English Purpose of this subforum
Hi, Yoli, are you asking me or all the others, too?
What do YOU think? - I feel sort of tempted to ask.
Again I find some links here for me to read and puzzle out what you are driving at. I'd have appreciated your guidance here, your personal opinion about the material you are presenting so that I can reply. Don't you think? )
You want me/us to go first? Right then, let me rack my brains about how to put these pieces together. The other day you were saying to Maxi's question that it was a "hot issue". Well, no one has answered it so far. Honestly, I can't answer it either because I'm not familiar with that issue.
So I'd rather try to make sense of your post.
What I see is that you are juxtaposing the evolution of the species and current demographic trends in society. I certainly don't need to say that it has always been a hot mixture whenever these two were brought together. I, for one, am convinced that the evolution theory is right but that this is confined to biological populations. The development of human society works differently. So, in short, those two phenomena have nothing to do with each other. That's what I think.
And now, hardly surprising, I'm keen to hear what you would have to say on these issues.
Fedi
What do YOU think? - I feel sort of tempted to ask.
Again I find some links here for me to read and puzzle out what you are driving at. I'd have appreciated your guidance here, your personal opinion about the material you are presenting so that I can reply. Don't you think? )You want me/us to go first? Right then, let me rack my brains about how to put these pieces together. The other day you were saying to Maxi's question that it was a "hot issue". Well, no one has answered it so far. Honestly, I can't answer it either because I'm not familiar with that issue.
So I'd rather try to make sense of your post.
What I see is that you are juxtaposing the evolution of the species and current demographic trends in society. I certainly don't need to say that it has always been a hot mixture whenever these two were brought together. I, for one, am convinced that the evolution theory is right but that this is confined to biological populations. The development of human society works differently. So, in short, those two phenomena have nothing to do with each other. That's what I think.
And now, hardly surprising,
I'm keen to hear what you would have to say on these issues.Fedi
Hi Fedi
Of course I would like everyone to read and think about my input but thank you for not leaving me talking to myself!
On one hand we see that Germany has the lowest birth-rate
On the other hand we could find out that the birth-population in Germany has not sunk.
Then Darwin tells us, that
As organisms compete for food and mates, those with the advantageous traits produce more offspring, while those with unhelpful traits may not produce any. So within a given population, advantageous traits become common and unhelpful ones disappear.
Hence my thoughts wold be …what sort of humans will there be in Germany for instance if non German offspring’s prevail in your country. Or of course most of the EU/ Countries.
Maybe someone else thinks about it and joins us in a written chat.
I hope so.
Of course I would like everyone to read and think about my input but thank you for not leaving me talking to myself!
On one hand we see that Germany has the lowest birth-rate
On the other hand we could find out that the birth-population in Germany has not sunk.
Then Darwin tells us, that
As organisms compete for food and mates, those with the advantageous traits produce more offspring, while those with unhelpful traits may not produce any. So within a given population, advantageous traits become common and unhelpful ones disappear.
Hence my thoughts wold be …what sort of humans will there be in Germany for instance if non German offspring’s prevail in your country. Or of course most of the EU/ Countries.
Maybe someone else thinks about it and joins us in a written chat.
I hope so.
Hi Yoli,
your theme seems to be too difficult for me to answer in English. As to the German birth-rate I can mention that my daughter just tries to increase it. She will have another son in November if there will be no problems..
I can only write in a simple way. Maybe this will not be interesting for you. Anyway I do so. As to Switzerland I have got nice memories. Many years ago a very good friend of mine lived in Waltenschwil near Zürich. Several times I went to see her - especially when I felt lovesickness. After a heavy dispute with my fiancé I spent some time in Waltenschwil. He followed me soon with his Beetle, took me back and two months later we were married and still we are...
One of the photos, Fedi, shows you in a fitness centre. It seems as if you are rather sportive. Do you spend a lot of time there?
My husband and I spent the weekend at the Northern Sea where we have an apartment of our own. By chance a beachtennis-match took place there. So our sportive activities consisted of watching the participants. It was quite interesting.
So far - my simple contribution.
Dörte
your theme seems to be too difficult for me to answer in English. As to the German birth-rate I can mention that my daughter just tries to increase it. She will have another son in November if there will be no problems..
I can only write in a simple way. Maybe this will not be interesting for you. Anyway I do so. As to Switzerland I have got nice memories. Many years ago a very good friend of mine lived in Waltenschwil near Zürich. Several times I went to see her - especially when I felt lovesickness. After a heavy dispute with my fiancé I spent some time in Waltenschwil. He followed me soon with his Beetle, took me back and two months later we were married and still we are...
One of the photos, Fedi, shows you in a fitness centre. It seems as if you are rather sportive. Do you spend a lot of time there?
