German

Some years ago we got Rosetta Stone German for Youngest Son. He swiftly went beyond it, and since I'm supposed to go to Berlin in June I figured I should try to get some use out of it myself. It is sort of an elementary courtesy to take a stab at the language of the land you're in.

And now I've got a sore throat. Germans seem to be inordinately fond of consonants, and unwilling to be French about them--they pronounce every single one. Except for CH which sometimes seems like a cross between Y and SH, and sometimes sounds like they're gargling rattlesnakes.

And those drills--I grant that they're well thought out and useful, but I'm going to dream of landing in Berlin and seeing bus routes that read "Das weiss auto ist blau." Or "Das schwartz Obertail isst Pferden." Or something.