For those of us who find ourselves typing a lot of German words on QWERTY keyboards, I might suggest trying the US International keyboard layout instead the standard US keyboard that American computers are set to by default. There are minimal differences from the standard US keyboard (US International still uses the QWERTY layout we Americans are used to), but it comes with a number of shortcuts for typing non-American English characters like ß, ð, Þ, umlauts (äöü), accented vowels (áàéè...), £, etc.

Further explanation is available here: http://www.cortland.edu/icc/KEYBOARD.HTML

It took me about a week to become comfortable with the few minor changes.

"super" is not that good as example cause the "ß" can`t be the first letter in a word... just note that "ß" can just be used in the center or the end of a word...
There is no "scharfes S" in any beginning of a word in german.
For example "super" is spoken "zuper" in german. ("Superman" in german is spoken like "zupermän")

My name for examlpe can also be written with "ß" insead of "ss". Doesn`t matter here.

another expample is the connector "bloß" (this means "just" or in other case "naked" - Bloßfechten means fighting without armour)
Here "ß" can`t be changed cause the "o" is a looong "o" ...if you write "bloss" you had to speak a short "o".

"bloß" is spoken like "boat" ("bloas" if you want...)
"bloss" would be spoken like "gloss"

More practically, internet tools like Google's dictionary don't always recognize things like ae for ä, so it can be helpful to have the ability to type the umlaut. This is less of an issue when talking to people, of course.

acutally there are some rules, when to use "ß" and when to use "ss".

but there was spelling reform a few years ago, and since then nobody really knows, when to use what,
90% use them incorrect, so it doesnt really matter. (i myself use them exchangeable). ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNClniS-XMo - a Rap Song about Solingen

from 0:22 to 0:25 "Solingen Solingen Solingen" shows the correct pronounciation. :)

(In the Refrain the "o" is to long, they sing like "Sooolingen" and the rest of that song is just Ghetto-Style so you`d better ignore it :p )

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Edit: @ Gottfried

The rule is very simple:

the monophtong (der Vokal) in front of "ss" is spoken short and the monophtong in front of "ß" is spoken long.

"s" is always spoken like "zero"

"ss" ans "ß" sound like "super"

So my name with "ß" is spoken like "Boasalmunn"
.... and with "ss" its just a very short "o" like in "Boss". (--> Boss-Al-Munn is the correct way to say it)
If you would write Boselmann it would sound like "Boazalmunn"

Marginal differences... but thats the system.

Great thread! Thanks to everyone who's contributed.

Here's a related question I've had for a while. On the expression "What hurts, teaches" (which I've always thought was fairly similar in usage to the English "no pain, no gain"), I often see the first verb spelled two different ways:

"Was zehrt, das lehrt" and "Was sehrt, das lehrt."

And I have wondered which of the two is the more correct or authentic version. To make this more maddening, even a Google search of each turns up about as many German speakers using one as using the other (though I know that's not a very definitive way to answer the question -- frankly, I shudder to think of anyone using internet postings to know what proper English might look like <grin>).

For those of you scholars or German speakers, can you tell us which is the preferred spelling here -- zehrt, or sehrt?

Thanks,
-B

"sehren" is a very old word - its not spoken anymore.
I think 90% of all germans don`t know this word anymore.
(only the word "unversehrt" is still in use - this means "unharmed")

Today most people in germany say "zehren". In american english its spoken like "tssaaren" -> "Was tssaart, das laart."

("aa" means a long american "a" like in "man!")

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Edit:

Funny German Clips... so you can hear the language and you might have something to laugh :p

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSAmdavkttc - Fencing at the Gas Station

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMfLDv4KygY - Pump Gun Song

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yV3cmM3MaN0 - John was it!