About
Welcome to sounding lustig!
Hi there – I'm Chelsea!
I’m a copywriter/editor based in Hamburg, Germany. I’m a small-town girl from the Midwestern United States and I’ve been living in Germany for about six years. I’ve loved every second of this crazy ride so far and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon.
I enjoy a good conundrum, head-scratcher, riddle – things that may not always have an easy answer or explanation. Ever since I can remember, I’ve had a passion for language. Naturally, with English being my native language, I have a special passion for the English language and all its idiosyncrasies, which is one of the main reasons I became an editor!
As I have been living in Germany over the past few years and endeavoured to become fluent in German, I’ve realized how much this can make you even more introspective about language in general and your native language(s). I’ve noticed the sometimes annoying, sometimes funny, sometimes enlightening differences between the German and English language.
So what’s going on here?
My aim is to take a humorous magnifying glass to life in Germany, shed some light on the English and German language, as well as the blunders we all inevitably make while learning how to speak German and live in this society and some of the head-scratching aspects of living in Hamburg (and Germany in general). I may also indulge in the occasional nerdy linguistics post when the mood is right.
This blog is for you if you are:
· learning German or thinking about doing so
· interested in language, particularly English and German
· an English speaker moving to or already living in Germany
· a member of the international community in Hamburg
· generally interested in unsolicited opinions from a millennial with a fondness for pop culture
· simply interested in the idiosyncrasies of life in Germany and learning the language
Why ‘sounding lustig’?
‘sounding lustig’ (or sounding funny in English) can have two interpretations. The first is to say that you sound humorous, like you can make someone laugh or smile and maybe crack a great joke. The other interpretation (at least in English) is to say that you sound odd or peculiar; that maybe something you said doesn’t quite make sense. I think learning a foreign language is full of moments that embody both of these understandings of the expressions.
I love all things comical. They say, “Laughter heals all wounds.” and I totally believe it. There have been times that I’ve been laughed at – most times in a loving manner by friends or family – at the mistakes I’ve made and incorrect assumptions I’ve made in German. I can imagine that almost everyone who learns the language is in the same boat and can relate, and maybe we can all have another laugh together while talking about it.
Is there something about the German language that still confuses you? Or is there some odd or interesting behavior you’ve noticed while living in Germany that you would like to be explored? Drop me an email or reach out on social media! Let’s maneuver life and language in Germany together!
