Yes, we often call them “long” and “short” E but the short E is actually halfway to A. It’s a different vowel even though it’s written the same. The last E is the vowel we often have in unstressed syllables like gekommen, same in English upon, about. We write it as E but it’s basically the most relaxed vowel possible.
E and Ä are basically the same sounds but you use the letter Ä to indicate that the root word has an A. Fähre is derived from fahren so it has Ä but it’s the same sound as the first E in Mercedes.
Yes, we often call them “long” and “short” E but the short E is actually halfway to A. It’s a different vowel even though it’s written the same. The last E is the vowel we often have in unstressed syllables like gekommen, same in English upon, about. We write it as E but it’s basically the most relaxed vowel possible.
Look at this vowel chart to see and hear the differences.
Wouldn’t e halfway to a be ä
The short e in Mercedes is much closer to e than to ä
Yesn’t.
E and Ä are basically the same sounds but you use the letter Ä to indicate that the root word has an A. Fähre is derived from fahren so it has Ä but it’s the same sound as the first E in Mercedes.
At least in Austria the first e in Mercedes is much closer to e than to ä.
On the other hand many actual ä are also much closer to e than to ä in Austria so ig it might be different in Germany.