Languages

[Ned Marcus]

How many people here speak or learn other languages? Despite not being so great at learning them, I'm still fascinated by languages.

Apart from my native English, I've attempted many languages and have spoken some that I've now forgotten (Turkish being one). I speak Mandarin Chinese, although the characters are a challenge. I'm learning French and recently took a French class taught through Chinese.

I also speak some Spanish and a little Portuguese, although it's been years since I've spoken Spanish and sadly seem to be forgetting, but I can still understand some TV.

How about you? What are your experiences?

 

[Gospodin]

I speak Spanish (Caribbean Zone) and English (AmE) natively and I also speak fluent Russian and Brazilian Portuguese, some German and French. I started working as an interpreter in the USAF, trained at the DLIFLC in Monterey, CA. I still work in the field to this day, for the USDOJ.

 

[Darkfantasy]

I tried French for a while but I'm so bad with other languages. I just can't seem to remember how to pronounce things or what they mean so I gave up.

 

[skip.knox]

I learned French, German, and Latin, but it was strictly so I could read scholarly articles and source documents. I never tried to learn them as spoken languages. Latin was like a magic key--it unlocked both grammar and etymology for me not only in English but French as well, and gave me the tools for learning and enjoying German.

I think we often make a mistake in emphasizing how to speak another language. That has its place, of course, but for many--especially here in America--we are far more likely to be able to read a book in another language than we are to find opportunity to converse in one. The speaking skill rusts, but the reading (and writing) skill can be kept shiny.

 

[Insolent Lad]

I have trouble even speaking English, much less any other languages. However, I can read Spanish and French pretty well—well enough that I've dabbled in writing translations of poetry into English.

 

[Maker of Things Not Kings]

Ned, I had a few years of French and Spanish in school. Spanish was lost to me before I turned twenty but the French language has stayed with me, at least in my ability to read it and understand what I hear. The ability to turn my thoughts into another language with ease has degraded quite a bit though. What I wanted to add was how, even with an immersive two years in French here in the US, it was only when I travelled to France and had to put it into daily use that I really found a grasp of it. The cities were great but I found that the small towns were best for this as I didn't run into as many people who were as eager or willing to test their English on me as I was my French!

 

[skip.knox]

I have trouble even speaking English, much less any other languages. However, I can read Spanish and French pretty well—well enough that I've dabbled in writing translations of poetry into English.

My favorite piece of poetry translation is the various translations of Jabberwocky. I first read about these in Hofstadter's brilliant Goedel, Escher, Bach. The whole notion of how one does a good (or poor) translation of nonsense words really appeals to me.

 

[skip.knox]

>even with an immersive two years in French here in the US, it was only when I travelled to France and had to put it into daily use that I really found a grasp of it.

My French teacher in college, the admirable M. Robertson, told me that he was in his Master's program--and so had had several years of French--when he went to France to study. He said he was six months there before he was comfortable. That always stuck with me when considering the learning of another language.

 

[Ned Marcus]

I tried French for a while but I'm so bad with other languages. I just can't seem to remember how to pronounce things or what they mean so I gave up.

I think that for me it was a mixture of interest and desperation that helped me learn.

 

[Ned Marcus]

I learned French, German, and Latin, but it was strictly so I could read scholarly articles and source documents. I never tried to learn them as spoken languages. Latin was like a magic key--it unlocked both grammar and etymology for me not only in English but French as well, and gave me the tools for learning and enjoying German.

I think we often make a mistake in emphasizing how to speak another language. That has its place, of course, but for many--especially here in America--we are far more likely to be able to read a book in another language than we are to find opportunity to converse in one. The speaking skill rusts, but the reading (and writing) skill can be kept shiny.

This is similar to my position in Spanish. I can read (and understand some spoken language) but can't speak well at all. I think French, German, and Latin give you a lot of reading.

 

[Ned Marcus]

>even with an immersive two years in French here in the US, it was only when I travelled to France and had to put it into daily use that I really found a grasp of it.

