Sprachmittlung, Formal vs. Informal, Useful Phrases, Exam Practice
The core concept you need to understand for the exam
You provide the mediating link between two languages and normally also between two different text types or (cultural) situations.
You are given a new situation (context, text type, addressee, style, intention…). You pick out particular information from an original text.
You never just translate every sentence of the original text exactly. Paraphrase, summarise, repackage.
Format the text correctly, use appropriate register (formal/informal/semi-formal), beginning & ending.
In a mediation situation, don't mix the information with your own knowledge or opinion.
Idiomatic terms like CDU, FAZ, Fernweh may need to be explained. Use your intercultural competence.
Avoid these common mistakes
Never translate sentence by sentence. Always summarise and repackage using your own words. Aim for approximately 1/3 of the original text length.
The mediation text must only contain information from the original source. Do not add what you personally think, believe, or know.
Don't stop after finding one point. But also leave out anything that is irrelevant to the task. Only include what is needed for the addressee.
Always check the task: Who are you writing to? A friend (informal) or a teacher/company (formal)? Use the right language style throughout.
Follow these steps during your exam
Check what relevant points you need to find. It will affect how you read the text. Ask: What is the task? Who am I writing to? What text type?
After reading/listening once for gist, note the text title, type and purpose, and if necessary, the author's/speaker's name, intention and tone. Mark only task-relevant keywords.
Check the new situation: text type and length, addressee, purpose, relationship between you and the addressee (for your text's register/style). Mark only task-relevant keywords in the original. Search for more than one point. Leave unimportant info out.
Use suitable language and 'packaging' sentences for the new task situation and mention the source. Sum up relevant points in your own words. Paraphrase/explain if you don't know the exact translation. Check for false friends, incorrect tense, spelling, prepositions, word order and style.
Always reference the original article/source with title, author, source and date.
Informal: Hi [Name], / Dear [Name], … I hope I could help you. / Best wishes, [Name]
Formal: Dear Sir or Madam, / Dear Mr/Ms [Name], … I look forward to hearing from you. / Yours faithfully / Yours sincerely
Semi-formal: Dear [first name], … Best regards, [Name]
Add an appropriate concluding sentence, e.g.:
Key differences you must know for the exam
From your worksheet — know these pairs!
Learn these — you can use them in every mediation task
Go through this before you hand in your exam
Based on the Landesabitur 2024 (NT) practice material
Key content points the examiner expects:
Example based on your own exam attempt — annotated
Hi Robert,← informal greeting ✓
I found an article which refers to the topic we discussed last time — about the Erasmus programme which the British government doesn't support any more. The article is named "Ausstieg aus 'Erasmus plus': Der Jugend die Zukunft verbaut", written by Annette Weber and published on the website of "Rheinpfalz" on 25.03.2021.← source with title, author, date ✓
The text was interesting to read because it mentions the reactions of British universities and of their students. The universities are shocked that the government made this decision. They think that the variety from the people and the different cultures gets lost. They even complained about it in a letter to the government. Some universities have announced they will expand their own scholarship programmes for Europeans.← university reactions ✓
For the students, the decision is a financial ruin or even the destruction of their study and dreams. Many students can't afford to study in Britain anymore, as they now need a visa and additional health insurance. Furthermore, the Erasmus funding simply falls away.← student reactions ✓
I hope I could help you.← appropriate closing ✓
Best wishes,
Simon
Practice material from class
Dear Clara,
The topic of your term paper is quite challenging and I'm glad I've found a perfect article to provide you with some information. It's called "Greenpeace-Umfrage: Deutsche sehen Kleidung als Wegwerfware" and was published on the website www.n-tv.de in November 2015.
The results make it clear that Germans are fond of the latest trends and because of this clothing has become a disposable product. It is really interesting that especially women from the West have a lot of clothes in their wardrobes, the majority of which are often sorted out and/or thrown away. Half of the interviewees don't even hide that they've never been to a tailor. Moreover, the majority of German youth have never been to a shoemaker.
I hope I could be of some help.
Best wishes,
Mark
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