What German Learners Need to Know About the Genitive Case

This article  examines some of the finer points concerning the use of the Genitive case and assumes you already know the basics. If you do not, you may want to check out The Four German Noun Cases article first. It may offer you some comfort to know that even Germans have problems with the genitive. A common error made by native-speakers of German is to use an apostrophe — English-style — in possessive forms. For instance, they will often write â€Å"Karl’s Buch† instead of the correct form, â€Å"Karls Buch.† Some observers claim this is an influence of English, but it is an influence that is often seen on store signs and even on the sides of trucks in Austria and Germany. For non-Germans, there are other genitive problems of more concern. While it is true that the genitive case is used less in spoken German, and its frequency even in formal, written German has declined over the last few decades, there are still many situations when mastery of the genitive is important. When you look up a noun in a German dictionary, whether bilingual or German-only, youll see two endings indicated. The first indicates the genitive ending, the second is the plural ending or form. Here are two examples for the noun  Film: Film, der; -(e)s, -e  /  Ã‚  Film  m  -(e)s, -e The first entry is from a paperback all-German dictionary. The second is from a large German-English dictionary. Both tell you the same thing: The gender of  Film  is masculine (der), the genitive form is  des Filmes  or  des Films  (of the film) and the plural is  die Filme  (films, movies). Since feminine nouns in German dont have any genitive ending, a dash indicates no ending:  Kapelle, die; -, -n. The genitive form of most neuter and masculine nouns in German is fairly predictable, with an -sor -es  ending. (Almost all nouns ending in  s,  ss,  ÃƒÅ¸,  sch,  z  or  tz  must end with -es  in the genitive.) However, there are some nouns with unusual genitive forms. Most of these irregular forms are masculine nouns with a genitive -n  ending, rather than -s  or -es. Most (but not all) words in this group are weak masculine nouns that take an -n  or -en  ending in the  accusative  and  dative  cases, plus some neuter nouns. Here are a few examples: der Architekt  -  des Architekten  (architect)der Bauer  -  des Bauern  (farmer, peasant)der Friede(n) -  des Friedens  (peace)der Gedanke  -  des Gedankens  (thought, idea)der Herr  -  des Herrn  (sir, gentleman)das Herz  -  des Herzens  (heart)der Klerus  -  des Klerus  (clergy)der Mensch  -  des Menschen  (person, human)der Nachbar  -  des Nachbarn  (neighbor)der Name  -  des Namens  (name) See a full list of  special masculine nouns  that take unusual endings in the genitive and other cases in our  German-English Glossary of Special Nouns. Before we take an even closer look at the genitive case, lets mention one area of the genitive that is mercifully simple: the genitive  adjective endings. For once, at least one aspect of German grammar is plain and simple! In genitive phrases, the adjective ending is (almost) always -en, as in  des roten Autos  (of the red car),  meiner teuren Karten  (of my expensive tickets) ordieses neuen Theaters  (of the new theater). This adjective-ending rule applies to any gender and the plural in the genitive, with almost any form of the definite or indefinite article, plus  dieser-words. The very few exceptions are usually adjectives that are normally not declined at all (some colors, cities):  der Frankfurter Bà ¶rse  (of the Frankfurt stock exchange). The genitive -en  adjective ending is the same as in the dative case. If you look at our  Adjective Dative and Accusative  Endings  page, the genitive adjective endings are identical to those shown for the dative case. This applies even to genitive phrases without an article:  schweren Herzens  (with a heavy heart). Now lets continue with our look at some additional exceptions to the normal genitive endings for some neuter and masculine nouns. No Genitive Ending The genitive ending is omitted with: Many foreign words -  des Atlas, des Euro  (but also  des Euros),  die Werke des BarockMost foreign geographical names -  des High Point, die Berge des Himalaja  (or  des Himalajas)Days of the week, months -  des Montag, des Mai  (but also  des Maies/Maien),  des JanuarNames with titles (ending on title only) -  des Professors Schmidt, des amerikanischen Architekten Daniel Libeskind, des Herrn MaierBut...  