Simplify German? Court To Decide

Germany’s highest court will decide whether to allow schools to teach a simplified version of German, settling a lawsuit by parents who want their children to learn the standard, not revised, language.

New grammar and spelling rules, adopted last year by a panel of culture officials from German-speaking countries, were designed to simplify the language’s complexity, shorten the tongue-twisting compound words, and make spelling more consistent.

But many Germans believe the revisions ruin a great linguistic tradition and will cause confusion, particularly among children.

The rules take effect Aug. 1, 1998. Schools in Germany have already begun teaching them - prompting objections from parents who say their children are learning a language that does not exist outside of schools.

So far, courts in five states have ruled on lawsuits to block the rules: three against them, and two in favor. The latest ruling, by the state high administrative court Wednesday, upholds the schools’ rights to teach the revised language.

The case now goes to the Supreme Court, according to a lawyer representing the parents of twin 8-year-old girls from Luebeck. The family sued to have the revisions taken out of the curriculum.

Adopted last year by Swiss, German and Austrian culture officials, the rules are designed to modernize spelling and grammar.

But numerous authors, politicians and intellectuals argue that what was good enough for Goethe is good enough for them.

“The German language is how the Germans speak and write,” said Rolf Goeschner, a law professor at Jena University who says being forced to use new grammar is an infringement of Germans’ rights.