German Fashion Magazine

For Kapitel 4, I decided to crack open the Fashion magazine that was given to me as a birthday present. Among Spanish, Greek, and a few other languages, German is predominantly used in the text to discuss the high-life of the fashion industry, the rise of the 'Model' and hundreds of other articles on uniform, art, tradition and history. In an article titled »Der Weg an die Spitze,« or "The Way to the Top," options are discussed on how to become a 'Top Model' within the search through 70 years worth of literature-giving advice. Here are some words of advice, and their translations, on how to make it big as a model.

Wenn ein Model einen Agenten, einen Meinungsführer, einen Polo-Spieler, einen Baseball-Star oder Millionär heiratet, ist das eine Story wert. Ihr Berufsleben ist für einen großen Teil der amerikanischen Öffentlichkeit von beachtlichem Interesse - und ihr Privatleben fast genauso. (When a model marries a G-man, a social leader, a polo player, a baseball favorite, a millionaire, it is worth a feature story. Her professional life is of absorbing interest to the vast bulk of the American Public, and her private life almost as much so.)

In this passage, it's worth noting a few things. Berufs means professional while leben (duh) means life. When using American as an adjective, it's amerikanischen. Also, Baseball-Star doesn't have a direct translation. A word in German, that doesn't have a practical translation for English, is Torschlusspanik. The word describes the fear of diminishing opportunities as one ages. We need a word for that in English.

Es gibt kein »typisches« Model. Models haben keine typische Herkunft. Sie sind nur darin typisch, dass sie all die verschiedenen Teile Amerikas und die vielfältigen Ambitionen amerikanischer Mädchen von heute repräsentieren. (There is no "typical" model. They have no typical background. They are typical only in the sense that they represent all the sections of America and all the varied ambitions of American girls today.)

This one was a little easier to translate because we've learned a decent amount of the grammer and I only had to look up a few things. Herkunft means background. Verschiedenen means all sorts of, and vielfältigen means many kinds of. Ambitionen was an easy one. Overall it was a great practice translation.

Das erste, was wir den Mädchen für gewöhnlich sagen müssen, ist nicht, wie man sich schminkt, sondern wie man sich abschminkt. (The first thing which we usually have to tell girls is not how to put on make-up, but how to take it off.)

We just learned müssen, which means to have to or must. And sondern, which means but rather. Also, we learned that sondern MUST be used with nicht, just like in the sentence. Das erste IST NICHT wie man sich schminkt, SONDERN wie man sich abschminkt. Thus, the first thing is not how one applies makeup, but rather how one takes it off.

The last slice of advice that I took to heart, was...

Es gibt einiges Gerede über die Zickigkeit unter Models, aber ich finde nicht, dass das wahr ist. Man sperre eine beliebige Gruppe Mädchen in ein Büro oder einen Gemeinschaftsraum ein und sie wird sich mit Sicherheit irgendwann streiten. (There is a lot of chat about bitchiness amongst models. But I don't think it is true. Put any group of girls together in an office or a common room and they are bound to fight a bit.)

First off, Zickigkeit means bitchiness. We've learned es gibt means there is or there are. Aber ich finde nicht, dass das wahr ist. We learned »das wahr« means "that's right" from Wie schön ist Panama. The last sentence was a doozy, but sperren means to close off or block off while streiten means to quarrel or argue.

Now, I understand most of our class is full of males, but for those few females, if you choose to read this, the most important thing that should be taken away from it, is the German grammar. Enjoy!

P.S. If anyone is interested in reading an article in "The Bloggers Bookazine by Circus" for their AMD, let me know! It's a great 30 minute read and it's easy to follow the grammar we've used and compare the words you do and don't know.