# TWP: is there something wrong with the German verb interface? **URL:** \ **Category:** General\ **Created:** [August 15, 2017, 6:32am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424 "2017-08-15T06:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Someone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Someone](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Someone)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2017, 9:55pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/101 "2017-08-19T21:55:56Z")
> [@BigRedButton](#): > > Also, most German players might be used to the “Benutze” button from the SCUMM games. Not me, because … > [@BigRedButton](#): > > EDIT: I just noticed that the verbs in the sentence line are different, so I hereby withdraw my previous suggestion. 😉 … that’s my main problem: The verb forms are inconsistent and my brain is yelling every time the sentence line appear. It’s a difference if I command the character (imperative form) or if I am the character (indicative). That has nothing to do with the old SCUMM adventures. ---
**Author:** ![BigRedButton](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/bigredbutton/32/212_2.png) [@BigRedButton](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/BigRedButton)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 5:00am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/102 "2017-08-20T05:00:59Z")
I guess that I wasn’t aware of these differences, because I hardly read the verb in the sentence line. It seems to be individual. Personally, I am okay with the verbs in the sentence line. It says “Betrachte” instead of “Schaue” because no one would say “Schaue Ray”. But, a compromise could be “Schaue auf Ray”. ---
**Author:** ![Someone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Someone](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Someone)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 10:43am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/103 "2017-08-20T10:43:51Z")
> [@BigRedButton](#): > > Personally, I am okay with the verbs in the sentence line. No, the sentence line is perfect. 🙂 It uses the imperative form. But the verbs in the lower left corner are in the indicative form. So if you want to execute an action, you have to click on “Nehme” (indicative, “_Ich_ nehme”). But then in the sentence line appears “Nimm” (imperative, “[_Ray_,] nimm die Kettensäge.”). So first I tell the game, that _I_ want to do something, but then suddenly I command _someone else_. The use of the forms is inconsistent. ---
**Author:** ![BigRedButton](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/bigredbutton/32/212_2.png) [@BigRedButton](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/BigRedButton)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 11:52am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/104 "2017-08-20T11:52:56Z")
You are right, but it might suffice to adapt the verbs in the corner in this regard. ---
**Author:** ![Someone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Someone](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Someone)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 11:57am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/105 "2017-08-20T11:57:45Z")
Of course. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![senax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@senax](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/senax)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 7:28pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/106 "2017-08-20T19:28:00Z")
Thanks a lot for this explanation, Boris. I am not sure it is 100% correct, though. > [@BorisFromGermany](#): > > … Franklin has commands that end with the “-e” form because they have NO object (Stöhne, Verzage…) I wanted to keep ALL verbs in that form on the command line. > [@BorisFromGermany](#): > > So: It’s “Nehme” and not “Nimm” because it is “Stöhne” and not “Stöhn” for Franklin. The thing with Franklin’s verbs is that you can’t really tell whether they are in the imperative or indicative mood, because for those verbs the two forms _happen_ to be identical. For the imperative of “verzagen” (“despair”), you can use “verzag” (which is unambiguously imperative mood) or “verzag **e** ” (which can be both), but that only depends on your taste and not on whether or not the verb has an object. For the other characters, the imperative forms with “-e” and the indicative happen to be identical, too, **_except_** for “nehme” and “gebe”, which ought to be “nimm” and “gib”. So, reading all the verbs mentioned above as imperative mood (as probably most German players), reading “nehme” und “gebe” here always bothered me slightly. > [@BorisFromGermany](#): > > My suggestion to Ron for a patch is: Change the **retro** verbs into MI-style (Nimm, Gib) but keep the standard verb line as shipped. That is a very good idea! ---
**Author:** ![senax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@senax](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/senax)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 7:36pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/107 "2017-08-20T19:36:50Z")
> [@BigRedButton](#): > > … you could also think about replacing “Nutze” by “Benutze”. I agree, even though the sentence line corrects this. There is a slight difference in meaning between “nutzen” und “ **be** nutzen”. As an example of “ **be** nutzen” imagine a teacher saying before a class test: “Use a pen, not a pencil!” - “Benutzt einen Füller, keinen Bleistift!”. “Nutzen” is “to make use of something” or “to take advantage of something”, e.g. an opportunity. The famous _carpe diem_ would be translated as “Nutze den Tag”, not “Benutze den Tag” (which brings to my mind an image of actually grabbing the day and using it as a tool, e.g. as a hammer for nailing). ---
**Author:** ![Nor\_Treblig](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/nor_treblig/32/216_2.png) [@Nor\_Treblig](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Nor_Treblig)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2017, 7:49pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/108 "2017-08-20T19:49:04Z")
> [@senax](#): > > The famous carpe diem would be translated as “Nutze den Tag”, not “Benutze den Tag” Yes, you can’t do it this way but I don’t see it so much as an issue the other way around (“Nutzt den Füller, nicht den Bleistift!”) ---
