View Full Version : What languages can you speak?
For me, my native is English, however I can also speak German maybe to the equivelent to a 6-7 year old :hmm3grin2orange:
I also took one year of Spanish three years ago... That didnt go so well :scry:
Miltonic
05-09-2009, 07:39 PM
I speak English and spanish both equaly since I learnt both since I was little. I am starting to learn Japanese little by little, also listen to italian at work all the time and some is sticking, I love learning laguages. :)
Goodbye
05-09-2009, 07:39 PM
For me it would be English and a little bit of Spanish. I am taking Spanish 2 right now, but I am not understanidng much.
Como te llamas?
Mi llamo Ryuu, lol I think is how u say it.
Wild Turkey
05-09-2009, 07:43 PM
English only:ssmile: Poor uneducated Turkey:hmm3grin2orange:
I am pretty good at reading peoples expressions and getting the jist though , I never have problems communicating with people who dont speak english in person.
shockshockshad
05-09-2009, 08:00 PM
English (duh), french, spanish, and sign language but I kind of forgot it. I used to take classes on it, but I moved and I never took up learning it again.
Gayle
05-09-2009, 09:31 PM
English is the only one I speak well! I know the alphabet in sign language so I can take forever and ever spelling out what I need to say. LOL I know a little spanish, not enough to have a convo. And I know some Latin.
AABatteries
05-09-2009, 10:01 PM
English obviously.
Took Spanish for 6 years in elementary school. Forget more than half of what I learned. And I know a little German. Probably the equivelant of a child who has only been able to speak it for about a month.
Native language, English. But able to swear in German, Dutch, French.
And I can speak a fair amount of Latin. Use to be able to write in latin, but forgotten a lot of it.
mac
I took 2 semesters of Japanese in High School. Here I am many many years later and know less than an infant.
Other than that I speak fluently the languages of Computer Geek, Home Improvement Guy, and AC Moderator. :ssmile:
mrs fishpatrick
05-09-2009, 10:46 PM
Dutch, English, German, Can speak some french,understand some spanish and italian, learning Irish and I can curse in arabic and japanese and any of the languages previously mentioned:hmm3grin2orange:
Blast I use to know a few words in one of the Zambian dialects, and some Manderine.
mac
Tigerbarb
05-09-2009, 11:25 PM
I can speak fluent spanish....taco......see? lol.
English is the only language I can speak, lawl.
Little Embers
05-10-2009, 12:07 AM
Sometimes I can't even speak fluent English...so I would say NONE!! :hmm3grin2orange:
Able to swear in German, Dutch, French.
I love you.
My apptitude for foreign language is horrible. On the other hand I know a bit of french.
I have a great deal of respect for my laguages teacher who is perfectly fluent in french, german and english and knows enough latin to teach it.
Algenco
05-10-2009, 01:40 AM
does Hillbilly count?
MCHRKiller
05-10-2009, 01:41 AM
Well Im self taught a bit of german...probably helped I used to be really into rammstein and I know enough french and japanese to order food without making a horrible mistake. Ive had 3 years of spanish in HS but honestly cheated my way threw it as did the whole rest of the class and today Id be lucky to count to 20 and say a few lines :14:
Alfcea
05-10-2009, 01:41 AM
Dutch, English, German, Can speak some french,understand some spanish and italian, learning Irish and I can curse in arabic and japanese and any of the languages previously mentioned:hmm3grin2orange:
Wow!!!! That's impressive! Way to go Mrs.!!!
For me, my mother tongue is Spanish, but I am fluent in English too. Since my girlfriend is Japanese, I've had to learn a bit of that too, so I know enough to have a VERY simple conversation. Can also read and write a few (again, VERY SIMPLE) characters. I also know some isolated phrases in Persian language. Enough to show off, but not enough to communicate...
ILuvMyGoldBarb
05-10-2009, 02:13 AM
English is my first language, and used to be fluent in French, however I haven't had much chance to use it so I don't speak it as well as I use to.
Dave66
05-10-2009, 02:17 AM
Just English and Bad English, I'm afraid, but am serviceable in spoken French, having spent several formative years in Montreal. However, though I can understand spoken French, I certainly can't speak it.
Dave
does Hillbilly count?
I done reckon it might, ya'all.
thumbs2: :19: :shappy:
Wild Turkey
05-10-2009, 02:25 AM
does Hillbilly count?
