#anyway . hi sie thanks 4 da ask

[edenslice]

heylo ☾ and ✌(for the ask game)

haiii ^_^

☾ (favorite word from your language)

- hiwatig + nagpapahiwatig ; hiwatig means 'hint' and nagpapahiwatig means 'indicating' in tagalog! idk i just like how mystical it sounds

✌️ (favorite proverb/saying from your language)

- mamamatay rin naman tayong lahat (we're all gonna die anyways)

not a saying anyone should be using in a daily basis nor it is a proverb but it does serve as a motivation 4 me n my classmates LMAO

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Hey, Steph, I think I found something for the JLPL. it's "Diese Kalte Nacht" by Faun (it's in German). Basically it talks about a lonely soul wandering through a cold and snowy night to his lover's house because he has no key to his own. His lover eventually lets him in and kisses his forehead, and it ends in the morning with one in the other's arms, ever grateful for the cold night. (1/2)(sorry this is gonna be a bit long)

I see Sherlock as the lonely wanderer, with no key to his own heart, so he asks to be in John’s instead. John eventually lets him in, and accepts him and the fact that he loves him. After all is said and done, they are both glad for the unfortunate circumstances that brought them together, and the hell they went to to get to the place they are.(ofc I’m talking about after season 4, when they actually do get together, at least in my mind) Anyways :P (2/2)

In reference to the other asks I sent (sorry this is an ask-nado) but it would actually totally work with reversed roles as well.

Diese Nacht ist kaltUnd der Wind der blästDurch unser LandUnd wer jetzt noch gehtIst ein armer TorOder auf Weg zu der LiebstenDie jede Reise lohnt(Refrain:)Ohhhöffne mir, lass mich hineinDein Liebster steht im MondenscheinDiese Nacht ist so kaltSo öffne mirDenn morgen wird’s zu spät seinMein Vater wacht über Haus und HofMeine Tür versperrt ein eisern’ SchlossUnd ich habe keinen Schlüssel dafürEs führt heut Nacht kein Weg zu mir(Refrain:)Ohhhöffne mir, lass mich hineinDenn dein Liebster steht im MondenscheinDiese Nacht ist so kaltSo öffne mirDenn morgen wird’s zu spät seinDoch die Nacht ist so kaltEndlich öffnet sie ihmUnd sie küsst ihres Liebsten kalte StirnDiese Nacht ist so kaltDoch sie öffnet die Tür und er küsst sieSieben Mal dafür(Refrain:)Ohhhöffne mir, lass mich hineinDenn dein Liebster steht im MondenscheinDiese Nacht ist so kaltSo öffne mirDenn morgen wird’s zu spät seinDer Morgen grautUnd der Wind der geht durch unser LandDoch das Mädchen liegt in ihres Liebsten ArmUnd danket sehr der kalten Nacht und dem Wind dafür

(Lyrics from Genius.com) || (English Lyrics from LyricsTranslate.com)

ASFDAD AHHH LOVELY!!! This is SUCH a beautiful song, oh my gosh.

AND THEN YOU HAD TO GO PUT THAT HEADCANON THOUGHT INTO MY HEAD AND NOW I’M SOBBING. Good goshles, y’all are killing me here. Thank you so much for this one, I love it very much

[deutschesprache]

Hi, I just found your tumblr and it's amazing. I'm American and just started having a German pen pal, which has been totally awesome. But at the same time I feel bad because they are stuck using English because I only know a little bit of German. They're totally cool with it but I'd still like to learn German to make it more personal for them. Any suggestions on how a 25 year old, broke grad student in America can best learn the language? Thank you!!

That’s super cool (and not to mention sweet??) that you want to learn German so you can converse with your pen pal!! So I’ve thought about it and I’ve got a few suggestions, though it all depends on where you live and your access to certain things. (these are in no particular order, I’m writing as I think)

1. Go check out your city’s library. They might have language learning programs available and they’d be totally free to use! I have a friend who works at the public library and they’re definitely available there, so I would check to see if yours has the same. They also might have CDs where you download the content to your mp3 player and can listen to lessons and repeat what they say. There might be books available, too, which would be even better.

