die  Angleichung

C1

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈaŋlaɪçʊŋ/

🎯 What does 'die Angleichung' mean?

Die Angleichung (feminine noun) describes the process or result of making things, people, or conditions similar, adapting, or harmonizing them. It's about reducing differences and establishing correspondence or compatibility.

• Adjustment/Harmonization: Angleichung of standards, prices, laws, or opinions. Example: die Angleichung der Lebensverhältnisse (the harmonization of living conditions).
• Assimilation (Linguistics): The change of a sound under the influence of a neighboring sound. Example: die Angleichung von Konsonanten in der Aussprache (the assimilation of consonants in pronunciation).
• Assimilation (Sociology/Culture): The adaptation of a person or group to another culture or society, often associated with the loss of one's own cultural characteristics. Example: die Angleichung von Einwanderern an die Mehrheitsgesellschaft (the assimilation of immigrants into the majority society).
• Alignment/Synchronization (Technology/Data): The process of bringing data or systems into line with each other. Example: die Angleichung von Datenbanken (the synchronization of databases).

🚨 It's important to consider the context, as 'Angleichung' can have specific connotations depending on the field (politics, linguistics, sociology, technology).

Article rules for der, die, and das

📊 Grammar Deep Dive: die Angleichung

The noun „Angleichung“ is feminine. The article is „die“.

Declension

Examples 📝

• Die Angleichung der Gehälter ist ein wichtiges politisches Ziel. (The harmonization of salaries is an important political goal.)
• In der gesprochenen Sprache kommt es oft zu lautlichen Angleichungen. (Phonetic assimilations often occur in spoken language.)
• Die vollständige Angleichung an eine neue Kultur kann schwierig sein. (Complete assimilation into a new culture can be difficult.)
• Wir benötigen eine Angleichung der Datensätze vor der Analyse. (We need an alignment of the datasets before the analysis.)

💬 How is 'Angleichung' used?

The term 'Angleichung' is often used in more formal contexts, especially in politics, economics, sociology, linguistics, and technology.

• Politics/Economics: Usually refers to the harmonization of laws, standards, prices, or living conditions (e.g., within the EU). Example: die Angleichung der Mehrwertsteuersätze (the harmonization of VAT rates).
• Sociology: Describes social adaptation processes, often in the context of migration and integration. The term can also be viewed critically here if it implies a loss of identity.
• Linguistics: Refers to phonetic processes where sounds adapt to each other (assimilation).
• Technology/IT: Refers to the alignment or synchronization of data, systems, or signals.

Distinction from similar words:

• Anpassung: Often more general and can also describe a one-sided change (adapting to something). Angleichung tends to emphasize mutual approximation or reaching a common level.
• Harmonisierung: Very similar to Angleichung in political/economic contexts, emphasizes creating harmony and compatibility.
• Assimilation: More specific term in linguistics and sociology, often with stronger connotations (complete absorption/adaptation).

🧠 Mnemonics for Angleichung

Article Mnemonic: Words ending in "-ung" in German are almost always feminine (die). Think of the ending "-ung" like a signal for "die". Die Anpassung, die Gleichung, die Angleichung.

Meaning Mnemonic: Think of "Angleichung" as bringing things onto the same 'angle' or level. The prefix 'an-' means 'to' or 'towards', and 'gleich' means 'same' or 'equal'. So, Angleichung is the action (-ung) of bringing towards equality/sameness.

🔄 Synonyms & Antonyms

⚠️ Be careful with Anpassung: It can be interchangeable, but Angleichung often implies a stronger move towards a common standard or mutual approximation.

😂 A Little Joke

Fragt ein Standard den anderen: „Na, schon wieder bei der Angleichung gewesen?“ Sagt der andere: „Ja, ich wurde heute harmonisiert. Fühle mich jetzt total norm-al!“

Translation: One standard asks the other: "Well, been to harmonization again?" The other replies: "Yes, I got harmonized today. Feeling totally norm-al now!" (Pun on 'normal' and 'Norm' meaning standard)

✍️ Poem about Angleichung

Wo Unterschiede Gräben ziehen,
versucht man oft, sie zu überfliehen.
Durch die Angleichung, Schritt für Schritt,
nimmt man das Fremde manchmal mit.

Gesetze, Normen, hier und dort,
an einem fernen, gleichen Ort
soll alles passen, eins und klar,
das ist das Ziel, Jahr für Jahr.

Doch bleibt die Frage leis im Raum:
Verliert man nicht den eignen Traum,
wenn alles uniform und schlicht?
Die Angleichung – ein zwiespältig Licht.

Translation:

Where differences draw trenches deep,
One often tries from them to leap.
Through harmonization, step by step,
The foreign sometimes finds its rep.

Laws and standards, near and far,
Towards a distant, equal star,
Should all align, united, clear,
That is the goal held ever dear.

But softly echoes still the doubt:
Is one's own dream not rooted out,
When all is uniform and plain?
Adjustment – a conflicting gain.

❓ Riddle

Ich mache Ungleiches gleich,
ob arm ob reich.
In Sprache, Preis und Norm,
bring' ich die Dinge in die Form.
Mal bin ich politisch, mal technisch fein,
was kann ich nur sein?

Lösung/Solution: die Angleichung

Translation:

I make the unequal equal,
whether poor or regal.
In language, price, and norm,
I bring things into form.
Sometimes political, sometimes technically fine,
what can I possibly be?

Answer: die Angleichung (assimilation, adjustment, harmonization)

🧩 Other Information

Word Composition:

The word „Angleichung“ is a noun derived from the verb „angleichen“. It consists of:

• Prefix „an-“ (indicates a direction or bringing towards)
• Stem „gleich“ (adjective meaning 'same', 'equal')
• Suffix „-en“ (verb ending)
• Noun-forming suffix „-ung“ (turns the verb into a noun and makes it feminine)

Related Words:

• angleichen (verb): to adapt, assimilate, adjust something to something else.
• angeglichen (past participle / adjective): adapted, adjusted, harmonized.
• Gleichheit (noun): equality, sameness.