Is there a German style guide similar to "The Elements of Style" by Strunk and White or "Style: The Basics of Clarity and Grace" which are well known for English?
1 Answer
One style guide I can absolutely recommend is Deutsch für Kenner by Wolf Schneider, a German journalist and language critic. The book is both witty and clearly structured. (Note that it takes a firm stand and is by no means a neutral guide; some even call it arrogant.) Important to know: You'll need a good knowledge of German to really enjoy the book.
If you've already read Deutsch für Profis or Deutsch fürs Leben, then you already saw a lot of the contents of Deutsch für Kenner.
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The answer is much appreciated. The reason I have not accepted so far is that based on the reviews this book is a very opinionated, very critical review of actual German language misuse. This could be alright but it seems a bit wearisome. I'll give it a bit more time and then accept your answer. Feb 6, 2012 at 18:23
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Oh, it's not wearisome. At some points I find it slightly repetetive (but this gets bad only if you also read Deutsch für Profis), but it's really fun to read. I learned of the book from someone sitting next to me in a local train who was laughing from time to time. There are lots of (opinionated) great and funny examples from which you can learn a lot. Feb 6, 2012 at 18:52