**Author:** ![rarog4k](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/rarog4k/32/1359_2.png) [@rarog4k](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/rarog4k)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2017, 8:40am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/109 "2017-08-21T08:40:36Z")
> [@BorisFromGermany](#): > > “Stöhn” is not really from Mad Magazine, but a so-called Erikativ (officially Inflektiv) by my most favourite translator ever, Dr. Erika Fuchs. [Inflektiv – Wikipedia](https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inflektiv) > [@BorisFromGermany](#): > > …and Herbert Feuerstein, who did a lot of the translations for Mad Magazine as the editor in chief for Germany really is a great fan of Erika Fuchs too. > > I only have to find out who officially translated Peanuts, because I translated Rootbeer with Malzbier due to Snoppy drinking Malzbier in the German version. Thx for the insight of the linguistic history. And as for translations - well, you can’t directly translate many things, when the cultural reference is unknown. Choosing something somewhat similar to give some sense is IMHO the best way. While in the German version of Die Hard the German terrorists were censored and names changed to English, it was still quite original and nice, that they let McLane just tell, that he is calling the terrorists with German names, when he notes the actual German names on his arm. And another very special thing in Germany - Schnodderdeutsch by Rainer Brandt. Those made many boring films much funnier and memorable as compared to the original versions. ---
**Author:** ![LowLevel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/lowlevel/32/48_2.png) [@LowLevel](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/LowLevel)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 8:34pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/110 "2017-08-29T20:34:36Z")
A person wrote on the above mentioned Steam thread: “Ask them kindly to implement a “Grammar Nazi” checkbox for the verb-interface so everybody could be happy in their own small world.” 🤣 ---
**Author:** ![Someone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Someone](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Someone)\ **Post date:** [August 29, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/111 "2017-08-29T20:37:49Z")
> [@LowLevel](#): > > “Ask them kindly to implement a “Grammar Nazi” checkbox for the verb-interface so everybody could be happy in their own small world.” I would instantly use it. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![LowLevel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/lowlevel/32/48_2.png) [@LowLevel](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/LowLevel)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 1:43pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/112 "2017-08-30T13:43:25Z")
If you think about it, it would be a solution perfectly compatible with the philosophy that the team has already applied to the in-jokes “mocking option”. 😃 I would vote for really implementing it. ---
**Author:** ![Someone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Someone](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Someone)\ **Post date:** [August 30, 2017, 3:54pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/113 "2017-08-30T15:54:38Z")
Yes. I really like that idea. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![LowLevel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/lowlevel/32/48_2.png) [@LowLevel](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/LowLevel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 5:02am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/114 "2017-09-25T05:02:48Z")
I hope that this question doesn’t sound inappropriate, but I assume that in Germany you don’t use the expression “Grammar Nazi”. I haven’t found online a corresponding expression, so I ask you if you have in Germany a common term to express the same meaning, possibly in an ironic form. ---
**Author:** ![Kuma](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/kuma/32/105_2.png) [@Kuma](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Kuma)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 6:20am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/115 "2017-09-25T06:20:54Z")
In Germany, one should not use the word Nazi lightly, so the “Grammar Nazi” thing is maybe used anonymously online, but one would refrain from using such a strong word officially. An alternative would be “Grammatik-Freak”. ---
**Author:** ![Someone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b77776/32.png) [@Someone](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Someone)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 8:32am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/116 "2017-09-25T08:32:48Z")
> [@Kuma](#): > > … but one would refrain from using such a strong word officially. Hm. Yes and no. “Grammar Nazi” is not used regularly, but you can hear it sometimes. Nearly everyone who is a professional writer/author knows that term (“Grammatik-Nazi”). For all who read that term for the first time: It describes a person who is going/trying to correct the grammar of everyone else. So it has nothing to do with the “Nazi” in the common sense. “Grammatik-Freak” is even less common but a very good option. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 11:44am UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/117 "2017-09-25T11:44:26Z")
Since I´ve actually seen many german speaking forums where people actually act that way (“with interpuncation like that I cannot take you seriously” is a sentence I´ve seriously read more than a couple of times) it´s usually rarely used at all. But the english term “grammar nazi” is on the rise in forums with a younger audience. So the grammar nazis are on the rise…just like the actual nazis, as we´ve seen yesterday…☹ ---
**Author:** ![LowLevel](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/lowlevel/32/48_2.png) [@LowLevel](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/LowLevel)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/118 "2017-09-25T15:42:25Z")
Thanks for the explanations. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Nor\_Treblig](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/forums.thimbleweedpark.com/nor_treblig/32/216_2.png) [@Nor\_Treblig](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/Nor_Treblig)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/119 "2017-09-26T19:04:19Z")
> [@milanfahrnholz](#): > > “with interpuncation like that I cannot take you seriously” That’s just a nicer way to say “Geh scheiß’n”! \Btw. it’s spelled “interpunctuation” 😉\ ---
**Author:** ![milanfahrnholz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cab0a1/32.png) [@milanfahrnholz](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/u/milanfahrnholz)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2017, 7:05pm UTC](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424/120 "2017-09-26T19:05:54Z")
Thanks for noticing the irony of me getting that one wrong. You IroNazi! [Previous page](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424.md?page=5) [Next page](https://forums.thimbleweedpark.com/t/twp-is-there-something-wrong-with-the-german-verb-interface/1424.md?page=7)