My French teacher in college, the admirable M. Robertson, told me that he was in his Master's program--and so had had several years of French--when he went to France to study. He said he was six months there before he was comfortable. That always stuck with me when considering the learning of another language.

I think it's true about spending time in the country, although some language programs are so good that it's not necessary. That said, I've met so many people who have lived abroad for decades and still can't count beyond 20 in the language.

 

[Ned Marcus]

The cities were great but I found that the small towns were best for this as I didn't run into as many people who were as eager or willing to test their English on me as I was my French!

I know the feeling; it's been the same in most countries I've lived in. And even within cities it varies. In the commercial district around Taipei 101 it seems like everyone speaks English and people are surprised if I speak in Chinese. Crossing the river to Yong Ho (New Taipei City) it's much easier to speak in Chinese (although some people do speak English). Where I live, in the hills outside of Taipei, no one ever speaks to me in English, and sometimes they expect me to know Taiwanese (the second largest language here).

 

[Ned Marcus]

I speak Spanish (Caribbean Zone) and English (AmE) natively and I also speak fluent Russian and Brazilian Portuguese, some German and French. I started working as an interpreter in the USAF, trained at the DLIFLC in Monterey, CA. I still work in the field to this day, for the USDOJ.

Did you spend much time in Russia or Brazil when you learnt their languages?

 

[Gospodin]

Did you spend much time in Russia or Brazil when you learnt their languages?

I learned Russian at the DLIFLC, the US Armed Forces language academy where military interpreters are trained. The nature of my job and the security clearance with which I worked made actually going to Russia at that time (late 80's through the 90's) the kind of thing that would have landed me at Leavenworth.

I picked up B. Portuguese during a past relationship. He was from Salvador, Brazil.

Don't be too terribly impressed with my bona fides, though. I have a facility for languages. They come to me with ease. Other than that, I burn water while cooking and having me balance your checkbook is a sure way to earn an audit.

 

[Asael Verity]

I am learning to speak Spanish, and I can read it pretty well, English is my native language so I speak that pretty well but I still mess up all the time! I am interested in learning Latin and will probably pick it up eventually!

 

[Aidan of the tavern]

I'm a couple of years into learning Welsh, something I've wanted to do for a while as it's the country I was born in. I'm quite a slow learner with things like languages though, and there's a lot of mutations to remember, and the "yes" and "no" you use depends on the question being asked. All good fun though.
I also started learning a bit of Spanish when I was a kid, but I haven't tapped into that for years.

 

[Jess Reynolds]

I can speak write and understand Swedish pretty well having lived there for several years, so a regular viewer of a lot of Swedish programmes so as not to forget it, one of the advantages of which means that I can understand Norwegian quite well too. However unless it's Bokmål like most Swedes I can barely understand a word. The reason for this is that because there are so many regional dialects around 90 or so that Båkmal eventually became the official Government language. As for the Danish language they're the only ones who can understand it so on international forums everyone speaks English !

 

[The Finxi]

I have been trying to learn Japanese and French. I'm just not that in love with culture and people in general. I feel like there has to be an advantage so great for me to take up a language. I feel like I first have to attach myself to French-speaking people or Japanese-speaking people in order to motivate me, but they're nowhere to be found in my city. Does anybody know a solution for my problem? Like is there some program, some kit, or some inspirational research I could use?

 

[Ned Marcus]

Sadly, I can now add French to my almost forgotten languages. The Mandarin and Spanish are progressing. I've found some good podcasts in Mandarin: Convo Chinese (intermediate-upper intermediate) and Tea Time Chinese (which is a slowish intermediate Mandarin). Does anyone know any good intermediate Spanish podcasts? I've found a couple but would like to add a few more.

 

[pmmg]

Me, english only and google translate. Id like to learn others but i only have so much lifetime and so much energy to spend. Even with english, theres stuff i dont know.