Foreign Languages

[Guest]

[jediknight]

who knows a foreign language? (besides me and my mum)

i do french and German

[Sharon]

Sorry young Jedi, I struggle with English  .  I did do French and German at school but the English grammar they taught was just so poor we didn't stand a chance with a second language.  Which do you prefer, French or German?  I remember I liked German because it is very similar to English.

[Nienna]

who knows a foreign language? (besides me and my mum)

i do french and German

I studied French at school and also studied some German and Italian - like you Sharon, the English Grammar we were taught wasn't that fantastic and in fact, I learned more about the construction of English sentences etc from studying a foreign language than I ever learned in English! 

[Bitsy]

For me, it's French. I started learning when I was in 2nd grade. 

[jediknight]

J'ai préfér le français
(i prefer french )

[De Orc]

I was brought up with Welsh & English, now I have a smattering of German & French with a hint of Portugese thrown in, I can though swear in a number of other languages 


 

[Morningangel-Iola]

Yes but aren't the sweat words the ones you learn first It makes me laugh when you see the outtakes of people speaking Welsh they always swear in English though.

[LikORish-Spider]

I speak Spanish, for self defense.    My wife is from Peru. (Es una broma, mi amor.)

[Nienna]

Cool!! 
Does she like Marmalade sandwiches John? *looks innocent*   
_{Sorry ... couldn't resist that one!} 
Sounds like life is interesting for you John being married to a fiery Latina!! 



I think it obligatory to be aware of the swear words in another language, but you have to be careful just in case the other person actually understands what you've just said ...

[De Orc]

Strange as it might seem but in the welsh lamguage there are no swear words as such, you could call someone a mochyn budr (Dirty pig) or Diawl Bach (Little Devil) What you hear today derive from the English language

[Roz]

Fantastic Steve, are you from North Wales then? Folk in the South seem not to have much regard for the language. My family are from Bala, my Grandfather went to school without having ever spoken English (I hasten to add, he went to school in Chester so it was fairly vital he picked up English quickly).

I speak a fair few European languages and all, very badly Well... mediocre anyway (by my own standards). Worst of all is German which I gave up halfway through GCSE in order to take up Statistics instead... I have no idea why.

I really like Latin and Dutch, but French is probably my second language... and my Dutch has merged into Afrikaans so the Dutch will now make fun of me

[LikORish-Spider]

Cool!! 
Does she like Marmalade sandwiches John? *looks innocent*   
_{Sorry ... couldn't resist that one!} 
Sounds like life is interesting for you John being married to a fiery Latina!! 



I think it obligatory to be aware of the swear words in another language, but you have to be careful just in case the other person actually understands what you've just said ...

Nienna, she actually doesn't even allow any kinds of jams or jellies in the house; too much sugar, but she buys fresh fruit like it's going out of style.

[savage727]

Besides impeccable English I learned Latin and Spanish in my parochial High School.  I have dabbled in both German and Japanese from my World War II interests.  Of course I am fluent in Tolkienese like all Lord of the Rings lovers!   

[De Orc]

LOL small world Roz my father & sister + Brother all live in the Bala area  I also rather stupidly did some stats when doing economics  Ah I see I have a fellow WWII enthusiast here LOL I collect a few bits & bobs from that period 

 

[savage727]

Hi De Orc!  Drop me an email and let me know what your World War II interests are and we can have a talk!   

[Sharon]

Actually my dad was in the army and was stationed in Egypt, I think during the Suez Canal conflict.  After all these years he can still speak a bit of Arabic 

[Galea]

I guess English counts as a foreign language for me. My first language is Spanish and I have a few years of French and 4-5 years of self-taught Japanese. I started doing translations for comics (manga) and anime when I was 14-15 and ended up as a freelance translator . I just wish I didn't have the latin-accent, I go to the cont. states and somehow everyone knows I'm latina (it's either the accent or the skin tone ).

[Roz]

I have some latin pals. One of them is half spanish but is from colombia. Her family im spain say that she sings rather than speaks due to her accent... Perhaps it is similar for you? Perhaps it is as simple as your intonation??

[Mike]

I know Spanish and Russian but I cant really speak them very well yet. I can understand what people are saying but cant say nothing in return

[Galea]

I have some latin pals. One of them is half spanish but is from colombia. Her family im spain say that she sings rather than speaks due to her accent... Perhaps it is similar for you? Perhaps it is as simple as your intonation??

Singing rather than speaking we get that a lot. Funny thing is, we have the same dilemma you guys have with english (US/UK) and Japanese people with Kansai-ben (love the Kanto accent btw). I have a friend from Peru and sometimes I feel like I need a translator and we both speak spanish . Same with Mexicans and people from Spain. Someone (from Mexico) recently asked me "what does that 'Gasolina' song means, I have no idea what that Daddy Yankee guy is singing about".