German C1 · Technical Language & Register
Übung: Fachsprache & Register – C1 German Grammar
Practice: technical language & register – summary
Choosing the right register shows a feel for language and is crucial for appropriate communication. A grammatically correct text in the wrong register can seem rude, ridiculous or unprofessional.
Register scale
| register | situation | example |
|---|---|---|
| slang / youth language | friends, chat | Krass, voll cool! (Wow, totally cool!) |
| colloquial | family, everyday | Das ist ja super! (That's great!) |
| neutral / standard | colleagues, media | Das ist sehr gut. (That's very good.) |
| formal | authorities, business letters | Das Ergebnis ist ausgezeichnet. (The result is excellent.) |
| technical | science, law, medicine | Die Ergebnisse sind statistisch signifikant. (The results are statistically significant.) |
| elevated / literary | literature, ceremonial speeches | Ein vortreffliches Resultat. (A splendid result.) |
Technical languages have their own features
| field | typical features | example |
|---|---|---|
| science | nominal style, passive, Konj. I | Die Daten wurden ausgewertet. (The data was analysed.) |
| law | fixed formulas, sections | gemäß § 5 BGB (pursuant to § 5 of the Civil Code) |
| medicine | technical terms (Lat./Gk.) | akute Entzündung (acute inflammation) |
| business | anglicisms, key figures | Der Umsatz stieg um 3 %. (Revenue rose by 3 %.) |
| engineering | compounds, imperative/infinitive | Schraube lösen, Deckel abnehmen. (Loosen screw, remove cover.) |
Checklist before sending an e-mail
- ✅ Do I know the recipient? → du or Sie?
- ✅ Do the greeting and sign-off fit?
- ✅ Have colloquial words been replaced?
- ✅ Are requests polite (Konjunktiv II)?
- ✅ Is the text clearly structured?
Examples:
- Bitte um Rückmeldung bis Freitag. (Please reply by Friday – formal, concise)
- Gib mir bis Freitag Bescheid, ja? (Let me know by Friday, OK? – informal)
- Wir bedanken uns für Ihr Vertrauen. (We thank you for your trust – formal, business letter)
- Die Probanden wurden randomisiert zwei Gruppen zugeteilt. (The subjects were randomly assigned to two groups – technical)