German Language - guttural 'ch' vs normal 'ch'?

Question

How do you know in German to use the former or the latter?

Answer 1

I cannot produce that /h/ sound, so I just use the normal /h/ :D

Answer 2

The further south you go in Germany, towards Switzerland, the more guttural it gets. Most foreigners in Switzerland say that Swiss German is not a language, but a throat infection. Don't know what you mean by a normal 'ch' - as in Church ?- never pronounced that way in Germany - but you will hear 'ish' as opposed to 'ich' like the Scots say 'loch'

Answer 3

I'm not positive, but try this:
Ch, as in chatter and chuckle- The same place where it would sound right. Like I don't know if there are any German words that start with 'Ch', I'm learning spanish. But if there what, there.
Ch, pronounced almost like a scowl- At the end of a word.

I know this didn't help, I'm just trying ^^'

Answer 4

In my German classes years ago, we were taught it is regional. In some places, "ch" sounds like English "sh" with only a slight pull-back of the tongue. In others, it sounds like you're clearing your throat... ACHHHHH. And in yet others, it sounds like English "ck".
I could be recalling wrong, but I believe this progression from soft to hard goes from north to south geographically, roughly. So in Berlin, you may hear "ish" as opposed to Munich, where you may hear "ick" for the word "Ich".

Answer 5

Wikipedia actually has an excellent article on this topic, although it takes a little bit of linguistics knowledge to understand it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_pronunciation

Answer 6

With front vowels, ch is pronounced 'soft' [ç], and pronounced 'hard' [x] elsewhere, but as [ks] before [s], e.g. wachsen. Letters in square brackets are IPA.

Answer 7

My german friend tells me there is no logic she is aware of. heh

"Just learn the word."