My husband and I spent the weekend at the Northern Sea where we have an apartment of our own. By chance a beachtennis-match took place there. So our sportive activities consisted of watching the participants. It was quite interesting.
So far - my simple contribution.
Dörte
Hi Dörte I am so sorry and do understand perfectly. I am just trying to keep this “thing” going. I copied the part from Darwin and read about the population in Facebook. I thought it might turn out to be something to chat about.
Have a look if you like
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150803-how-do-we-know-evolution-is-real
I prefer to hear good news about you going to be a nanny in November and also more mondane things about everyday life.
I could never have written such clever sentence like Fedi
I quote:
What I see is that you are juxtaposing the evolution of the species and current demographic trends in society.
I understand but……….it is way above me. Let’s just chat the way we want to about life and what we find interesting.
In a way it is in so far nice for me because I learn about different parts of Germany and life there.
Sweet story about you fleeing to Switzerland and let your loved one follow you and make it up…for ever. I do know where Waltenschwil is. My brother lived near there and one has to go through it on the way to Muri.
By the way your English is great and Bärbel and Rosemarie also. Please come back Ladies and write the way
wie der schnabel gewachsen ist hihi
or translated from google>>>
how the beak has grown ..does not really fit?
https://translate.google.com/?hl=de#de/en/wie%20der%20schnabel%20gewachsen%20ist
Now I hope it does not get boring for Fedi when the Level of the language knowledge has leveled out to our skills?
Have a look if you like
http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20150803-how-do-we-know-evolution-is-real
I prefer to hear good news about you going to be a nanny in November and also more mondane things about everyday life.
I could never have written such clever sentence like Fedi
I quote:
What I see is that you are juxtaposing the evolution of the species and current demographic trends in society.
I understand but……….it is way above me. Let’s just chat the way we want to about life and what we find interesting.
In a way it is in so far nice for me because I learn about different parts of Germany and life there.
Sweet story about you fleeing to Switzerland and let your loved one follow you and make it up…for ever. I do know where Waltenschwil is. My brother lived near there and one has to go through it on the way to Muri.
By the way your English is great and Bärbel and Rosemarie also. Please come back Ladies and write the way
wie der schnabel gewachsen ist hihi
or translated from google>>>
how the beak has grown ..does not really fit?
https://translate.google.com/?hl=de#de/en/wie%20der%20schnabel%20gewachsen%20ist
Now I hope it does not get boring for Fedi when the Level of the language knowledge has leveled out to our skills?
Hello altogether,
sorry, I don´t react immediatelly. Like Dörte some topics are to difficult for me. I can write in simple words. Nevertheless I want to make effort.
At the moment I´m feeling a bit under the muggy weather. Therefore I´m cycling in the early morning when the air is still cool.
Dörte, nice to hear from you, you´re going to be granny for the second time - great!
Shall I tell you something about my town next? If it of interest.
Have a nice week.
Bye for now - Bärbel
sorry, I don´t react immediatelly. Like Dörte some topics are to difficult for me. I can write in simple words. Nevertheless I want to make effort.
At the moment I´m feeling a bit under the muggy weather. Therefore I´m cycling in the early morning when the air is still cool.
Dörte, nice to hear from you, you´re going to be granny for the second time - great!
Shall I tell you something about my town next? If it of interest.
Have a nice week.
Bye for now - Bärbel
One of the photos, Fedi, shows you in a fitness centre. It seems as if you are rather sportive. Do you spend a lot of time there?
Hi, Dörte, Yoli, Maxi and hello to all the other veritable rays of sunshine silently following these threads
))I wouldn't exactly say "a lot" but I go there regularly, i.e. once or twice a week for an hour, because I'm getting older. I did spend more time in the gym, say, 15 years ago.
What I have always been doing throughout my whole life is going in for sports. I began with professional swimming at between the age of 12-14 (still using all four strokes when I go swimming now), then became an active tennis player taking part in tournaments and playing with my team in regional leagues. That's what I have been doing for the last 45 years without any interruption.
Besides, at the age of 16, I took to long-distance running specialising in 5,000 to 10,000m races, just for fun and to have a change. I have been doing this up until today, once or twice a week. But now I don't run more than 5 km at a go. About 10 years ago I discovered cycling again.
Now, at the age of 60, I spend my week in the following way: in summer I play tennis once a week. Then I take the bike once a week or, when is raining, I go jogging. That's what I really love: jogging when it's pouring down. I jog each week throughout the year, in winter up to temperatures of minus 10. Then I stop. Well, and on each Friday afternoon you can bet that you will find Fedi in his gym.
)What about you, ladies? Couch potato or sporting ace or the thing in between?