des Doktor (Dr.) Mà ¼ller  (Dr. considered part of the name) Formulaic Genitive Expressions The genitive is also used in some common idiomatic or formulaic expressions in German (which are not usually translated into English with of). Such phrases include: eines Tages  - one day, some dayeines Nachts  - one night (note irreg. genitive form)eines kalten Winters  - one cold wintererster Klasse fahren  - to travel in first classletzten Endes  - when all is said and donemeines Wissens  - to my knowledgemeines Erachtens  - in my opinion/view UsingVonInstead of the Genitive Case In colloquial German, especially in certain dialects, the genitive is usually replaced by a  von-phrase or (particulary in Austria and southern Germany) with a possessive pronoun phrase:  der/dem Erich sein Haus  (Erichs house),  die/der Maria ihre Freunde  (Marias friends). In general, the use of the genitive in modern German is viewed as fancy language, more often used at a higher, more formal language register or style than that used by the average person. But the genitive is preferred in place of a  von-phrase when it may have a dual or ambiguous meaning. The dative phrase  von meinem Vater  can mean either of my father or from my father. If the speaker or writer wants to avoid possible confusion in such cases, the use of the genitive  des Vaters  would be preferable. Below youll find some guidelines regarding the use of  von-phrases as a genitive substitute: The genitive is often replaced by a  von-phrase... to avoid repetition:  der Schlà ¼ssel von der Tà ¼r des Hausesto avoid awkward language situations:  das Auto von Fritz  (rather than the old-fashioned  des Fritzchens  or  Fritz Auto)in spoken German:  der Bruder von Hans, vom Wagen  (if the meaning is clear) The genitive  must  be replaced by a  von-phrase with... pronouns:  jeder von uns,  ein Onkel von ihra single noun without an article or declined adjective:  ein Geruch von Benzin,  die Mutter von vier Kindernafter  viel  or  wenig:  viel von dem guten Bier As  mentioned in this article about prepositions that take the genitive case, even here the dative seems to be replacing the genitive in everyday German. But the genitive is still a vital part of German grammar--and it delights native speakers when non-native speakers use it correctly.

Death of a Salesman; Willy vs. Charley Essay - 1267 Words

Kristina Zagame October 24, 2010 B Block English Willy vs. Charley: The Impact of Parent Relations A person’s outcome in life is often a reflection of their childhood, or how they grew up. The different ways a child is treated by their parents may later affect the amount of grit he or she has, therefore affecting their later success in life. In the book Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, Biff, Happy and Bernard each grew up in different ways. Although Biff and Happy grew up in the same home, their father, Willy Loman, treated the boys differently, and therefore their views on life as adults turned out slightly dissimilar. Willy and Charley’s relationships with their sons contradict each other and therefore affected their†¦show more content†¦Biff: â€Å"I never got anywhere because you [Willy] blew me so full of hot air and I could never stand taking orders from anybody! That’s whose fault it is!† It was clear to see that Willy favored Biff over Happy. Willy always congratulated Biff and excitedly talked to him about his life and popul arity, leaving Happy to live in Biffs’ shadow. Willy: â€Å"Show him how to do it Biff! You see, Happy?† Because of this, Happy is always trying to capture Willys attention. Happy: I lost weight, Pop, you notice? Willy does not even pay enough attention to Happy to notice he lost weight without this announcement. After the second time Happy announces his accomplishment, Willy nonchalantly responds: Jumping rope is good too. The only time Happy is really praised is when Willy is addressing both of his sons: Thats why I thank Almighty God youre both built like Adonises.† Happy grows up to be slightly more successful than Biff, solely because he is able to stick to a job for longer than two weeks. This is because he was not given as big of an ego as Willy gave Biff. Biff complains: I had to be boss big shot in two weeks in able for him to stick to a real job. Still, Happy lies to his parents about how successful he is: Biff: You big blow, are you the assistant buyer? Youre one of the two assistants to the assistant, arent you? Happy: Well, Im practically- Biff: Youre practicallyShow MoreRelatedDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1015 Words   |  5 Pagespursuit of happiness. In â€Å"Death of a Salesman† by Arthur Miller, the protagonist Willy Loman believes a person will be happy once they obtain success by living the American dream; if you are unable to achieve this goal then you are a failure. The play is divided into two categories: successes and failures. The image of the American Dream depicted in society influences Willy’s o wn perception of success and is the cause of his failures. Success is a main theme in â€Å"Death of a Salesmen†. There is aRead MoreDeath Of A Salesman By Arthur Miller1628 Words   |  7 PagesArthur Miller wrote the Pulitzer Prize winning play Death of a Salesman in 1949. 