Subject: Languages
Posted by: thejazzkickazz
Date: Jul 02 03
I'm curious about the language abilities of the Funtrivia populace. What languages do you speak? Which languages have you studied? Which languages do you find difficult to study? What has been your language learning experience?
Posted by: thejazzkickazz
Date: Jul 02 03
I'm curious about the language abilities of the Funtrivia populace. What languages do you speak? Which languages have you studied? Which languages do you find difficult to study? What has been your language learning experience?
278 replies. On page 11 of 14 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
DanielPoulson 
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I can speak English, obviously. I have just done my French aural for GCSE French, but am not that good. I did one year's worth of German and two of Latin, but can't really do either of those, I've studied them, but little else. The language which I am trying to learn is Tamil. I am terrible and it is very hard. I have no idea how to pronounce it. This is an "n": "ஞ்" so is this: "ண்" and this: "ந்" and this: "ன்". This is an "l": "ல்" so is this: "ள்" and this: "ழ்" This is an "r": "ர்" so is this: "ற்" and I can't tell the difference. This "க்" sounds "k", "g" and "h". This "ச்" sounds "ch", "j" and "s". This "ட்" sounds "t" and "d". This "த்" sounds "th" and "dh". This "ப்" sounds "p" and "b". This "வ்" sounds "v" and "w" and I have no idea how to say them. I found one brilliant resource which told me how each one sounded and when and one practice resource and they didn't match! I have no teacher and so I don't know. I have no accent and the language is REALLY, REALLY, REALLY fast and I speak REALLY, REALLY, REALLY slowly. The language is notoriously hard to pronounce and it is advised that you learn from a person who speaks Tamil as their first language, but I don't have anybody! I can say a few words, though, such as "அக்கா" ("akkaa"), which means "elder sister" and "தம்பி" ("thambi"), which means "younger brother". Reply #201. May 24 08, 3:06 PM |
vene
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Dutch is my native language. At (the equivalent of) high school I learned some French and German. My German is probably better, because it's close to Dutch. I can read German, though I have to look up various words. French reading is by now mainly reduced to recognising common words from the Latin tradition, many of which also occur in English (and of course in spanish, italian etc.). One advantage is that I know most articles and tenses, which comes in handy while reading. English is mandatory for Dutch highschoolers of every level , but this is not the main source for my competence in the language. Sources are tv (BBC and subtitled shows on Dutch channels) and having American neighbours when I was about 7. In my teens, internet and reading books in English. Over recent years I have improved on my academic English, through University. Reading lots of philosophy in English does something for one's grasp of the finer subtleties of the language :P I do have a stubborn American accent (though possibly including slightly Dutch s-es) which is fine with me but not very usual in the European academic environment. By the way, the most impossible word to pronounce in English imo is the name 'Rory'. Reply #202. May 25 08, 9:56 AM |
dartanian
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i can speak romanian, english, and spanish... i am learning french... i hope i will be a french fluent speaker by 2009 Reply #203. Jun 06 08, 2:16 PM |
rosamaria
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i know spanish and english. learning french Reply #204. Jun 16 08, 3:08 PM |
shazy95
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I am Pakistani and can speak Urdu, Punjabi, English, and some French. Reply #205. Jun 23 08, 7:05 PM |
Cymruambyth
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My first language was Welsh, but one doesn't get much chance to use Welsh on the Canadian prairies, so I've lost most of it, except for words and phrases here and there. My main language is English, and I can get by in French,Italian and German if people speak very slowly. I can propose a toast in any number of languages, though. Reply #206. Jul 06 08, 2:30 PM |
trojan11
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Having family in Central America and England I speak English and Spanish (Latin American), some German and some atrocious schoolboy Latin. Reply #207. Jul 07 08, 1:09 PM |
| scheuy12
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I am currently trying to study Welsh - my local college has few evening courses (I work during the day), where I work it helps to speak the language. I have tried to learn German, Spanish & French - but I must admit I'm not a natural with languages and really struggle...but I will carry on with my Welsh - even if it kills me! (I do live in Wales by the way) Reply #208. Jul 15 08, 7:16 PM |
| Arpeggionist
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English and Hebrew as native languages (not necessarily in that order). But I've also studied Italian, Latin, Arabic, German and Yiddish. While I'm not a confident speaker of these languages, I often enjoy reading poetry in all sorts of languages (I hate translations). I'm also thinking of studying Greek. Reply #209. Jul 15 08, 9:00 PM |
| Mannu12
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I know Hindi, English, Urdu, Sanskrit and can speak a little Arabic Reply #210. Jul 28 08, 12:06 PM |
| The_vixin
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WELSH! i'm teaching myself welsh and italian spanish and american Reply #211. Oct 10 08, 5:01 PM |
adawaz
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English,5 years of French at school,self taught (actaully still learning Italian)Don't profess to be very good at either French or Italian but can get by in the shops etc Reply #212. Oct 10 08, 9:37 PM |
Catamount
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When I was living in Europe I was privileged to visit quite a few different countries. I always tried to at least pick up some of the language. When I got older, my goal was to order beer in every country in its native language. I can still do that in about 8 languages. I am fluent only in English and German but can find my way around in Spanish, French and Russian. Lately I've been trying to learn Japanese. I might still succeed. Reply #213. Oct 10 08, 11:20 PM |
aceh
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what do you speak ? and why ? Reply #214. Oct 16 08, 5:08 AM |
nirmalya_b
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Bengali***** It's my mother-tongue. This is the language I love to speak in. English***** Second preferred language. I am most comfortable in speaking English with people who can not speak Bengali. Hindi****1/2 Pretty fluent in Hindi, India's national language, as well. No problem with the grammar or accent ;) German*** Ich spreche ein bisschen deutsch. Ich lerne deutsch seit achte Monate. Ich habe Probleme mit der Grammatik und Glossar.Allerdings muss ich auch weiterhin praktizieren! Reply #215. Oct 22 08, 2:44 PM |
phyllisbass
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I speak English and French, also some Spanish, German, Italian, and studied Latin. Reply #216. Oct 27 08, 3:33 PM |
| Catamount
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Sehr gut, nirmalya. Immer fleissig weiterüben :) Reply #217. Oct 27 08, 9:20 PM |
| Jerry12
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malayalam form kerala Reply #218. Oct 29 08, 6:52 AM |
| danjou
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Spanish semi-fluency, learned through friends, then school bits of French, German, Portuguese, Italian and Dutch I would love to learn any or all of the above; it just hasn't worked out yet. Reply #219. Nov 26 08, 12:54 PM |
durri
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I know Urdu the best because it's my mother language. I can understand Punjabi because I am Punjabi and it's my mother's mother tongue. I know Arabic a bit and there are many reasons for it first of all Arabic is my religious language (I'm a Muslim) second I was taught Arabic at school and third it's close to Urdu. I'v been learning English since my childhood and haven't mastered it yet. I'm trying to learn some Spanish. My father is trying to teach me some Farsi (Persian) and it's easy because it's very close to Urdu. I know Hindi too because it's sister language of Urdu thogh I can't read it. Reply #220. Dec 27 08, 11:15 AM |
278 replies. On page 11 of 14 pages. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
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