Dörte, yes, Yoli is right. Your anecdote of your husband making it all the way down to Switzerland is telling and makes good reading. Tell us more of that kind.
And I'm also looking forward to Maxi's description of Leipzig. What is it that we don't know yet but should do?
Fedi
Hi, everyone,
Are you complaining about my English, I wonder? Don't worry if you come across a word you don't know or haven't read or heard for a while. Isn't that what we all experience? Whenever I read a book or watch a movie, be it English or in German (yeah, do not forget German!), I often think to myself: wow, I wouldn't have said or written it in that way. Some expressions in both languages put me off and others appeal to me.
The same applies to topics. I'm sorry to say, I just happen to have a rather limited repertoire I can play. And, what's more, I'm good if not excellent at completely ignoring a whole range of subjects. I had said that before but nobody seemed to have read it. That's why I couldn't answer Maxi's question.
Yoli, I do appreciate your effort of trying to keep this thing going. Has been my intention, too.
As I said, I seem to be unable to connect the dots because I feel the two developments, in nature and in society, can't be compared.
When Darwin says that "organisms compete for food and mates, those with the advantageous traits produce more offspring, while those with unhelpful traits may not produce any. So within a given population, advantageous traits become common and unhelpful ones disappear", his reference is to nature, not society.
In society, it's not those with "advantageous traits" who produce more but those who are in need for social reasons of producing more in order to make a living. And those who produce fewer offspring are not those with "unhelpful" traits but those who prefer a life without offspring because this kind of life is more advantageous and ' cos they can afford not to have offspring.
As for the future German population, first, it needs to be defined and, secondly and most importantly, this is the last thing I, personally, am concerned about. I have so many severe personal problems and problems at work that I hardly know how to cope with these. And I worry about so many other things which I consider way more vital because they are affecting my life day in and day out. So I'd leave it to others to be concerned about that problem raised here if they consider it important.
There's clearly a lot to say about it but I'm leaving here for now hoping that others will join in. Come on, folks.
Fedi
Are you complaining about my English, I wonder? Don't worry if you come across a word you don't know or haven't read or heard for a while. Isn't that what we all experience? Whenever I read a book or watch a movie, be it English or in German (yeah, do not forget German!), I often think to myself: wow, I wouldn't have said or written it in that way. Some expressions in both languages put me off and others appeal to me.
The same applies to topics. I'm sorry to say, I just happen to have a rather limited repertoire I can play. And, what's more, I'm good if not excellent at completely ignoring a whole range of subjects. I had said that before but nobody seemed to have read it. That's why I couldn't answer Maxi's question.
Yoli, I do appreciate your effort of trying to keep this thing going. Has been my intention, too.
As I said, I seem to be unable to connect the dots because I feel the two developments, in nature and in society, can't be compared.
When Darwin says that "organisms compete for food and mates, those with the advantageous traits produce more offspring, while those with unhelpful traits may not produce any. So within a given population, advantageous traits become common and unhelpful ones disappear", his reference is to nature, not society.
In society, it's not those with "advantageous traits" who produce more but those who are in need for social reasons of producing more in order to make a living. And those who produce fewer offspring are not those with "unhelpful" traits but those who prefer a life without offspring because this kind of life is more advantageous and ' cos they can afford not to have offspring.
As for the future German population, first, it needs to be defined and, secondly and most importantly, this is the last thing I, personally, am concerned about. I have so many severe personal problems and problems at work that I hardly know how to cope with these. And I worry about so many other things which I consider way more vital because they are affecting my life day in and day out. So I'd leave it to others to be concerned about that problem raised here if they consider it important.
There's clearly a lot to say about it but I'm leaving here for now hoping that others will join in. Come on, folks.
Fedi
Dear Fedi
On the contrary your English is much better than most of ours and we are out of our depths to be able to competently follow you.
I am quite honest here and like to tell a little about myself.
I went to the UK as a 17 yr. old without a great school education.
Whilst I was there I had to do a lot of catching up and finally after 2 yrs.
I was able to start the nursing school. I had too much to do to follow what I had to learn in that profession and missed out on literature and higher education. Then at the age of 23 I got my Nursing Certificate and also 2 month later my son *g*
So again further education was not in for the time. 3 yrs. later a girl and in 1977 my husband died. I worked to keep us fed and what was necessary. I knew there were books and music and beautiful things else instead of only working.There was not time.
When I came back to CH with the children I was able to do things for myself, earned good money and started to educate myself in the finer and nicer things in life. I started to read classics, heard classic music even though I never got to like it much and started on my education.
A bit late but still.
You write that you have other worries but thinking about for instance population.
If you like write about it.
I do not much like a superficial conversation. That I can have with my Grandchildren in English.
