speech.

 

 

SPELL THEM CORRECTLY.

No is Nein, not Nien.

Yes is Ja or Jawohl.

My is Mein

Hello is Hallo

Mister is Herr

Woman or Mrs is Frau

Woman or Miss is Fraulein

She is Sie

A is Ein if masculine, or Eine if feminine.

You is Du

And is Und

 

Swears (open spoilers at own risk):
 

 

 

 

Pigdog is Schweinhund

***** is Fotze,

****  is Schlampe

Google more if you truly want to know.
 

 

An example of someone speaking with the accent:

"Hallo zere! Zis town ve are in... it is called Yohansburg, Ja? I don't sink I've ever been here before. Vhere is ze blacksmiss?"

 

"Du are very pretty, Fraulein! Sank du for your patience vis my accent!"

 

"Nein, I do not like zis place at all."

 

 

 

 

It helps to know more German than that, but those are the basics of the basics.
 

 

[Mullraugh 313]

Just now, Jaeden said:

Frenchies next? :).

Per'aps.

[Mullraugh 313]

Just now, Jaeden said:

Gut.

Quebec French or France French?

 

Quebec French is 16th century France French

[Mullraugh 313]

Just now, Jaeden said:

Most likely Quebec French. I'm unsure exactly what the LotC equivalent of Frenchies are - I haven't touched Human culture in quite a while.
However, I'd assume they'd RP under Quebec French-ish, right?

 

French culture in LotC is Auverginian or some weird word like that.

 

And no, they bastardize the French stereotype accent :^)

[Man of Respect 5430]

@L0rdB0rd

[Jonificus 2711]

As a northern germanic I can relate to some of the advice. I unintentionally pronounce 'th' sounds as S at times : (

[Anderssn 1115]

Perkele

[Andustar 2116]

I like this, it brings diversity to human rp bases like Oren and teaches people how to fit into their groups or cultures with the accent fitting into it. Good job at the guide.

[WuHanXianShi14 0]

Glory to Waldenia...