Do you speak another language?

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kevin04
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Do you speak another language?

Post by kevin04 »

If so, do you speak it well and how did you learn it? Were you brought up with two languages? Or did you learn it at school, university or even just rocking up some place? Did you go grow up with a parent who's first language wasn't English, but didn't even speak it to you?! Even worse, IMO.

Did you learn a second, third or even more languages as an adult? How was it? If you lived somewhere ; learn the mother tongue of the land and return home to these islands ; how did you keep up your language? I suppose with the internet etc ; you can read/listen/watch lots of things in your languages.

I always try and learn a few words wherever I go even just the broken Good Morning, Sorry I don't speak your language do you speak English?, thanks and take care etc. I mind going in to a post office in Bala and asking for a stamp in Welsh - I've forgotten it now - but the lassie behind the counter was impressed and said you speak more than many of those buggers from south Wales do. :D

An issue for us -from these islands- is that we don't really need to learn a language as even in some remote places ; you'll probably find someone who speaks a wee bit of English. You've also got the double-edge sword of trying to learn a Benelux or Scando language and then they answer back in English to you (Yes, trying to be polite etc ; but it can put learners off).
Last edited by kevin04 on Fri Sep 06, 2019 1:03 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Vespa
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by Vespa »

I learnt English as a kid, taught in school, pretty much all popular media was English and it is very common 2nd language.
Also helps we have more than one official language, so English is handy.

Learning a second language isn't that hard, just take consistency.

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Re: Do you speak another language?

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Trochu slovensky
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subsub
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by subsub »

Can chat to people in French, but by no means fluent.
Speak a bit of Spanish, too (enough to get by, but limited vocab).
VERY limited German.
Did Latin at school, too, but only useful when conversing with old Etonians etc
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VeritasVincit
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by VeritasVincit »

My lady is Spanish so I've been trying to learn the language. At my age it's not as easy as when at school. I can still remember more O level French than Spanish.
In Spanish I can now read, or rather get the sense of much written work and speak a little, though with the accent of a Lithuanian stevador. Understanding is almost impossible unless they speak slowly, which they never do. I don't understand half of what my lady says as she speaks in English with an accent. So I nod and murmur "mmm".

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kancutlawns
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by kancutlawns »

Learning Italian on my own since returning from there a couple of weeks ago. Love the emphasis Italians put on their words. It’s a beautifully expressed lingo. Going to be doing advanced French and German this term at night class. Hadn’t done French since I was at school and have done German much more recently but at my assessments last month, my French was better than my German. Couldn’t quite work that out.

Can’t go wrong learning foreign languages.

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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by Shedboy »

When I was at secondary, my favourite subject was French and it turned out I was very good at it. After a few years, when they were dishing out report cards, our form teacher asked if my parents were French due to my French grade being much better than my English grade. :lol:

Unfortunately, I never took my interest in French any further after leaving school. I can recall some phrases and words but I'd really have to delve in to it again if I was going over there on holiday. I was in Ajaccio last week and Mrs S wanted a hat from a stall at the cruise terminal.
I was quite chuffed that I managed to tell the guy what she wanted and ask how much it cost; then didn't understand a word of his reply. :lol: :rolleyes:

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delboy1983
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by delboy1983 »

French,fluent when I am pissed !!
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by The End »

I know probably a thousand words in Russian but only now (after over 6 years here) am I making more of an effort to learn some grammar and become somewhat able to converse.

A bit similar with German.

Can order a beer in Spanish, and then a subsequent one.
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kevin04
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by kevin04 »

Russian would be a great language to learn. The thing that puts me off is the tenses, then again most languages have them.

I think English - to a certain extent - is a difficult language. Probably easy to learn the basics of it ; but to master, quite hard. There doesn't seem to be rules for phonetics either, although the grammar is a lot easier than most languages and there are no sexes of nouns etc. It's also a bit of a hybrid language as its Germanic but with a lot of French, Latin words in it.
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subsub
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by subsub »

The End wrote:Can order a beer in Spanish, and then a subsequent one.

:lol:
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rorymac
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by rorymac »

Irish and French although not fluent anymore. I went to a model school where you learned even English in Irish.
Still practise a bit with my ol mum when I go back like but mostly cockney these days .. and pigeon Romanian/English eg 'Andreas !! How I can focky do this one' ? I was fairly fluent in Yorkshire when I stayed in Heckmondwike. It's only words and that tbf.

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kevin04
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by kevin04 »

rorymac wrote:Irish and French although not fluent anymore. I went to a model school where you learned even English in Irish.
Still practise a bit with my ol mum when I go back like but mostly cockney these days .. and pigeon Romanian/English eg 'Andreas !! How I can focky do this one' ? I was fairly fluent in Yorkshire when I stayed in Heckmondwike. It's only words and that tbf.


Sin agad e 8)

Tha Gàidhlig agam and I'm so fond of it. My grammar is a bit bòchd but it would be a sad day if it left me, but I don't think it will as too many auld pals and family to speak it with - I'm doing a few refresher courses with the Gaelic college in Scotland right now to try and un-rust some of it. Irish is a wonderful language, some say they are different languages, I don't think they are - there's a lot of false friends and esp west coast Ireland is very hard to understand, but I think if I ended up ann an Èireann I'd hopefully pick it up or a hybrid of them both after a wee while, and I understand a fair dunt of it especially Donegal/Ulster Gaelige and even more so after an uisge-beatha no ochd a dh' òladh.

I love the different way of pronunciation.

Sláinte - Slàinte agus Fáilte - Fàilte.

Irish is more of a slawwwnnnn-cha and Gàidhlig is more of a slaaaaaaaaaaan-cha, like wise fowwwwwwltchya - faaaaaaaaaaaaaaal-cha.

An Irish Gaeligor I know described Scots Gàidhlig as Irish that doesn't end thanks to the accented vowels. :lol:

Anyhoos, slàinte glè mhath agus dhùrachd!

If anyone who doesn't speak Irish or Scotish Gaelic ; the way to tell is by the pointing of the accent e.g if it's Fáilte it's Irish and if it's Fàilte it's Scottish. An old teacher of mine said, it was both languages waving to each other across the Irish Sea. :D
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Carlos J
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by Carlos J »

Ha, Kevin. Watching the vids you posted in End's thread about the bald and bankrupt guy, reminded me of late 90s in Nottingham. Portentous or not, got the Linguaphone Polish box set, full of cassettes. what? from the library. 8) Did a bit, then fucked it off. :( Should have got Russian and stuck with it, but hey.

Would love to speak Russian and go there.
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kancutlawns
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Re: Do you speak another language?

Post by kancutlawns »

I wouldn't mind knowing a bit of Russian but it's largely irrelevant to me and I can't see myself ever really having an opportunity to use it.

There's loads of material on YT to help you with a language Carlos. Came back from Italy and put audio from a YT site of a lovely looking lady teaching Italian. Picked up quite a bit when driving. Duo lingo's a decent phone app.

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