Die Deutsche Sprache Heute

Abstract

A living language never stands still. Words, phrases and concepts change constantly, to produce the linguistic resources for dealing with new situations. The first reading passage talks about some of the most marked changes in the vocabulary of the seventies, bringing the growing consciousness about environmental issues already discussed in the previous chapter, and also a whole range of new terms to cope with developments in politics, computers and the changes in the use of leisure time. Another major element of change for the German language has been the development of new social structures in the GDR, and the development also, therefore, of new terms to describe the changes. German has always been a language of regional diversity, particularly with regard to the Swiss and Austrian varieties of the language. The second passage below describes how the difference has now increased with the changes brought about in the GDR.