Sieg Heil dem Fuhrer???? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter amhuff1
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6th Wisconsin
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I believe this is the correct usage of the dative case in this instance, basically meaning Swig Heil to the Fuhrer.
theBaron
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6th Wisconsin has hit it on the nose.
German recognizes 6 cases, nominative (subject case), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object) and genitive (possessive), plus the vocative (used in declarations or exclamations, but which is really not taught as such anymore).
"Heil" in its sense of "hail!" takes the dative case, and the idiom doesn't require a preposition. "Heil Dir" would be best translated as "Hail to you" (or even better, "Hail to thee"). "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz" ("Hail to Thee, crowned with victory") was an old Imperial anthem (sung to the tune of "God Save the King", by the way).
In English, we don't distinguish as frequently between accusative and dative cases anymore, lumping them together in the "objective" case. Though, a good grammar teacher can still explain the difference to their pupils.
German also has prepositions which take one or the other case exclusively, which makes it easier to learn them, and some that take either case, depending on whether the meaning is of motion or of location. So, bis, durch, fuer, gegen, ohne and um (until/till, through, for, against/toward, without and around/about) all take accusative. Aus, ausser, bei, mit, nach, seit, von and zu (from (a location), except (for), near/next to/at, with, after/towards, since, from, and to/at) all take the dative.
Sorry, I love this stuff, I used to teach it.
Prost!
Brad
German recognizes 6 cases, nominative (subject case), accusative (direct object), dative (indirect object) and genitive (possessive), plus the vocative (used in declarations or exclamations, but which is really not taught as such anymore).
"Heil" in its sense of "hail!" takes the dative case, and the idiom doesn't require a preposition. "Heil Dir" would be best translated as "Hail to you" (or even better, "Hail to thee"). "Heil Dir im Siegerkranz" ("Hail to Thee, crowned with victory") was an old Imperial anthem (sung to the tune of "God Save the King", by the way).
In English, we don't distinguish as frequently between accusative and dative cases anymore, lumping them together in the "objective" case. Though, a good grammar teacher can still explain the difference to their pupils.
German also has prepositions which take one or the other case exclusively, which makes it easier to learn them, and some that take either case, depending on whether the meaning is of motion or of location. So, bis, durch, fuer, gegen, ohne and um (until/till, through, for, against/toward, without and around/about) all take accusative. Aus, ausser, bei, mit, nach, seit, von and zu (from (a location), except (for), near/next to/at, with, after/towards, since, from, and to/at) all take the dative.
Sorry, I love this stuff, I used to teach it.
Prost!
Brad
Guy
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Brad, just for a moment I tought I was back in school again. Now retired, I have been an interpretor all my life ( German ,Dutch, English, German, French,Spanish and Italian) your grammar lesson is correct but don't forget there are also the spoken language and the dialects with their own expressions, and idiom which not always follow the strict grammar rules
guy
guy
theBaron
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Brad, just for a moment I tought I was back in school again. Now retired, I have been an interpretor all my life ( German ,Dutch, English, German, French,Spanish and Italian) your grammar lesson is correct but don't forget there are also the spoken language and the dialects with their own expressions, and idiom which not always follow the strict grammar rules
guy
Very true, but in this case, spoken and written language do coincide. Of course, to put it in dialect, a guat Boar might say, "Heil dem bleaden Esterreicha, dem breisischen Depp da deppata, zäfix no moi!"
^&grin
Prost!
Brad
theBaron
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German school students probably groaned if they had to read this poem, but for me, as someone who learned the language, it was especially amusing and I have always enjoyed it:
"Der Werwolf"
Christian Morgenstern
Ein Werwolf eines Nachts entwich
von Weib und Kind, und sich begab
an eines Dorfschullehrers Grab
und bat ihn: Bitte, beuge mich!
Der Dorfschulmeister stieg hinauf
auf seines Blechschilds Messingknauf
und sprach zum Wolf, der seine Pfoten
geduldig kreuzte vor dem Toten:
"Der Werwolf", - sprach der gute Mann,
"des Weswolfs"- Genitiv sodann,
"dem Wemwolf" - Dativ, wie man's nennt,
"den Wenwolf" - damit hat's ein End.'
Dem Werwolf schmeichelten die Fälle,
er rollte seine Augenbälle.
Indessen, bat er, füge doch
zur Einzahl auch die Mehrzahl noch!
Der Dorfschulmeister aber mußte
gestehn, daß er von ihr nichts wußte.
Zwar Wölfe gäb's in großer Schar,
doch "Wer" gäb's nur im Singular.
Der Wolf erhob sich tränenblind -
er hatte ja doch Weib und Kind!!
Doch da er kein Gelehrter eben,
so schied er dankend und ergeben.
von Weib und Kind, und sich begab
an eines Dorfschullehrers Grab
und bat ihn: Bitte, beuge mich!
Der Dorfschulmeister stieg hinauf
auf seines Blechschilds Messingknauf
und sprach zum Wolf, der seine Pfoten
geduldig kreuzte vor dem Toten:
"Der Werwolf", - sprach der gute Mann,
"des Weswolfs"- Genitiv sodann,
"dem Wemwolf" - Dativ, wie man's nennt,
"den Wenwolf" - damit hat's ein End.'
Dem Werwolf schmeichelten die Fälle,
er rollte seine Augenbälle.
Indessen, bat er, füge doch
zur Einzahl auch die Mehrzahl noch!
Der Dorfschulmeister aber mußte
gestehn, daß er von ihr nichts wußte.
Zwar Wölfe gäb's in großer Schar,
doch "Wer" gäb's nur im Singular.
Der Wolf erhob sich tränenblind -
er hatte ja doch Weib und Kind!!
Doch da er kein Gelehrter eben,
so schied er dankend und ergeben.
Prost!
Brad