How many languages you know?

#21 Postby **streetsoldier** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 9:31 pm

English, German, French, Spanish, Frankish (in the early Teutonic form and the later "langue d'oc/langue d'oil"), "Alt bayerische", Provencal, "lingua romana", "koine", and presently learning elementary Russsian. I can understand Dutch and Italian, but not "conversant" in either, and I grew up with Danish "bok-mal" and Norwegian spoken around the house.

weatherlover427 · #22 Postby **weatherlover427** » Thu Apr 17, 2003 9:38 pm

Even though I haven't taken any Spanish for about 3 1/2 years, I have still retained the vast majority of my knowledge of the language.

southerngale · #23 Postby **southerngale** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:02 pm

English and some French. I know very little Spanish...just words and phrases I've learned along the way. I've taken several years of French though. Unfortunately, I forget some of it because I don't speak it very often.

j · #24 Postby j » Fri Apr 18, 2003 12:19 pm

you might as well forget that French you learned

#25 Postby **BreinLa** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 4:14 pm

English and French and working on Spanish(one day I'll be able to speak it lol)

#26 Postby **coriolis** » Fri Apr 18, 2003 4:29 pm

I talk english berry, berry, good.

Three years of playing cards (spades) in spanish class in high school. The teacher was the cheerleading coach, so we didn't get much instruction. I could get beat up in any spanish-speaking country.

Presently learning teenager-ese but am always behind the curve, if you know what I mean.

#27 Postby **vbhoutex** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 2:50 am

I speak fluent Texan, can read some Tex-mex and understand it a little when I am listening to it at at construction site. French is my third language which I read better than I speak, up peu! From exposure to several German "mad scientists" during my mothers tenure at the Nuclear Research Lab at FSU, I know a few words in German and I sing Latin relatively well also since that is what we sang at Carnegie Hall last year.

Arizwx · #28 Postby **Arizwx** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 6:12 am

Aside from English(American,Aussie,Intimate 'Pillowtalk','Innuendo','FoxNews',Monosyllobic Teen,Dennis Miller and the 'King's'),I speak,read and write to some extent 9 other languages.These include the Latin Based 'Romantics' of: Italian,New World & Castillian Spanish, & Portugese(Brasilian).
French,Vietnamese French,French Canadien &Suisse Dialect French.German(including Suisse dialect),Svenska(Swedish), and and I can converse in 2 Provincial Chinese Dialects that I must refresh myself with frequently as well as Japanese.I am currently working with Greek as well.I can translate Persian 'Farsi' if pressed.I have been known to dabble in Lithuanian as well as 'Dog/Spaniel'.Those "Berlitz" 'Snoopy' Tapes are terrific!.
I am fluent also in 'Cali'(Nothern New Age,Yuppie & Southern Cali Surfer/Boarder,ValleySpeak,and SoCal Rodeo Drive'Zippie'/Shopping)), 'Zoni ,Seattle Grunge/Geek,& S.F.'Preppy'. :wink:

I am weak in 'Ebonical Rappa(Gangsta & 'Jive')Hip-Hop.
Eastie:'Maine-ese,'Metro Bostonian,'Philly-esque' and 'NYC Coffetalk'!I excel at Chicagoland-ese and New Orleans Potpourri 'Yat',Cajun&Creole..I get by on Jamaican Rastafarian.
I breezed through 'Legalise',WxSpeak','Aviation Squawk','Militarybin' and Political 'Doubletalk' as well.I am terrible at Female -'Oh My Gawd'/Lifetime Channel-ese & 'Yanni'.
Life is a Journey! :wink:

petal*pusher · #29 Postby **petal*pusher** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 7:11 am

Oh-oh.......arizwx, you're a hard act to follow! (you too streetsoldier!)

I took 3 yrs of Spanish in high school but that was a loooooong time ago! I did get a chance to put it to use a couple of years ago when visiting Phoenix.

I was waiting in the eating area of a huge mall......munching on a muffin while waiting for my son. An older Mexican gentleman who was walking the area with a broom and dustpan seemed to be inching closer and closer to where I was sitting. I've always been a friendly type.....perhaps too friendly.....I returned his smile and mentioned I'd be careful not to drop any crumbs. This fella seemed to want more conversation, but mentioned he did not know English. Showing off, I said "I can count to ten", then proceeded......."uno, dos, tres..........."

This fella turned and made a hasty retreat saying..."O.K. lady....I go, I go...." and I realized our "conversation" was over!!

We've had 2 deaf students in class......I've also learned enough American Sign Language to have short conversations. (Such a beautiful language this is!).............p :wink:

Arizwx · #30 Postby **Arizwx** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 7:35 am

petal*pusher wrote:Oh-oh.......arizwx, you're a hard act to follow! (you too streetsoldier!)

