Why do Germans use "fatherland".

[jack_canada]

I noticed that only Germans refer to their country as "fatherland", almost all other cultures refer to their country of origin as "motherland", any ideas why?

[Hum]

:huh: Probably goes back to Nazi Germany and Hitler. Hitler was the male leader, males being 'strong'. It has stuck since then.

[ollie_webbuk]

I think it's just a communist thing. Like with Russia and with (what was) East Germany.

Either way, it's just a difference in culture between the two countries.

[icecaveman]

Don't blame it on communists you stereo-typical American blaming communism for everything.

[matocaster]

I don't know, I would like to know though, I have noticed that German is a very strong language and that might have something to do with masculinity?

[Blackima]

My kneejerk response would be that Germany is refered to the fatherland cause in German, Germany is masculine the same way that France in French is female

But it turns out that Germany isn't masculine in German. In fact Germany seems to refer to most countries as neuter

So in that case I'm rather confuzzled

[edit] Woot, 500 posts :happy: ... only took 1.5 years :p

[jack_canada]

I don't know, I would like to know though, I have noticed that German is a very strong language and that might have something to do with masculinity?

586577027[/snapback]

Yeah, German sounds pretty harsh.

[insanekiwi]

german wikipedia entry for you naziflamers :rofl:

http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?hl=en&la.../wiki/Vaterland

[Creamy]

german wikipedia entry for you naziflamers :rofl:

http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?hl=en&la.../wiki/Vaterland

586577029[/snapback]

Thank you! That seems to be necessary... :(

[Fred Derf Veteran]

In English we would say "the land of our forefathers". It is functionally the same.

[Powa]

German isn't that strong a language. But I guess it is compared to English and French etc.

It may just be tradition.

[E t h a n]

I always thought it was Mother Russia.

Some call Britain the Mother Country, although Nelson is standing on top of a phallus. I guess that's what the Washington Monument is as well.

:rofl:

[Daedalus]

I think it's just a communist thing. Like with Russia and with (what was) East Germany.

Either way, it's just a difference in culture between the two countries.

586576993[/snapback]

They were calling it the Fatherland long before Germany became split into East and West. Besides which, capeche is right, it is "Mother Russia".

[Veiva]

Fatherland is the nation of one's "fathers" or "forefathers." It can be viewed as a nationalist concept, insofar as it relates to nations. (Compare to motherland and homeland.)

[Rudy]

Fatherland is the nation of one's "fathers" or "forefathers." It can be viewed as a nationalist concept, insofar as it relates to nations. (Compare to motherland and homeland.)

586577274[/snapback]

thanx :)

[fevoldj2]

See.. so that would be a nazi concept. National Socialist party = Nazi...

[LaNcom]

It should also be noted that the German word "Vaterland" is much older than Germany - it's from the 12th century, maybe even older. The country's official name was "Holy Empire" back then, "Holy Roman Empire" in the 13th century, and "Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation" in the 16th century...

[Fred Derf Veteran]

See.. so that would be a nazi concept. National Socialist party = Nazi...

586577815[/snapback]

The "nationalist concept" refers to state nationalism rather than the National Socialist party.

[Panacik]

Some call Britain the Mother Country

586577250[/snapback]

I have a few names for the UK, but that is not one of them... dont flame me... I live here unfortunatly.

[stanneh]

Britain is great so long as your not in England.

[Bamsebjørn]

In dutch we also use fatherland... and motherlanguage. Now, don't say Dutch looks a lot like German.

[rojack]

borderline xenophobic thread masquerading as enquiry... :sleep:

[insanekiwi]

but gebruijksanwijzung looks alot like gebrauchansweisung :D

[tazzeh]

Britain is great so long as your not in England.

586580902[/snapback]

Bit of a contradiction as England is part of Britain. So what you want to say is, "Britain sucks because of England" ?

[Jexel]

You know its really funny how Chinese News Broadcasters say China. They never actually say the word "China" it's always "Our Country" (literal translation).