How multilingual are we? - Page 2

garinda · 21-12-2005, 23:33

I've had loads of conversations without sharing a common language, using only the language of lurrvve.

Less · 21-12-2005, 23:42

I will have to tick other because I speak the traditional English version of the International language Esperanto,
Although the language of Esperanto was developed to ease the idiosyncrasies found when attempting to learn a foriegn language, it still takes time and effort to master.
With the English version however such effort and dedication is not needed, because wherever you are in the world you can just plonk yourself down in a cafe and if they didn't understand you the first time you just repeat your order a little louder, if again they don't understand you a further increase in volume until at last they take the bother to listen to what you said and hey presto you get served!

Dr. Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof
Developer of Esperanto

junetta · 22-12-2005, 00:49

I tried to learn Spanish at night school before moving here but I must admit that I retained very little. After having lessons here and needing to use the language every day, I find it is getting easier. So there is the key, I reckon, usage.

Now, after four years, I can hold conversations and after a brandy or three I'm fluent!!

Feliz Navidad x

shillelagh · 22-12-2005, 02:31

I learnt french at school and then forgot it all. Then 5 years ago i went to night school to relearn french - i've forgotten it all again! Dont say much for my memory does it!

shakermaker · 22-12-2005, 03:20

blame the teachers...ALWAYS blame the teachers!

ossy kid · 22-12-2005, 06:15

English and Canadian?? Oh yes and watching Stanley in the late 50s, I learned a lot of Scottish.

entwisi · 22-12-2005, 07:57

I can order beer and grub in french and spanish but other than that its English only. I find it quite strange that whilst I really struggle to learn different spoken languages( highest mark at german in scoool was 24% ) I can happily switch between loads of different conmputer programming languages with their differing syntax structure and form with no probs whatsoever.

Wynonie Harris · 22-12-2005, 08:15

I can just about hold a very basic conversation in Spanish which, when you consider that I've been married for nigh on 20 years to a lady whose first language is Spanish, is pretty disgraceful really.

lettie · 22-12-2005, 08:25

Hehehe, I was taught French and German at school and promptly forgot them. I find that if I spend any length of time in a country then I pick up some of the lingo. After spending a couple of weeks in France a few years ago, I was conversing quite happily but I have since forgotten it again. I can get by in Spain and Greece when it comes to getting food and drink and pleasantries, good morning, thankyou, goodnight etc..

I had one of the translators at work write a few sentences for me phonetically in Urdu, so that I could ask the ladies questions regarding their health. It went very well and I learned a few sentences but unfortunately the women thought that I could speak Urdu and would pour out their problems to me and I wouldn't understand the replies..

Ah well, you've got to love a trier...

Mick · 22-12-2005, 08:38

Less you also talk another language when in the stag sometimes its called rubbish and you are very good at it after a few pints hehe
its funny but i can understand you very well too

Gayle · 22-12-2005, 10:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roy

I've just added the other option you wanted gayle, non I only speak english. Otherwise we'll end up with people who can't speak another language picking other stuff and the result will be unreliable

Thanks Roy, that's brill!

Less · 22-12-2005, 12:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by mick

Less you also talk another language when in the stag sometimes its called rubbish and you are very good at it after a few pints hehe
its funny but i can understand you very well too

Well Mick I didn't want to brag but 'rubbish' is my first language, I only resort to English when talking to people with no sense of humour.

The Reason you understand it is not because of the amount of beer I've had, it's down to the dulling of your own senses so that you can get down to my level.

Romps · 22-12-2005, 13:46

I am fluent in Slurrrrrrrrr last Shaturday ov feach mumph!

garinda · 22-12-2005, 13:59

I can hold a conversation in French. I agree with Lettie though, a few phrases can lead to the person you are talking to thinking that you can happily converse away in their language. I used to go out with a Japanese girl, who because I used to have so many Japanese customers, taught me phonetically over a hundred useful phrases. Thus I could greet people, and happily make a comment about the day's weather, but as soon as they responded it left me having to resort to smiling bows and miming again.

Margaret Pilkington · 22-12-2005, 14:50

That is the problem with phrase books too......you say something in the local lingo and then the answer you get is incomprehensible because you only have the phrases not the language. My mum told me that when you start to dream in a foreign language you can consider yourself fluent.....she speaks 13 languages.