2. If you have access to Netflix, try seeing if you can swap languages. When your German improves to where you can recognize words being said, change the subtitles to German and follow along so you can see how they’re written as they are being said.

3. If you have a bit of extra cash to spare, check out your university bookstore if they have used German textbooks and/or see how much they are. Textbooks are a great way to get a foundation set, whereas reading children’s books and watching German television are good ways to build up on that foundation. 

4. Check out your university’s library to see if they have any of the things I listed above.

5. Duolingo is kind of shit, but you can get some practice in. Personally, I went and bought Rosetta Stone and I really like it. You learn to write the words, say the words, and build sentences. It’s a lot more like associating sentences and words to pictures, which I’ve heard is how kids learn to speak? Anyways, the only thing it doesn’t do well is grammar, in the sense that it doesn’t EXPLAIN why a sentence can be written one way, but not another way. (usually black friday prices are hella good, if you go lurking on their website on around that time) Also, you can install it on up to two devices, I think, so if you find someone who ALSO wants to learn German, you can split the price >:]

6. Go lurking around the internet for ways to learn the grammar. Learn the different cases, going from Nominativ >> Akkusativ >> Dativ >> Genetiv. Learn basic words, like colors, numbers, things you find around your room, the alphabet, etc. You can go around labeling things in your room/apartment/house (but don’t forget the article! The articles [der, die, das] are really important when it comes to the cases). Learn how to address people (ich, du, er/sie/es, wir, ihr, sie/Sie) and how to conjugate the verb ‘sein.’ Then learn how to conjugate regular verbs and start building sentences with those words! Youtube and Google search are going to be your very best friends.

7. Don’t be shy about asking your pen pal! I’m sure they’ll be excited to find out you want to learn German :) 

And, of course, if anyone has suggestions, please don’t hesitate to add to this!! :D

[magpiedragon]

Elisabeth das Musical exposition/setting notes

Back when I was translating the ‘92 Vienna rehearsal footage to English I ended up digging deeper than I probably should have into lyrics, because I was kinda fascinated with how precisely you could pinpoint some of the songs in time that way.

I ended up including an extremely short summary of...fun trivia I learned as footnotes in my yt videos for Americans and other aliens (...kidding. kidding! Not like I really remember what was up with Spring of Nations either other than ‘Poland was there too’...) but since a) like nobody watches ‘92 Elisabeth b) if they do they are almost guaranteed not to read video descriptions anyway, I finally decided to repost this here.

Or, you know, you can check out @land-of-blitheness-and-catharsis Vienna Revival Elisabeth translations for some way more entertaining background comments.

PROLOG

[1] Luigi Lucheni (1873-1910) Italian anarchist famous for assassinating Empress Elisabeth of Austria in 1898. Died in 1910 by hanging himself in his cell while serving a life sentence in Geneva. Curiously enough, his head had been preserved in formaldehyde and only buried in 2000, 90 years after his death.

[2] Grammar bonus in case you live under a rock: German is a language with what is known as grammatical gender, effectively making the noun 'death' come with built-in male pronouns unless stated otherwise.

[3] "Why not? She loved Heinrich Heine!" Heinrich Heine (1797 – 1856) Born to a Jewish family but later converted to Christianity, German poet, journalist, essayist, and literary critic. Elisabeth was something of a fan, to put it mildly.

WIE DU

[4] "In this case, it's impossible." Elisabeth absolutely can't come with her father because, according to the libretto, he is actually on his way to spend a night with an actress in Monachium.

[5] "...with a zither under one arm" The flat, black box Elisabeth doesn't want to give back to her father is indeed a zither case.

JEDEM GIBT ER DAS SEINE

[6] Franz-Joseph I of Austria (1830 – 1916) The oldest of four brothers, ascended the throne in 1848 at the age of eighteen when, after his epileptic uncle's Ferdinand I abdication, his father stepped aside in his favor.

