Quote Originally Posted by MadAmster View Post
Not offended at all rA. Just as the US and UK languages have the same base but have diverged down the years, the same applies to German and Dutch. The German language is harsher, more guttural. Their grammar is also way more complicated.

I go 2 or 3 times a year to Rhineland-Pfalz to visit my former step father in law and to buy some delicious wine from the local vineyards of the Nahe valley. 20 years ago we knew the best ones to visit. In more recent times 2 have passed from father to children. Prices have increased and quality diminished so we don't visit those any longer. the 3rd one we used frequently, the owners have just retired and it's been taken over by a firm based outside the region. Same story there, price up, quality down. A 4th one we have used closed down. Just one of our "favourites" left for now. The area has a weird dialect and despite being fluent in 2 languages and OK-ish in 2 others (used to be competent in them but lack of use has taken its toll) I find it hard to distinguish sounds, never mind words. I've given up on German. If they can't handle one of the 4 languages I speak, that's their hard luck. I have discovered though that, if I converse with a German in Dutch and they reply in German, there are sufficient similarities in the languages for us to, at least, get by.
I envy your linguistic ability. I can be polite and order beer, wine and food in most (European) places but beyond that...nada!
One lovely Spanish hotel owner on the way down had one of those audio translation apps on his phone. I know it’s lazy but I may have to invest. Too late to learn now.