Lingua Franca

Why learn German?

By J. Douglas Guy, WLC

German has returned to the offerings of the Salem State University World Language Department over the last couple of years.  Students with no knowledge of the language can take the beginning German sequence, GER 101 and 102, and continue with intermediate German the following year, GER 201 and 202, taught by instructors Spencer Wolf and J. Douglas Guy.  With the advent of the new exchange program at Universität Mannheim, Salem State students can now build their skills in language programs at this German university for a summer, a semester or a year abroad while earning SSU credits.

German is the most spoken language in the European Union in terms of native speakers.  23% of all citizens of the EU speak German as their native language—more than English, French or Italian.  German is the primary language of Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Liechtenstein, but it is also spoken in many other areas of central Europe, including eastern France, northern Italy, Luxembourg, eastern Belgium, and pockets of Russia, Romania, Poland and Czech Republic.  With Germany being a major political and economic leader of the European Union, with the lowest unemployment rate on the continent, lots of young people have strong motivation for acquiring professional-level skills in German.