Good question!!! :hmm3grin2orange: Ehyuk ;)
Just English and Bad English, I'm afraid, but am serviceable in spoken French, having spent several formative years in Montreal. However, though I can understand spoken French, I certainly can't speak it.
Dave
What language do they speak on Mars?
Mvjnz
05-10-2009, 03:02 AM
I speak English and Norwegian fluently, speak some German and some Spanish, I understand Swedish and Danish but don't speak them, and from growing up in Europe I can make out the meaning of some French and Italian.
Dave66
05-10-2009, 03:37 AM
What language do they speak on Mars?
LoL Kaz. Martian, of course. The Mars in my location is actually where my female significant other claims I come from.
Dave
I know English and am learning Spanish( Spanish 1). I can get the gist of some conversations now. I want to learn some German but really haven't tried much.
MCHRKiller
05-10-2009, 04:58 AM
does Hillbilly count?
Ill never forget moving to VA from philly, it was a whole new language that I didnt understand. 10 years later theres still a bit of a gap I think, I got into an argument with an old woman at a bakery a few weeks ago because I wanted a carmel donut, I said "keara-mel" and she didnt know what I wanted. I also say "soda" and nobody really knows what it is. :hmm3grin2orange:
Alfcea
05-10-2009, 04:07 PM
I speak English and Norwegian fluently, speak some German and some Spanish, I understand Swedish and Danish but don't speak them, and from growing up in Europe I can make out the meaning of some French and Italian.
Wow, Mvjnz! That's a lot of languages too! Europeans always amaze me in their ability and willingness to learn many languages... good for you! Congratulations!
I have a question for you, though. How similar (or different) are Norwegian, Finish, Swedish and Danish? How about Icelandic? If I understand correctly, they are all related to the Vikings' language, right? Or am I wrong?
Northernguy
05-10-2009, 04:12 PM
My English is ok,
My french is worse.
I have really picked up on my Oscar ,Guppy and BBR.I am having a hell of a time with Corydorus though!:hmm3grin2orange:
kaybee
05-10-2009, 06:11 PM
English (native speaker)
Japanese (8 years in-country plus a few formal college classes: basic speaking/reading/writing, few-hundred word vocabulary but getting rusty)
Korean (rudimentary [speaking/reading/writing])
Spanish (rudimentary)
I'd kinda like to learn one of those click languages...
doug z
05-10-2009, 07:03 PM
English, Ukrainian, some Russian..
For me, my native is English, however I can also speak German maybe to the equivelent to a 6-7 year old :hmm3grin2orange:
Even though I'm from Canada, I spoke German first...and then spoke German until I was about 12...by then the entire family had predominantly switched to English...so I can still speak/read/write...but I'm very rusty...
Picked up a very small bit of french...just enough to ask directions to the bathroom...:hmm3grin2orange:
I can count to 10 in Russian too...and swear...:help:
Hehehe... In grade 9 our French teacher tried desperately to inspire us to pay attention to her lessons, so she did half a lesson on profanity and vulgarity :hmm3grin2orange:
Mvjnz
05-12-2009, 02:08 AM
Wow, Mvjnz! That's a lot of languages too! Europeans always amaze me in their ability and willingness to learn many languages... good for you! Congratulations!
I have a question for you, though. How similar (or different) are Norwegian, Finish, Swedish and Danish? How about Icelandic? If I understand correctly, they are all related to the Vikings' language, right? Or am I wrong?
Ta:)
Norry, Swedish and Danish are very similiar, but Norry and Danish more so than Swedish, as Norway was under Danish rule for centuries. Finnish is completely different, and is more similar to Russian. Can't understand a word of each other. Icelandic is about as similiar to Scandinavian as English and German is, that is, we can make out a few words that are similar but that's about it.
The Scandinavian languages + Icelandic did indeed originate in roughly the same place a long time ago, and the people back then also traded a lot with the English and Germans, which is why the languages are so similar.
:)
DrNic
05-12-2009, 03:34 AM
2 languages
English and Bad English :hmm3grin2orange:
Gayle
05-12-2009, 03:35 AM
I think that Latin, Italian, and Spanish are very close. They are all Romance languages, well romance languages are derived from Latin. If you can learn one you can learn the others pretty easy. But I do not have the patience!
