You'll love this one...!! A book club & more discussion
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by
Kimberly
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Feb 22, 2012 09:05AM
Well I've noticed that we have such a variety of people in the group and I've always had an interest in other languages so I thought Iwhy not start a thread about it. So what languages do you speak? What languages do want to learn? Are you learning any right now?
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I speak Australian ;-) and basic Dutch (although my reading is at intermediate level, odd!). I've never felt the need to learn it properly because 1) no way will I live here for the rest of my life, 2) it's not necessary to speak it to live here and 3) because it wouldn't be very useful for me anywhere else.I'd love to learn French because it sounds so suave.
The people that freak me out a little are the ones that can speak 5 or 6 languages fluently - I can never understand how they don't get really confused all the time!
Kat wrote: "I speak Australian ;-) and basic Dutch (although my reading is at intermediate level, odd!). I've never felt the need to learn it properly because 1) no way will I live here for the rest of my lif..."Thats my dad! He knows about that many and he still remembers them even those he never speaks them (at least not in the last 45 years or so).
I know a smattering of German - phrases mostly. My grandparents emigrated here in 1912. My mom was born here but spoke nothing but German until she started school. She never taught us the language because my dad didn't speak it and she thought it wasn't fair to him. I managed to make myself understood when we went to Germany and Austria. We were at a restaurant in Salzburg and I spoke to the waiter in German. He responded in English. LOL!I also know phrases in French. We had to take it in school from Grade 5 to 12. It wasn't immersion French like they have now, so most of it has been forgotten. I loved French and wanted to go to a French university. But that didn't happen. I can understand written better than oral French.
I took 3 years of French in high school and only remember words and phrases. I took 2 or 3 years of Spanish in college which I can speak a little, mostly words and phrases but I can read Spanish better than I can speak. If I would practice my Spanish, dig out all my college books, workbooks, cd's and notes I could probably become fluent in it. Something to think about lol
I took french off and on through school and can understand it when its written or spoken and I can speak it if I have to but when it comes to writing it I'm terrible.I've picked up other languages mostly phrases because of where I live, I know some cantonese phrases, italian, greek, and German. And I took a spanish course in high school so I can understand a lot of what is said.
I recently put a CD that teaches Afrikaans on hold which I'm hoping to get soon.
Judy wrote: "I always wanted to know about 3-4 languages. I would love to start with Spanish, German and Dutch (sorry Kat). The German and Dutch because they are my heritage. As it is, Pig Latin is the only lan..."No need to apologise :) I just find it a really kinda, well, unattractive language. At least I can roll my R's, that helps :-D
Kat wrote: "I speak Australian ;-) and basic Dutch (although my reading is at intermediate level, odd!). I've never felt the need to learn it properly because 1) no way will I live here for the rest of my lif..."You must be freaked out by most Dutch people then - they always seem remarkably multilingual. Good endorsement of the Netherlands school system.
They are very much multilingual. Both from education and travel (they are the biggest travel bugs I've ever known!). The only people I struggle with are tradesmen, but the most surprising people are the elderly - often I've been asked a question by a senior cit in Dutch and said I only speak English, and then am completely floored as they speak perfect English (usually with a Queen's English accent which always makes me giggle). I can always take a tape recorder with me to work if you need some Dutch listening pleasure!
I speak Romanian and English, can understand French if it's written, Spanish if it's spoken, but can't speak either of the latter.My reading speed is much higher in English than it is in Romanian, though the comprehension is the same.