[7] "Russia, we owe rescue.../...from the revolution." In 1848 a wave of political upheavals swept across Europe, an event known as the Spring of Nations. Stuck between fighting in the territories of today's Italy and the rebelling Hungarians, who were at the time under the rule of the Austrian Empire, Austria lacked the power to quell the latter. Assistance from its ally, Russia, was sent for and the revolution suppressed.

[8] Crimean War (1853 - 1856) Military conflict fought between Russia and an alliance of France, the British Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and Sardinia started over the rights of Christian minorities in the Ottoman Empire. Russia lost and apparently was none too happy about Austrian Empire choosing to remain neutral.

SIE PASST NICHT

[9] "Rauscher's speech was too long." Joseph Othmar Ritter von Rauscher (1797-1875), Cardinal and Austrian Prince-Archbishop of Vienna, considered the father of the Austrian Concordat of 1855. This will kinda keep coming up.

DER LETZTE TANZ

[10] "In mirror room" (der Spiegelsaal) Large mirrors used to be difficult to produce and thus very expensive. Naturally, for a while small rooms and galleries with mirrors embedded in the walls seem to have been a must-have in every grand residence.

DIE ERSTEN VIER JAHRE

[11] "Where does she stand on Hungary?" After the rebellion of 1848 Hungary wasn't exactly in the Austrian Empire's best books. A lot of its former independence was taken away.

DIE FRÖHLICHE APOKALYPSE

[12] "One more coffee!" Wiener Melange ("Viennese blend") is a type of coffee drink specific to Vienna, traditionally consisting of a shot of expresso topped with hot milk and milk foam.

[13] We've signed a concordat!" A concordat is convention between the Holy See and a sovereign state that defines the [..] privileges of the Catholic Church in a particular country. (Thanks wikipedia...) In the case of Austrian Concordat of 1855 the Church was granted full control over their direct affairs, oversight of approx 98% of public schools and their curriculum as well as jurisdiction over marriages where either or both the couple were Catholic. In other words something of a big deal and most liberals really weren't a fan.

[14] "The last Crimean War neutralized us.../And Austria is now.../ ...politically, completely isolated./[...]/And we are now at war with Piedmont!" In 1858 England and, more importantly, Russia, is definitely still sulking over Austrian Empire's neutrality in the Crimean War. In the meanwhile wars in what is today's Italy continue, notably with the Kingdom of Piedmont-Sardinia. Up until 1871 Italy was a collection of small kingdoms/city states. The Second Italian War of Independence of 1859 will prove to be a crucial part of their future unification.

[15] "...crowds of men waving their fists/at her on Ballhausplatz." The Ballhausplatz is a square in central Vienna and the location of the residence/set of office of the Chancellor of Austria. It's also located a short walk's distance from the Austrian Parliament building.

SCHÖNHEITSPFLEGE

[16] "Here, veal for the face./Lay it in thick slices on the cheeks.../[...]/The meat sauce, that she drinks at midday.../...has to, imagine.../...absolutely be from a fillet." etc Supposedly all true. She is also known for fasting, exercising rigorously and tight-lacing her corsets to a worrying degree.

WIR ODER SIE

[17] "A ringleader advanced.../...to a minister of state!" Likely refers to Count Gyula Andrássy (1823 – 1890), a Hungarian statesman who, in 1867, with Elisabeth's backing became Prime Minister of Hungary. By all accounts a close friend, thought to be lover by some.

[18] "...she rules like a Pompadour!" Madame de Pompadour (1721 – 1764) chief mistress of French king Louis XV and, later, his close friend and confidant. While having little official political influence, she was able to gather a network of supporters and wielded considerable power behind the scenes.

[19] "Instead of Goethe or Schiller.../...she recites Heine!" A serious offense indeed seeing as Goethe and Schiller are some of the most iconic/well-known German-language writers, while Heine's more radical works were banned.

[20] "I will, myself, undertake.../...delivering a Circe to him" In the Greek epic poem Odyssey, the hero Odysseus is steadfast and unrelenting in his attempt to return home to his faithul wife Penelope, except for that one entire year he spends feasting and sharing a bed of a powerful sorceress named Circe. Because why not.

