Rei can read German?!

[badc0de]

While I was searching for something that might be used to calculate the weight of an EVA I accidentally saw this:
[URL=http://img259.imageshack.us/my.php?image=reibuchip0.jpg][/URL]
It's the book that Rei reads at the beginning of episode 09. The text is hard to read, but it's definitely german. The text seams to be randomly picked and isn't even related to the pictures.
Why should Rei read a German book? :shock:
If Asuka would read it, it would be more logical to me.

[Kaysow]

I dunno, gaijinspeak?

[Legend of the Past]

Rei might have learned German at one point or another. She could learn languages fairly quickly, seeing as how she can just focus on learning and nothing else.

[badc0de]

It's fairly old German (about 350-400 years old), so I couldn't even guess the words that I couldn't read :?
Note: I didn't translated all the old stylistic blah-blah, so the translations are much shorter then the originals...

A 36: Fürst Ludwig von Anhalt, Vorrede zu einer Übersetzung aus
seiner Sprachgesellschaft:

A 36: Sovereign Ludwig von Anhalt, preamble of a translation of his "Sprachgesellschaft" (speak-society)

unsere alte Muttersprache also zu ehren und zu zieren, dass wir
derjenige, so wie reden und schreiben wollen, aus ihrem eigenen und
nicht anderweit entlehnten Vorraht nehmen liesen. Es ist vor Jahren
eine gewohnheit gewesen und noch bey Vielen, die da vermeinen, sie
_esen nicht zierlich reder oder schreinen, wenn sie nicht allerhand
Lateinische, Frantsösische und Italienische wörter mit einmengen.

...to honor and adorn our old mother-tongue, so that we use them (the words) from our own hoard and not from these of the others. Years ago it was (and is) the habit to admix Latin, French and Italian word.

Personen von uhraltes Geschlecht

Ok, this isn't old German, but it seems to be a mistranslation from Japanese(?) to German. It means something like:
Persons of ancient lineage.

mit taumender?ey seidenen Randen / anttage....
durch Glücksfall mannhaft und kekant w...
Herren / und Adeliche Personen von ehr....
die sich doch oft befindet / daß ihre Vor-Eher...
her und Lastträger: ihre Ve?????? Eseltreiber:...
Schergen: ihre Schwestern Huren: ihre Mütter...
Hexen: und in Summe / ihr gentaes Geschlecht...
her / also besudelt und befleckt gewesen / als daß ...
zu Prag immer ???? mögen: ja sie / diese neue Nob...
selst so schwarts / als wann sie in Guines geboren
worden. ...

I can't translate it, because it really makes not much sense to me.

Ein Mann...
Söhne.
Der jüngere Sohn...
sagte zum Vater...

Vater, gib mir den
Teil des Vermögens
der mir zuk???...
Da verteilte je...
Hab und Gut auf
sie.
Wenige Tage darauf
packte der jüngere
Sohn alles, was ihm
gehörte, zusammen
und zog in ein fernes
Land:
dort brachte er sein
Vermögen in einem
ausschweifenden Le-
ben durch

A man ... sons.
The younger son says to his father:

"Father, give me the part (of your) money that concedes me."
He devided his belongings and gave them his sons.
Some days later, the younger son packed up his belongings and went in a far country. There he "blow" all his money in a "dolce vita".
----------
Old German is... abnormal. :shock:
Trying to translate it is... perverse :twisted:

[The Eva Monkey]

Makes sense to me, the Japanese language and culture are almost as influenced by Germany as they are by America. Much of the Japanese science, mathematic, and medical knowledge and education are based off of Germany. German itself is a common language for Japanese students to learn, not nearly as common as English, but definitely a strong second.

Knowing that the second branch of Nerv is in Germany, and that Rei is a dedicated pilot, it makes sense for her to have learned German as part of her training. It could come in handy if she was ever sent to Germany for active duty.

