English is a curious one. I think if, like me, you're a native speaker then it it easy to overlook what a complex language it is. Take the "-ough" sound, pronounced differently in:

Though
Trough
Through
Hiccough
Bough
Ought
Rough
Lough

German in particular is a very literal language which does not lend itself well to figures of speech. The term Hauptbahnhof (main railway station) literally means "big train yard", for example. German is a language of clarity, so direct questions and answers work best when communicating in English. Therefore, it's best to say "I would like to upgrade my airline ticket", rather than the more colloquial "I think I'll sit at the pointy end today".

The lack of opportunity for wordplay (upon which half of British humour is based) has lent Germans an unfair reputation for humourlessness in English speaking circles.