This is part of an advertisement at our local subway station from the German state of Baden-Württemberg for teachers. We had to post the tagline because of how much it says about German society. It reads, 'Baden-Württemberg - Wir Können Alles. Außer Hochdeutsch." This translates to roughly, "Baden-Württemberg - We can do anything. Except speak proper German."
Hochdeutsch is our version of the Queen's English and is the standard form of German used throughout the country. However, every corner of Germany has a unique dialect. In Berlin, you find Berlinerisch, in Cologne you may hear Kölsch, in the north Platt Deutsch is common, in Baden-Württemberg people are proud to speak Schwäbisch, and the list is almost endless. To a foreigner, understanding these dialects is nearly impossible. However, Danielle has gotten quite good at imitating the one here in Berlin since her co-workers refuse to speak in Hochdeutsch. Don't be surprised if you catch her saying "Yutti" instead of "Gut" (Good).
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