[Six Winged Angel]

that adds one more to why Rei is so great :P

[Mr. Tines]

The figures are from a genetics text, and bear no relationship to the verbiage

[the_seventh_child]

Maybe she just looks at the images of the book!

[reagen]

Maybe she just looks at the images of the book!

That could be true (I do that most of the time with Japanese magazine, and books!)

[ice reaper]

A man ... sons.
The younger son says to his father:

"Father, give me the part (of your) money that concedes me."
He devided his belongings and gave them his sons.
Some days later, the younger son packed up his belongings and went in a far country. There he "blow" all his money in a "dolce vita".

isn't that the old story about a reckless son loosing his money as the other son preserves it and the father praises the reckless one for finding the right path afterwards.....then the other son gets really pissed.

i don't know, maybe it could help someone's crazy theory about something evangelionish.

[Sailor Star Dust]

A man ... sons.
The younger son says to his father:

"Father, give me the part (of your) money that concedes me."
He devided his belongings and gave them his sons.
Some days later, the younger son packed up his belongings and went in a far country. There he "blow" all his money in a "dolce vita".

isn't that the old story about a reckless son loosing his money as the other son preserves it and the father praises the reckless one for finding the right path afterwards.....then the other son gets really pissed.

I don't know if the story from the German book is the same one, but the story your thinking of is The Prodigal (spelling?) Son from the Bible. (New Testment to be exact. Book/chapter/verse-wise? Don't ask me because I have no idea. ) It was something Jesus said to explain how God loves people.
...And, yes, I'm Catholic, despite my political-views being democrat.

[AuthenticM]

Shit, I've never noticed that. There must be plenty of other things like this most of us overlooked. We must look harder! :)

[Mr. Tines]

Book/chapter/verse-wise?.

Luke 15:11-32

[badc0de]

Book/chapter/verse-wise?.

Luke 15:11-32

Lukas 15:11-32 @ Luther Bibel 1545 <-- Nice, so I didn't have to dig for the bible. Oo
Ok, the content is the same (well... at least the beginning), but between the German of the bible and the one of Reis book are over 500 years... (only the text on the top of the left page ist about 350-400 years old)

[master0rolando]

it would make sense i guess for prim proper obedient Rei to learn other languages...pretty easily

[directedition]

Let's not forget that Nerv is very centered around the German language. Nerv, Seele, and Gehirn, are all German words. Two of the active MAGI computers are in Germany (only country but Japan to have more than one). And one of the primary pilots was raised German. It is doubtful that Gehirn gave itself a German name just because it seemed cool, it may be that the whole organization is primarily German. The choice of location for their main headquarters may have more to do with strategic placement than with politics (it is my understanding that the geofront's excavation has more to do with the displacement of the black moon than any human endeavour). It is reasonable to assume that a large portion of NERV's research is in German and it is likely that most NERV personnel have an understanding of the language.

Also, I think Anno just has a thing for German.

[Reichu]

It is doubtful that Gehirn gave itself a German name just because it seemed cool, it may be that the whole organization is primarily German.

Seele is based in Germany and it's run by a cranky old German cyborg.

And one of the primary pilots was raised German.

Kyoko was half German; Asuka is a quarter.

Also, I think Anno just has a thing for German.

Japan has a thing for Germany.

[directedition]

Kyoko was half German; Asuka is a quarter.

I thought Asuka was 3/4 German and 1/4 Japanese.

[Ornette]

Kyoko was half German; Asuka is a quarter.

I thought Asuka was 3/4 German and 1/4 Japanese.

Assuming Asuka got "Langley" from her father, Sohryu = Japanese ship, Langley = U.S. Ship, Zeppilin (Kyoko's middle name) = uhhh German

that gives you Kyoko = 1/2 German, 1/2 Japanese, Father = all U.S., thus Asuka = 1/4 German, 1/4 Japanese, 1/2 U.S. Her citizenship is U.S., so we can probably assume she was born there.

[Reichu]

For the future, a convenient image to throw at people.