I took 3 yrs of Spanish in high school but that was a loooooong time ago! I did get a chance to put it to use a couple of years ago when visiting Phoenix.

I was waiting in the eating area of a huge mall......munching on a muffin while waiting for my son. An older Mexican gentleman who was walking the area with a broom and dustpan seemed to be inching closer and closer to where I was sitting. I've always been a friendly type.....perhaps too friendly.....I returned his smile and mentioned I'd be careful not to drop any crumbs. This fella seemed to want more conversation, but mentioned he did not know English. Showing off, I said "I can count to ten", then proceeded......."uno, dos, tres..........."

This fella turned and made a hasty retreat saying..."O.K. lady....I go, I go...." and I realized our "conversation" was over!!

We've had 2 deaf students in class......I've also learned enough American Sign Language to have short conversations. (Such a beautiful language this is!).............p

Great Story Pusher!
LOL!The custodian was most likley flattered though!
My ex-wife is a Teacher,in elementary.However,her first love(besides me!) was Sped Ed,('Special Needs' now!)with an emphasis on 'American Sign'which she taught me.
BTW,out here the terms are 'Non-seeing','Non-Hearing',Non Speaking',etc.
Never 'Blind,'deaf,'or dumb'.I enjoyed making use of the book the 'Joy of Signing'.
I failed to mention,I am fluent in 'PC'!

petal*pusher · #31 Postby **petal*pusher** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 8:58 am

Interesting about the "correct terms" for special needs students, isn't it??

I had been using the term "hearing impaired" for years, when both our interpreter and the student corrected me to use the term "deaf"!

After their explanations, I agreed.....using the word "impaired" seems to have a negative connotation. Both of these deaf students had wonderful minds!

I am always amazed at the number of "special needs" students that seem to multiply every year! Personally, I find it quite sad that labels are hung on them at a young age. Often, even with lots of extra help provided, they only strive for what is a pre-concieved expectation of their abilities. Sometimes, I marvel at just how carefully the females can apply their make-up......or put outfits together.........and they males can find strategies to sneak into "teacher" areas for food/pop.! (Please don't think I mean ALL special needs kids!) However,but there are quite a few who easily come up with adjustments/accommodations on their own!

As any other person here who is left-handed can tell you......our entire life has been improvising/adjusting/re-inventing/accommodating!! Hey!........and WE made it!............p :wink:

Guest · #32 Postby **Guest** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:18 am

Now Now DJ - you are fluent in the woman language - I would have thought differently .....LOL.

Well I speak English as well as I can - I'm a country girl - so I throw alot of slang in my conversation.

I know bits and pieces of spanish. My parents are trying to teach me Czech - which I heard from my grandparents as I was growing up.... would love to learn more.

I also know sign language Petal - pusher - its something I have know for a long time. I had a roomate in college who took the college course and we conversed all the time in sign language - even learned to sing popular songs.....

Well enough said...

#33 Postby **azskyman** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 9:19 am

Although I have never mastered it, I try to speak English. I know enough Spanish to accidentally embarrass myself and those employees I have who speak it.

I know the jargon of weather buffs and printers by virtue of all my years in those fields, but my biggest challenge these days is learning to speak in the tongue of an 8 month old grandbaby.

"Gahhh"...seems to mean things are good. "Dahhh"...something to the affect that I want something. And well, "jumpee jumpee jumpee" means "I wanna try to stand up and bounce my butt up and down!"

I'm getting some new lessons this weekend!

isobar · #34 Postby **isobar** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 10:10 am

LOL Steve!

Amanzi · #35 Postby **Amanzi** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 10:47 am

LOL Steve.. Baby speak is a universal language, I did sometimes wish there was a dictionary though!

#36 Postby **streetsoldier** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 11:31 pm

Well, petal*pusher, I've been disabled for 20 years; I had to "keep busy" mentally, and language studies were the best place to begin for me.

Having been styled by one of my professors a "talented amateur historian" did have much to do with it; I noticed how badly I was lacking "first-hand" understanding without the ability to read original documents and texts, and/or having to "get around" an interpreter's biases (and they're "there", even in the most "objective" translations).

As I've said before, I consider a day wasted unless I learn something new...

breeze · #37 Postby **breeze** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 12:27 am

English and the deaf alphabet...our
school never taught foreign language -
in our, school, the kids did well to learn
English! My brother and I self-taught
each other the deaf alphabet.

StormCrazyIowan · #38 Postby **StormCrazyIowan** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 12:48 am

I know english (duh!), the sign lang alphabet, and bits and pieces of French (blah!)

blizzard · #39 Postby **blizzard** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 1:01 am

English and one of the hardest other languages to learn....Minnesotan...

petal*pusher · #40 Postby **petal*pusher** » Sun Apr 20, 2003 8:14 am

Streetsoldier.......love your attitude!!

I'm with you........always learning.....always learning.....always learning......p :wink:

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