What languages do you speak? What languages would you speak if you could?

[Finchbearer]

Just a fun thread for people to show off share what languages they can already speak, and maybe a bit about what brought them to learning a secondary language.

And, what languages would you speak if you could, or are there any languages you are learning?

I don’t personally speak any other languages other English, but I’d be interested in learning Old English, Welsh / Cymru and French. My grandmother spoke German as she was Austrian so it’d be interesting to see if I’d be any good at learning it. Probably not!

 

[Mad Swede]

Well, I'm fluent in Swedish, (British) English and French. I understand Norwegian and Danish (you can speak Swedish or Danish or Norwegian, but not a combination, they're too close). I can speak and read Welsh and Latin, and I can read Old Norse. I also have a working knowledge of Finnish, but not enough to say I can read or speak it.

 

[pmmg]

I speak English, and I am the only one I know that can translate Tieran, Norvish, Marish, Durish, and Allarish.

The only language I know enough words with to communicate something else is Spanish, but....even though it would be highly useful in to learn in the US, it is the one I am least interested in.

I would like to have learned any or all of...Latin, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, and German.

At present, I know very little from any of them. At my age, I think these will drift on by for me.

 

[Finchbearer]

Well, I'm fluent in Swedish, (British) English and French. I understand Norwegian and Danish (you can speak Swedish or Danish or Norwegian, but not a combination, they're too close). I can speak and read Welsh and Latin, and I can read Old Norse. I also have a working knowledge of Finnish, but not enough to say I can read or speak it.

You mean you didn’t want to learn American English?!

What brought you to Cymru? My grandfather was Welsh and I love the sound of it, and how it hasn’t really changed since the days of the Celts.

 

[Mad Swede]

You mean you didn’t want to learn American English?!

What brought you to Cymru? My grandfather was Welsh and I love the sound of it, and how it hasn’t really changed since the days of the Celts.

We were taught British English at school. As for Welsh, I had a Welsh girlfriend from North Wales and she, along with her family, taught me the language. So my Welsh is dialectal, at least by South Welsh standards...

 

[Ban]

Fluent in Dutch and English and close to fluent in Limburgish (mishmash of southern dialects), which I strive to improve. As for French and German I'm at a B1 level, though lopsided to the reading side with defects in the speaking department.

I'd like to improve each language I know, including the ones I am fluent at. If I find time to learn another language and I have no pressing reason for a particular one (say moving for work), I'd like it to be Breton, Frisian, Papiamentu or Norwegian. Which one specifically, I am unsure. My linguistic agenda is more than full with improving the ones I already partially possessed.

 

[Mad Swede]

You mean you didn’t want to learn American English?!

What brought you to Cymru? My grandfather was Welsh and I love the sound of it, and how it hasn’t really changed since the days of the Celts.

And yes, Welsh has changed since the days of the Celts. For an illustration look no futher than the word "tywysog". In Welsh that means a chief or leader (the English translate it as "prince", which isn't quite right) and the equivalent Irish Gaelic word is "taoiseach" which has the same linguistic root as "tywysog".

 

[Finchbearer]

And yes, Welsh has changed since the days of the Celts. For an illustration look no futher than the word "tywysog". In Welsh that means a chief or leader (the English translate it as "prince", which isn't quite right) and the equivalent Irish Gaelic word is "taoiseach" which has the same linguistic root as "tywysog".

Is this to do with the English meddling in things they shouldn’t have?

 

[Jackarandajam]

English, Australian, American, Appalachian American... some Irish and Scottish (not Gaelic though)... a little pig Latin but not written.
Also, rusty, but i was pretty fluent in toddler.

Edit: oh also, I apparently speak cockatoo. No idea why or how, but... we just get each other. Alot of nodding and winking happens when I'm around one.

 

[Finchbearer]

English, Australian, American, Appalachian American... some Irish and Scottish (not Gaelic though)... a little pig Latin but not written.
Also, rusty, but i was pretty fluent in toddler.

Edit: oh also, I apparently speak cockatoo. No idea why or how, but... we just get each other. Alot of nodding and winking happens when I'm around one.

