Someone explain the German comma!

liah

Can someone tell me what the comma rules are in German?

'Cuz I will see, a lot of Germans typing like this. And putting in commas, where they don't necessarily belong. For a native English speaker, this makes reading incredibly difficult because while reading in my head I keep adding pauses in all these mental places that don't make any sense and eventually just sound, to myself, anyway, like William Shatner. :pac:

So what exactly is the rule there? I've done no formal German education but after living here do speak it, and I can't exactly 'hear' where the commas come in like I would in English. The most I've managed to glean from seeing it written is that there's ALWAYS a comma before "dass."

I've tried to get my German friends to explain it to me before but they weren't of much use. Help! German grammar is so hard.

peasant

That should do the trick:

http://www.gymipro.de/Deutsch/kommaregeln.htm

Amtmann

Am I right in saying that commas in German separate clauses only? One of the neat things about English is that commas can be used to set tone and to craft a style. It's hard to explain this to many Germans though, even ones with marvelously impressive spoken English.

Lawrence1895

Tremelo wrote: »

Am I right in saying that commas in German separate clauses only? One of the neat things about English is that commas can be used to set tone and to craft a style. It's hard to explain this to many Germans though, even ones with marvelously impressive spoken English.

Even if I'm marvelous...did my a levels with a distinction...may I please have an example for 'craft a style'?

Maybe there is something similar in German.

liah

Lars1916 wrote: »

Even if I'm marvelous...did my a levels with a distinction...may I please have an example for 'craft a style'?

Maybe there is something similar in German.

In English, commas are used to note pauses in verbally-spoken sentences and separate clauses or points. To craft a style, you can use these pauses so when you read, you read 'in pace' using your inner voice with the author's intention and their rhythm.

Can't exactly think of an example off the top of my head though

Anyway, because of this, reading German sentences confuses me as I use a comma as indicative of a verbal pause, whereas Germans read it simply as separation of clause (I believe, like I said I've no formal German education). This becomes even more obvious when writing in English with native German speakers, as they'll frequently put commas in English where they simply don't make sense and it can be a bit hard to follow rhythmically; it feels stunted.

This could just be me, though - I doubt many people are as picky/concerned with comma placement as I am. I just can't help the way I read

candlegrease

Commas to craft a style:

The brown enormous odor he lived by
was too close, with its breathing and thick hair,
for him to judge. The floor was rotten; the sty
was plastered halfway up with glass-smooth dung.
Light-lashed, self-righteous, above moving snouts,
the pigs' eyes followed him, a cheerful stare--
even to the sow that always ate her young--
till, sickening, he leaned to scratch her head.

Note the comas aren't used to separate clauses

candlegrease

Although perhaps its not accurate to use poetry as an example

Lawrence1895

candlegrease wrote: »

Commas to craft a style:

The brown enormous odor he lived by
was too close, with its breathing and thick hair,
for him to judge. The floor was rotten; the sty
was plastered halfway up with glass-smooth dung.
Light-lashed, self-righteous, above moving snouts,
the pigs' eyes followed him, a cheerful stare--
even to the sow that always ate her young--
till, sickening, he leaned to scratch her head.

Note the comas aren't used to separate clauses

Sounds a bit complicated to me when I read it

peasant

An attempt at German punctuation in an English sentence


Cuz I will see a lot of Germans typing like this. And Putting in commas where they don't necessarily belong. For a native English speaker, this makes reading incredibly difficult because, while reading in my head, I keep adding pauses in all these mental places that don't make any sense and eventually just sound, to myself anyway, like William Shatner.

Now, that didn't help either, did it?

Lawrence1895

peasant wrote: »

An attempt at German punctuation in an English sentence


Cuz I will see a lot of Germans typing like this. And Putting in commas where they don't necessarily belong. For a native English speaker, this makes reading incredibly difficult because, while reading in my head, I keep adding pauses in all these mental places that don't make any sense and eventually just sound, to myself anyway, like William Shatner.

Now, that didn't help either, did it?

I must say, this makes it much easier to read for me