Comments on: Beginner Lesson # 20 - About that dog… http://www.germanpod101.com/2008/08/28/beginner-lesson-20-about-that-dog/ Learn German with Free Podcasts Whether you are student or a seasoned speaker, our lessons offer something for everyone. We incorporate culture and current issues into each episode to give the most informative, both linguistically and culturally, podcasts possible. For those of you with just the plane ride to prepare, check our survival phrase series at GermanPod101.com. One of these phrases just might turn your trip into the best one ever! Thu, 17 May 2012 21:33:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.11 by: _petiteclaire_ http://www.germanpod101.com/2008/08/28/beginner-lesson-20-about-that-dog/#comment-915 Fri, 29 Aug 2008 10:45:46 +0000 http://www.germanpod101.com/2008/08/28/beginner-lesson-20-about-that-dog/#comment-915 My grand-mother used to do that to some extent... There was a couch that would only be used when she had guests (family didn't count). But she slowly changed along the years, and now everyone can use the couch anytime ! I guess the concept of Wohnküche makes sense if you have a large house, but in most modern appartments I know, the kitchen is a rather small, dedicated room, so you couldn't think of "living" in it... My grand-mother used to do that to some extent… There was a couch that would only be used when she had guests (family didn’t count). But she slowly changed along the years, and now everyone can use the couch anytime !

I guess the concept of Wohnküche makes sense if you have a large house, but in most modern appartments I know, the kitchen is a rather small, dedicated room, so you couldn’t think of “living” in it…

]]> by: GermanPod101.com http://www.germanpod101.com/2008/08/28/beginner-lesson-20-about-that-dog/#comment-907 Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:30:12 +0000 http://www.germanpod101.com/2008/08/28/beginner-lesson-20-about-that-dog/#comment-907 When it comes to your living room, what is important to you? Does the furniture have to be comfortable or is it all about style? Also, something that has not been covered in the lesson: A few hundret years ago, the concept of living rooms was uncommon in Germany. The kitchen served as a place to meat and talk and attend the day to day duties. In the big cities men's salon, reading rooms and therefore the concept of living rooms became more and more common way before the two world wars. But in the more rural areas farmers had the money to furnish a living room, but not the time to use it. In that time it was still common to only open the living room on weekend or on special holidays. And more often than not the wife would drape blancets over the couch, so no one could ruin the cushion. This was common up to the 60s of the last centuries and only started to go out of practice, when TV sets became more and more common. Those were mainly placed in the living rooms, therefore providing the families with a reason to gather there more often. Did you have great-grandparents who still thought like that? I think I might have had, if only I ever would have had the chance to meet her... And you can still find people who find the idea of a "Wohnküche" - a kitchen that serves as a living room - rather romantic. What is your oppinion on that? When it comes to your living room, what is important to you?
Does the furniture have to be comfortable or is it all about style?

Also, something that has not been covered in the lesson:
A few hundret years ago, the concept of living rooms was uncommon in Germany. The kitchen served as a place to meat and talk and attend the day to day duties. In the big cities men’s salon, reading rooms and therefore the concept of living rooms became more and more common way before the two world wars.
But in the more rural areas farmers had the money to furnish a living room, but not the time to use it. In that time it was still common to only open the living room on weekend or on special holidays. And more often than not the wife would drape blancets over the couch, so no one could ruin the cushion.
This was common up to the 60s of the last centuries and only started to go out of practice, when TV sets became more and more common. Those were mainly placed in the living rooms, therefore providing the families with a reason to gather there more often.
Did you have great-grandparents who still thought like that?
I think I might have had, if only I ever would have had the chance to meet her…

And you can still find people who find the idea of a “Wohnküche” - a kitchen that serves as a living room - rather romantic.
What is your oppinion on that?

]]>