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The american dream from the perspective of 1950 America includes many similar characteristics contained in the 1920s dream, in addition to the desire to own a house and start a family. It was believed that everyone had an equal opportunityRead MoreAristoles View on Drama1347 Words   |  6 Pagesto feel sorry and fear for them because they may or may not meet a similar fate. Aristotle thought that after watching a tragedy the audience would feel relived because they just released these unconscious pent up emotions. Introduction Death of a Salesman, by Arthur Miller, and Othello, by William Shakespeare are two plays that each represent the genre of tragedy. The fundamental difference in these two representations of tragedy are the time at which they were written. Shakespeare wrote hisRead MoreSynapsis of Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe Essays2037 Words   |  9 PagesLost and Found In the play, Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller, we find that we all lose something that is precious to us, we may find it or we may not. Willy Loman, however, did not find what he had lost. He was a person that believed strongly in the American dream that you had to work hard to make a living. When his son, Biff, was not doing what his father believed in, Willy forced the dream onto him. He did this because he himself was going against his belief. Willy lost sight of his belief in

Organizational Motivation Intrinsic and Extrinsic free essay sample

This essay defines and discusses motivation from an organizational setting. It includes the intrinsic and extrinsic motivators according to theorist Frederick Herzberg Two-Factor theory. It also discusses Maslow Hierarchy of needs and to what extent pay or pay increases may motivate employees. Motivation is defined as â€Å"The reason or reasons one has for acting or behaving in a particular way† or â€Å"The general desire or willingness of someone to do something. † Motivation can be categorized in two types, intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic motivation is what motivates you internally for example if an individual does something because he or she enjoys it or if it makes them happy. However extrinsic motivation is external factors that motivate you for example rewards. Theorist Frederick Herzberg theorizes on motivation from an organizational setting, this is known as the Two-Factor theory. The two factor theory consists of motivator factors and hygiene factors. Motivator factors in an organization, they are the factors which gives you satisfaction, increases performance and motivation to complete the task such as recognition, advancement and promotional opportunities. These factors are the intrinsic rewards; it benefits the individual’s performance, attitude and self-esteem. However hygiene factors are the extrinsic motivators, the main organizational context or hygiene factors are wages and salary, status, working conditions, job security and supervising style. These are rewards given to you for doing your job for example par increase, better office furniture, promotions and vacations. Herzberg theory suggest that , there are some job factors that result in satisfaction while there are other job factors that prevent dissatisfaction. The Motivators or motivator factors are rated on a scale from satisfaction to no -satisfaction and the hygiene factors are rated from no –dissatisfaction to dissatisfaction. The two-factor stresses that while most individuals may believe that pay motivates it does not. According to Herzberg in order to avoid employee’s dissatisfaction a manager must meet the requirements of the hygiene factors such as: Salaries must be reasonable and it must meet or exceed the amount that others working in the same industry and the sector may receive. Company policies should be flexible and clear such as dress codes, working hours and vacation. Employee benefits should include medicals and health benefits. Maintenance of the building should be up -kept and the organization should provide job security. The Motivator Factors had a positive feedback in the study it showed that employees are likely to be interested in the intrinsic psychological needs, viewing them as additional benefits. However in order to ensure that workers are highly motivated and that maximum productivity is being produced there should be a balance of both Hygiene and Motivator Factors. To support this theory the author of this paper scheduled two interviews. Organization A directed focused to Hygiene Factors while Organization B had a balance of both. Both Organizations are located in Port – of – Spain Trinidad and is globally recognized. Both organizations were asked the same questions and the responses were recorded the findings are stated below. In Organization A the Information Technology Assistant manager was interviewed. It was found that the assistant manager was very vague about his duties and daily task. The assistant manager also stated that the main motivator for his colleagues including himself was pay and employee benefits. This was because all manages of Organization A are stationed internationally and meetings are done occasionally; this meant when the departmental managers are displeased with employees performance. It was also noted when the assistant manager was asked about any type of motivation the he did not respond or gave very broad answers. The assistant manager then criticized working conditions and facilities. The manager does not recommend working that the institution and describes the work as boring and not stimulating. The manager of Organization B was highly