Think about it...what does the German language consist of?

Essentially, German, like other languages, is made up of only two elements.

• WORDS - i.e. vocal and written symbols conveying meaning

• GRAMMAR - i.e. guidelines and rules for connecting words.

To use an analogy, let's say we want to build walls for a house. Words could be likened to the bricks and grammar to the mortar, the glue that keeps them together so they can function as a wall.

Another example:

Imagine you want to make a necklace from sea shells or pearls which represent the words. The string used to add them together is your grammar.

Now let's pretend two people get shipwrecked and each of them winds up on a separate remote deserted island. The man on the first island knows all the grammar rules, but not a single word.

The one on the second island knows only one word and nothing about grammar at all. The word he knows is HELP and that is what he writes in large letters into the sandy beach.

Which of the two stranded men has a better chance of rescue?

As far fetched as this may be, it help to illustrate the relative importance and value of the two language elements.

How does this relate to learning German, you ask? Read on....