Like I love you forever (roughly)
Spanish : Le amare por siempre
Italian: Ti amero per sempre
Latin: Mi amo te sempre
The latin is a really rough translation as I have not taken class in a very long time!!! Typically I and You would be removed and it would look more like Semper Ama...........Yeah now I am not sure on any of them.....Translation to english sux! But w/e you get my point. Ha ha ha
Alfcea
05-12-2009, 03:58 AM
Ta:)
Norry, Swedish and Danish are very similiar, but Norry and Danish more so than Swedish, as Norway was under Danish rule for centuries. Finnish is completely different, and is more similar to Russian. Can't understand a word of each other. Icelandic is about as similiar to Scandinavian as English and German is, that is, we can make out a few words that are similar but that's about it.
The Scandinavian languages + Icelandic did indeed originate in roughly the same place a long time ago, and the people back then also traded a lot with the English and Germans, which is why the languages are so similar.
:)
Thanks, Mv! Today I've learnt something interesting... :11: :19:
I think that Latin, Italian, and Spanish are very close. They are all Romance languages, well romance languages are derived from Latin. If you can learn one you can learn the others pretty easy. But I do not have the patience!
Like I love you forever (roughly)
Spanish : Le amare por siempre
Italian: Ti amero per sempre
Latin: Mi amo te sempre
The latin is a really rough translation as I have not taken class in a very long time!!! Typically I and You would be removed and it would look more like Semper Ama...........Yeah now I am not sure on any of them.....Translation to english sux! But w/e you get my point. Ha ha ha
In general, you are right, Gayle. Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, French, Romanian and Dalmatian are all dialects of Latin. Once you know one, you can make good guesses about the other ones. However, it is not as simple as you say. All these languages have other foreign influences and that makes them different. French, for example, has a lot of English and German influence, while Spanish has a lot of Arabic. In fact, I believe 30% of Spanish vocabulary can be traced back to Arabic... That's a lot! And French or Romanian speakers cannot understand those words. Even though my first language is Spanish, I have a very hard time guessing a lot of French... And in many cases, there are lots of "false cognates" between these languages too. In short, though similar, they are still different languages!
Gayle
05-12-2009, 05:01 AM
Yeah. None of it is very simple to me. LOL
I see your point. They are close but different!
Another thing is the way you say it. Sometimes I can see a word written and know what it means, but if someone says it I am lost. There are a lot of people who were raised in Mexico that now live around me and I have a very hard time understanding what they say english or spanish. Not only the accent, but the speed!
My mom's got this crazy story about when her father first met my dad's parents.
They got along great and had a very long conversation in non-english.
Afterwards her dad expressed great excitement that she was marrying into a Polish-speaking family...
The crazy part of this story is that my dad's parents don't speak Polish, they speak Ukrainian, and my mom knows this...
This must mean that one of the following is true, since I know my dad's parents are definitely speaking Ukrainian:
- My mom's dad grew up in Poland speaking Ukrainian for some reason and spent the rest of his life believing it was Polish
- Someone from one side of my family knows both languages and nobody in the family, including that person, has ever realized it
- Both languages are so similar that a conversation can be carried between two people without either person noticing that they're speaking different languages
- My mom is remembering something that never happened
- My mom just made it up for no apparent reason
It's been a real head scratcher over the years :help:
Mvjnz
05-12-2009, 07:58 AM
Someone from one side of my family knows both languages and nobody in the family, including that person, has ever realized it
This could happen. I'm bilingual, and when listening to people speaking one of the languages I understand, I sometimes don't realise what language they are speaking, or simply don't think about it.
Like a few weeks ago I met a Swedish person, and we were both speaking English because we were around Aussies, and she suddenly slipped in a Swedish line, and I didn't even realise for several seconds afterwards that she'd said something non-English.
Hmmmm... That's an intriguing possibility, and I could see it happening since I've also met a few people who had a habit of switching languages mid-sentence and they don't realize when they're doing it...
But if her dad knew Ukrainian he never told anyone, and my dad's parents are still alive and I've been assured that they definitely haven't learned Polish...
I don't think I'll ever figure that one out.
KatzeSlaugen
05-12-2009, 08:48 PM
i know english
ich wissen auch ein bissen deutsch
cocoa_pleco
05-12-2009, 11:35 PM
english, a bit of french, and a bit of german
french was from school, i hated it and i never tried. im one of those people who cant stand quebec and say nuke it or let them be their own french country. couldnt be happier that any plan to make everyone learn french as well as english failed miserably. i picked up a few words but thats
german is just because im german. wouldnt mind learning japanese though
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