Germans expect shared information to be verifiable. Claims should come with evidence. Assertions should have sources. Analysis should show its reasoning.
When you share information, be prepared to answer “How do you know?” and “What is your source?” This is not distrust; it is how Germans assess information quality. The practice encourages careful preparation—verify before you share, qualify what is uncertain, acknowledge what you do not know. German grammar itself marks secondhand information differently from firsthand, showing how deeply source-consciousness runs.
In practice, this means quality matters more than quantity. A concise, well-sourced analysis is preferred to a lengthy but unsubstantiated opinion. Build credibility by providing information that can be checked.
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