I’m fluent in hyperlexic toddler

 

[Finchbearer]

I speak English, and I am the only one I know that can translate Tieran, Norvish, Marish, Durish, and Allarish.

The only language I know enough words with to communicate something else is Spanish, but....even though it would be highly useful in to learn in the US, it is the one I am least interested in.

I would like to have learned any or all of...Latin, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, French, and German.

At present, I know very little from any of them. At my age, I think these will drift on by for me.

What’s ’hello my name is pmmg in Norvish’?

 

[pmmg]

What’s ’hello my name is pmmg in Norvish’?

Heheh...

Well, first you'd have to translate it back to it roots... pmmg means golden one in the language of the Koi. Norvish is loosely based on Finnish.

Ultan Kainen Ecksi

Fortunately, I dont expect anyone to read Norvish.

Oops,. I forgot 'the Hello my name is...'

 

[Karlin]

Bilingual, English and Hebrew. Can read Biblical Hebrew (not many actual speakers around). Moderate reading knowledge of Talmudic Aramaic. I know a little French and German. Wish I could learn Chinese.

 

[Demesnedenoir]

I mutter my way through English and have neither the time nor knack nor patience for learning languages. High school Spanish was hell for me, although I must admit, I also have zero interest in Spanish. I managed to pass because I was good out pronouncing the words, which seemed to carry over to Chinese, where people appreciated my pronunciation when they tried to teach me a word.

If I were plugged into The Matrix I'd learn them all! But if limited to a top 6—off the top of my head: Latin, German, Gaelic, Mandarin, Greek, and Swahili.

 

[Rexenm]

I talk backward, pigmy, and potty mouth.

No, but seriously, if there is any language I’d like to learn, it would be Japanese.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

Ostensibly... they say it looks mostly like American English if you turn your head a bit and squint one eye. I'm told that at one point my Latin was passible. Kids born that year can drink. I'm still holding on tight to Middle English, Early Modern English, and enough Old English to clear your throat. About six weeks of Japanese if you strung them all together. I can tell if I'm being asked a question and I can ask what things are with no hope of understanding the answer. Misspent youth and all that.

 

[Prince of Spires]

When does it count as speaking the language? I can probably swear in half a dozen European languages, as well as order drinks at the bar. Which is really all you need to get by.

As for being able to have a conversation, I'm fluent in Dutch and English. Though my English is probably an interesting mix of British (which I got taught at school) and American English because I watch too much TV. I also at one point picked up a Southern Irish accent which can still jump out when I hear people talk Irish....

Other than that, my French is decent-ish. I was fairly fluent in it when I left high school, but that's 20 years ago.

 

[CupofJoe]

I speak [British] English, and can read some French, like newspapers.
I have been told my spoken French sound atrocious.
Over the years I have tried to learn Navajo. With very little success.
If I go to a country with a new language, I try to learn a few basics, like Hello, Please, Thank you, My name is...

 

[Ban]

When does it count as speaking the language? I can probably swear in half a dozen European languages, as well as order drinks at the bar. Which is really all you need to get by.

As for being able to have a conversation, I'm fluent in Dutch and English. Though my English is probably an interesting mix of British (which I got taught at school) and American English because I watch too much TV. I also at one point picked up a Southern Irish accent which can still jump out when I hear people talk Irish....

Other than that, my French is decent-ish. I was fairly fluent in it when I left high school, but that's 20 years ago.

Personally, I'd go by CEFR level. In my reply I consider any language I have a C2 understanding of as fluency, though I reckon C1 is also sufficient. For a language like German or French I can read most texts and follow the conversations, but unlike Dutch, English or Limburgish, I have no hope of conducting a German or French conversation on a subject outside of the relative basics. No chance of talking about "steuern" here.

 

[Ned Marcus]

English is my first language. I understand and speak Mandarin at a conversational level. I'm relearning Spanish. I can understand the Stargate episodes I've watched in Spanish (more or less) but my speaking needs practice.

Apart from that, just collections of words and phrases in French and Taiwanese.

I used to speak elementary Turkish, but unfortunately, I've forgotten everything I learnt. Actually, it's surprising how many people learn then forget a language. I never believed it possible until it happened to me.