motivated and very enthusiastic when discussing his work. This manager identified that he is mostly motivated to do his job when he reads the customer satisfaction reviews on his department. This manager also stated that he loves what he does and that he is very lucky to have a job where he is appreciated and appraised for his accomplishment. He has been working at this organization for the past twenty seven years in the same department performing the same task. This manager motivates his employees using staff appraisals, employee of the month rewards, motivation meetings, staff birthday parties and acknowledgements. He stated that he developed this method from his manager and he believes this is what kept him interested and excited on the job. The manager allowed the interviewer to conduct an interview with a group of his employees and it was confirmed three out of five employees was motivated by employee of the month reward (which is simply a framed photographed of themselves hanging in the lobby) one of the last two motivation came from the morning staff meeting and the other was motivated by fringe benefits. Each employee was highly motivated with their nine to five jobs and all agreed that this was by far the best place they have ever worked. However when asked if they will consider working without pay all participants answered â€Å"No†. The findings of this experiment do support the Herzberg theory. Where as in organization A employees who base their motivation on the extrinsic factors was not productive and interested in their work. Organization A workers lacked enthusiasm and willingness to do the job therefore you and safely say that Organization A was not motivated by pay. However Organization B has proven that having a balance of intrinsic and extrinsic motivators produced highly motivated workers with genuine enthusiasm and likeness towards their job. Although Organization B proved that intrinsic factors are important it also confirmed that employees also need extrinsic motivation. Reviewing these findings one can safely say that pay does motivate but to what extent and under what circumstances does a pay increase serves to motivate employees? If we look at theorist Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs Theory 1943 is suggest that there are five needs with each individual. These needs are levels and without achieving the level before you cannot progress to the next these levels are usually represented in a pyramid. The first level of the pyramid is Psychological needs these needs consist of food, clothing water ect. These are the basic amenities of life. The second level is known as the Safety needs; it is the need for the individual to feel secure physically and emotionally some example of safety need are financial security, job security and family safety. The third level is social needs this is the need for love, affection, friendship and belongingness. Esteem needs internally and externally which is the need self- respect, confidence, competence, achievement and freedom and recognition, power, status, attention and admiration, this is known as the forth level. The fifth and final level is known as the Self-actualization needs this level is where you are now capable of having the potential to become whatever pleases you. This includes gaining knowledge, being creative and aesthetic it also includes self growth and contentment. However as an individual grows psychologically, opportunities keep cropping up to continue growing. This theory suggests that we must first fulfill external needs to become internally motivated. By using this theory you can easily see that money is need to achieve the base of the pyramid. Pay or a pay increase can be a powerful motivator for an individual or employee who wishes to achieve the psychological and safety factors of the pyramid. This can also be proven by looking at Organization A and B. Organization B was very motivated however when asked if they will willingly work without pay, they declined. In Organization A where they used pay as a motivator in the beginning may have worked however as an employee moves up the pyramid and is financially secure they are no longer motivated. Therefore it can be proven that pay can be a motivator to a point however as soon as the safety needs of employees are fulfilled they no longer seek extrinsic motivators but intrinsic motivators to stay genuinely interested and enthusiastic in their work. In conclusion it was proven by looking at both organizations it is crucial to have a balance of both intrinsic and extrinsic motivators. By having an imbalance or focusing on one type motivator employee’s losses interest and willingness to perform and produce quality work. However it also shows that although pay is a powerful motivator when the individual is financially secured him or her searches for motivation elsewhere. However Frederick Herzberg believed that Hygiene factors are not motivators because it symbolizes the psychological need and it is what the individual expects to be fulfilled. He also stated that the hygiene factors are only there to avoid dissatisfaction. Word Count- 1467