by Pole 45 Replies latest jw friends
Well, I used to be fairly adept with Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and German. Played around with Russian for a bit, and Sanskrit. Interesting indeed how languages differ, and yet, in many fundamental ways, are the same construct, both semantically and culturally.
However, them-there wheels is gettin' durn rusty! LOL
German, English, Spanish, French
I still use the first three almost every day, but my French is getting rusty...can still read though
Blondie
I speak French, Russian, German and Spanish, and I used them for all the same reason: To pick up on women. And I have about equal skill at all of them: Preschool level. I constantly forget verbs and I always confuse the languages with eachother.
Since getting a girlfriend, I have little use for my foreign languages anymore except when I want to order a salad from the local Wendy's. The waiters there are Mexican workers (Neighborhood rumor has it that they're illegal.)
But one thing's for sure, Corrine et un belle femme. (Hoping FBF will see this message.)
Hiki i'au ke heluhelu a kama'ilio i ka ólelo Hawai'i.
I know a little Tok Pisin, a little French, and some Greek and Latin.
Just picked up a few Mandarin phrases in my last trip and my boss (who is from China) told me my pronunciation was pretty good.
I can do a pretty cool recital of Chaucer in Middle English (c. 1200).
Do you think Europeans are generally better at languages than Americans?
This is something my Dutch parents always nagged about, the lack of interest in languages in US schools. They each spoke Dutch, English, Indonisian, German and a little French. Me? English and a little bit of Dutch and Spanish. However, growing up in Holland, they needed only to travel a couple of hours and be in an area were a differnt language was spoken. It would be like me travel to Wisconsin or Minnesota and having to speak a differnt language. Oh wait, I guess in Minnesota they do. "Yah, hey dar eh"
Just been watching 3 Men and a Little Lady.
The female starring role is played by Nancy Travis who displays a perfect, cut glass English/English accent. Except she's a born and bred New Yorker.
Then there's Renee Zellwegger in Bridget Jones. Same perfect accent...'cept she's a Texan.
How about Meryl Streep in The French Lieutenants Woman? ..perfect, virtually, especially for a lass from New Jersey.
So how come we don't see any US males playing the role of an English man?
Englishman.
It would be like me travel to Wisconsin or Minnesota and having to speak a differnt language. Oh wait, I guess in Minnesota they do. "Yah, hey dar eh"
It's not like you flatlanders have an understandable vernacular either, lol.
Englishman....Well, how about Harrison Ford doing a really bad Russian accent....
onacruse wrote:
Well, I used to be fairly adept with Greek, Hebrew, Latin, and German. Played around with Russian for a bit, and Sanskrit. Interesting indeed how languages differ, and yet, in many fundamental ways, are the same construct, both semantically and culturally.
That's because you stayed within the Indo-European family, Craig. Don't you think you should broaden your horizons a little?
Personally, aside from English, I'm fairly fluent in Spanish (albeit rusty; I used to be quasi-native) and can hold a (very) basic conversation in Russian. I've picked up odd little smatterings of other languages, but nothing really to speak of.
Englishman....Well, how about Harrison Ford doing a really bad Russian accent....Yeah..that submarine film, I saw that. Englishman.