I am neither here to learn much more but just want to keep the language going if it is possible.
But it has to be fun and not hard work.
You seem to want to say that as well Fedi.
Cheerio for now
Yoli
On the contrary your English is much better than most of ours and we are out of our depths to be able to competently follow you.
I am quite honest here and like to tell a little about myself.
I went to the UK as a 17 yr. old without a great school education.
Whilst I was there I had to do a lot of catching up and finally after 2 yrs.
I was able to start the nursing school. I had too much to do to follow what I had to learn in that profession and missed out on literature and higher education. Then at the age of 23 I got my Nursing Certificate and also 2 month later my son *g*
So again further education was not in for the time. 3 yrs. later a girl and in 1977 my husband died. I worked to keep us fed and what was necessary. I knew there were books and music and beautiful things else instead of only working.There was not time.
When I came back to CH with the children I was able to do things for myself, earned good money and started to educate myself in the finer and nicer things in life. I started to read classics, heard classic music even though I never got to like it much and started on my education.
A bit late but still.
You write that you have other worries but thinking about for instance population.
If you like write about it.
I do not much like a superficial conversation. That I can have with my Grandchildren in English.
I am neither here to learn much more but just want to keep the language going if it is possible.
But it has to be fun and not hard work.
You seem to want to say that as well Fedi.
Cheerio for now
Yoli
Yes please Bärbel..thats what it is all about. Lets learn about each other. I would like that very much....and............. you are terrific with your English 
Hut ab
oder Chapeau
or what they say in English
Hat off...hihihi
Hut ab
oder Chapeau
or what they say in English
Hat off...hihihi
Hello everybody,
it`s funny that you know Waltenschwil, Yoli, although it is only a small village, isn`t it?
I don`t really remember exactly after such a long time.
Barbel, I would like to hear more about your town. In fact I have never been in Leipzig.
Most of my life I have spent in Bremen respectively nearby.
Another "love story" out of my life: When I was 16 years old I listened to an American choir and fell in love with a trombone player. For two years we wrote a lot of letters to each other. After one year the twin brother came to see me on his way back from Atheopia. We spent two nice weeks together. He already had a fiancée in the United States. The year after my friend came to Germany and stayed here for 4 weeks. We thought that our love was big enough to spend our lives together in the future. At that time he still studied music and I learned at a school for foreign languages. But then the sad end came when I flew to Chicaco and stayed with his family for 6 weeks. Meanwhile my friend had fallen in love with an American girl who also studied music. Unfortunately I had no chance to compete with her. You can imagine how sad I was when I returned to Germany. And where did I go?? You are right: I spent some time with my friend in Switzerland.
Soon after this sad happening I met my husband and now I am happy that the American story ended this way!
Fedi, I am rather impressed by your sportive activities. During the school time I hated sports. But for a very long time I have done (?) gymnastics and callanetics. I am cycling a lot and I do Reha sports after I got an artificial hip joint 8 years ago. So you see I am not a couch potato!
It sounds as if you don`t like your work and look forward to its end. Why is it so? Or do I be too curious? Another question: Why is your English that excellent? Did you spend any time abroad?
With a lot of questions I stop writing.
Kind regards,
Dörte
it`s funny that you know Waltenschwil, Yoli, although it is only a small village, isn`t it?
I don`t really remember exactly after such a long time.
Barbel, I would like to hear more about your town. In fact I have never been in Leipzig.
Most of my life I have spent in Bremen respectively nearby.
Another "love story" out of my life: When I was 16 years old I listened to an American choir and fell in love with a trombone player. For two years we wrote a lot of letters to each other. After one year the twin brother came to see me on his way back from Atheopia. We spent two nice weeks together. He already had a fiancée in the United States. The year after my friend came to Germany and stayed here for 4 weeks. We thought that our love was big enough to spend our lives together in the future. At that time he still studied music and I learned at a school for foreign languages. But then the sad end came when I flew to Chicaco and stayed with his family for 6 weeks. Meanwhile my friend had fallen in love with an American girl who also studied music. Unfortunately I had no chance to compete with her. You can imagine how sad I was when I returned to Germany. And where did I go?? You are right: I spent some time with my friend in Switzerland.
Soon after this sad happening I met my husband and now I am happy that the American story ended this way!
Fedi, I am rather impressed by your sportive activities. During the school time I hated sports. But for a very long time I have done (?) gymnastics and callanetics. I am cycling a lot and I do Reha sports after I got an artificial hip joint 8 years ago. So you see I am not a couch potato!
It sounds as if you don`t like your work and look forward to its end. Why is it so? Or do I be too curious? Another question: Why is your English that excellent? Did you spend any time abroad?
With a lot of questions I stop writing.
Kind regards,
Dörte