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Duden Richtiges Und Gutes Deutsch Das Worterbuch Der Sprachlichen
Duden Richtiges Und Gutes Deutsch is the Duden house’s dictionary of linguistic doubts — Das Wörterbuch der sprachlichen Zweifelsfälle, the dictionary of the cases where even native speakers hesitate: the comma that may or may not stand, the genitive that sounds wrong and is right, the plural nobody is sure of.
Ordinary dictionaries define words; this one adjudicates usages. Arranged alphabetically by the doubtful point, it states the problem, gives the rule and its reasoning, and shows the correct and good form in examples — ‘richtig’ being the floor and ‘gut’ the ambition: not merely correct German, but good German.
It is written for native speakers who write — editors, teachers, students, officials, authors — and it is treasure for advanced learners of German, whose remaining errors are exactly these Zweifelsfälle: the fine points no coursebook reaches.
Every language has its border disputes, and German’s are famous: der or das in a hundred doubtful nouns, the comma in the extended infinitive, the subjunctive in reported speech, the adjective ending after certain pronouns, words whose plural splits the office in two. This Duden exists to settle them — one alphabetical entry at a time, with the authority of the house that Germany itself consults. Its manner is what makes it loved: never merely prohibiting, it explains why the language prefers what it prefers, distinguishes the wrong from the merely clumsy, and marks the difference between rule and taste. For a writer it is the court of appeal on the desk; for a teacher, the answer to the class’s hardest ‘but why?’; for the advanced learner, the map of the last mile of German correctness — the doubts that remain when the grammar is already known.
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About This Book
The standard Duden tells you what words mean and how they are spelled; this companion volume handles the harder jurisdiction — usage. Richtiges und Gutes Deutsch is where German answers its own speakers’ hardest questions, alphabetically, authoritatively, and with the reasoning shown.
What Readers Will Find
The Doubtful Cases
Entries for the classic Zweifelsfälle: gender and plural doubts, case government after prepositions and verbs, comma and punctuation borderlines, subjunctive versus indicative, word-formation and compounding doubts, and the fashionable errors of the moment — each stated, reasoned, and settled.
Correct Versus Good
The book’s double standard is its genius: many forms are correct and still bad. Entries distinguish the permissible from the preferable, so the reader’s German improves in style as well as in accuracy — the difference between passing and persuading.
Reasons, Not Just Rulings
Every settlement comes with its explanation, drawn from the language’s system and history — which is why teachers treasure the book: a reason can be taught, while a ruling can only be repeated.
Key Features
Authority is the feature: this is the reference German professionals themselves consult on usage. The alphabetical, problem-first arrangement is the second — you look up the doubt, not the theory — and the reasoning the third: rulings you understand are rulings you keep.
Who This Book Is For
It is for German writers, editors, teachers, and students; officials and professionals whose texts are judged; translators into German; and advanced learners (B2–C1) whose German is ready for its fine points. It is not a first grammar — it is the book first grammars point toward.
How to Use This Book
Keep it at the writing desk and consult it at the moment of doubt, mid-sentence: the entry read in context is remembered ten times better than the entry read in study. Teachers can build lessons from single entries; learners should browse it a few entries at a time, because its doubts are contagious in the best way — once seen, the correct forms start appearing everywhere.
Related Books
The economics lexicon is Duden Wirtschaft Von A Bis Z. The compact overview is Deutsche Grammatik Einfach Kompakt Und übersichtlich.
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