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Learning the language


Many people say that football unites because it transcends language barriers. But football is more than just the game played on the pitch. The 'interpersonal' factor is also of decisive importance - for the sense of community that football can engender (in amateur football, for example) and for the level of performance and success in professional sport.

Today the question is raised as to how professional players are able to adjust in terms of language, with transfers taking place more frequently and more quickly. The main question for a textbook for professional footballers developed at the University of Dortmund was: "Which words are of the most relevance for players at what stage of their integration for them to be able to pursue their careers with the highest possible professionalism?"

Misunderstandings attributable to cultural differences were to be minimised. The aim was to overcome speech inhibitions and develop auditory comprehension skills based on key words. Motivating the players is not always easy. As there is little time for lessons and homework, grammar plays a subordinate role. Uwe Wiemann, who developed the language book in association with Bayer Leverkusen, points out that the "textbook should not automatically be considered a patent recipe for the rapid and smooth language integration of foreign players, but simply a building block for the professionalisation of Bundesliga clubs as businesses."