In article ,
Sacha wrote:

How many British people learn German when starting to read, I wonder.

Er, the word in question is "Fuchsia" - how many people learn that
when starting to read? :-)

Ah but you had the root.

Eh? I learnt the word Fuschsia six years after learning to read!

In the West Country, yes, I would expect most primary school children
to hear and know the word - it has become a very common and obvious
hedgerow plant. But elsewhere? I wouldn't expect them to hear it
unless they associate with gardeners and/or have a set text that
uses the word (perhaps as a name, but it is rare).

I think we're at cross purposes. I was referring to your having
learned how to pronounce 'Fuchs' correctly thus leading on to knowing
about Dr Fuchs and Fuchsia. No? I think I need some aspirin!

Probably, but yes. I was 9 or 10 by the time I learnt the word
Fuschsia, those not doing well on the savanna! By that stage,
one of my schoolbooks was Die Geschichte von Herrn Reineke, I had
come across the name Fuchs (e.g. Klaus of that ilk) and I knew that
plants were often named after people. It was bleeding obvious!

My point is that many people in Britain today will never have
heard the names of more than the most ubiquitous garden plants,
and fuschias aren't those (outside your neck of the woods, and
Ireland). But some will be learning German.


Regards,
Nick Maclaren.