MALADIE

[21] "One.../...known as the French disease." Anemia, fever and dizzy spells are not exactly the most prominent symptoms of secondary syphillis and Elisabeth's bad health is only speculated to be a result of a veneral disease instead of constant stress she was under, but I suppose we’ll just have to trust the personification of death on this one. You'd assume he'd know.

DIE RASTLOSEN JAHRE

[22] "Wants to Corfu, Pest and England..." Budapest is the capital and the largest city of Hungary. Originally two separate cities, Buda and Pest, it became a single city occupying both banks of the river Danube in 1873.

DIE SCHATTEN WERDEN LÄNGER

[23] "To the tune of the Pied Piper.../...they dance wildly..." "Der Rattenfänger von Hameln", better known in the Anglosphere as "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" is a German legend concerning a rat-catcher hired to lead rats away from the city of Hamelin using his magical flute. When the townsfolk refuse to give him the promised payment, he turns the magic on the town's children instead, luring them all into the unknown.

HASS

[24] "Nationalists! Supporters of Schönerer." Georg Ritter von Schönerer (1842 – 1921), German landowner, politician, rabid nationalist and antisemite. In 1888, he was temporarily jailed for ransacking a newspaper office and his popularity soared, with nationalist marches organized to demand freeing him etc. Likely the person to introduce Führer (”leader") to the nationalist vocabulary. All around a great guy like that. Hitler is said to have been a big fan as a young man.

[25] "Wilhelm should be Emperor!" Wilhelm II (1859 – 1941), the last German Emperor and Austrian nationalists' preferred Habsburg replacement.

[26] "For Heinrich Heine she wants to, here, in Vienna.../...erect a statue!" She really did, except by the time it was finished, the nationalist protests were so widespread there was nowhere to put it. Somehow, and don't ask me how or why, it is now located in Bronx, New York City and known as the Lorelei Fountain.

[27] "The Guard on the Rhine stands proud!" "Die Wacht am Rhein" is a famous patriotic German song, for a while considered something of an unofficial second anthem.

MAYERLING-WALZER

[28] Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria and his 17-year-old lover Baroness Mary Vetsera died on 30 January 1889 in what is widely considered to be a murder-suicide pact, known as the Mayerling Incident. His death caused Franz-Joseph I's nephew, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, to become first in line to the throne of Austro-Hungarian Empire. Franz Ferdinand is perhaps best known as the man whose assassination in Sarajevo  in 1914 kickstarted the WWI.

AM DECK DER SINKENDEN WELT

[29] Maximillian I (1832 – 1867) Younger brother of Emperor Franz-Joseph. Accepted Napoleon III's offer to move to Mexico where he declared himself Emperor in 1864 and was executed by firing squad three years later.

[30] Maria von Wittelsbach (1841 - 1925) Elisabeth's younger sister. By all accounts a rather unhappy lady with an equally unhappy marriage.

[31] Ludwig von Wittelsbach (1845 – 1886) Elisabeth's cousin, king of Bavaria. Known as an eccentric with a love for extravagant artistic and architectural projects. Declared insane and deposed in 1886, died under unknown circumstances. Body found floating in a lake near his residence at the time.

[32] Sophie von Wittelsbach (1847 – 1897) Elisabeth's youngest sister, died in a fire of the Bazar de la Charité in Paris, during a charity event.

DER SCHLEIER FÄLLT

[33] Elisabeth, Empress of Austria died on the 10 September 1898 after being fatally stabbed in the heart with a stiletto improvised out of a sharpened needle file. Perhaps thanks to her practice of lacing her corsets very tightly the injury wasn't immediately detected and it took half an hour for her to die. Ironically, first recorded successful treatment of this exact kind of injury was achieved by dr Ludwig Rehn in Frankfurt am Main exactly two years and one day before that date.

...also something I failed to mention in footnotes, but occurs to me not everyone knows: yes, a porcelain tea set with portraits of Franz-Joseph and Elisabeth painted on it was not a very strange item to own. That’s kind of what Kitsch is about XD