Thread: Languages

My native language is English. I am conversant, but not fluent, in American Sign Language (I am adventitiously deaf), having learned it when I returned to college at Gallaudet University.
Namaste,
Morty -_-

I've always wanted to learn another language, but despite 2 years of spanish in highschool, 3 years of french in highschool, 1 year of spanish at the community college I just can't get the hang of it. I have even tried numerous cds and dvds on the subject. Which is unfortunate as the town I live in is about 70% spanish speaking people.

I'm a language lover to the bone...I've been studying languages since I was 15.

As for meaningful skill, I've got the ol' English, and once upon a time I could speak fairly fluent German (MA in German Linguistics, did graduate work at Humboldt in Berlin--but that's many a year ago). I have some basic conversational Italian and my Japanese is coming along nicely, thanks to my family.

Reading languages include Old English, Old High German, Some Classical Attic Greek. I want to work on Latin but I'm too lazy.

I didn't mention Latin because I haven't used it since high school. And to be honest, I have to admit that I would be lost in Latin so I can't really add it to my list.

However, I found Latin fairly easy to learn as a language. Much easier than French certainly. No funny umlauts, cedilles or accents, waaaaaay less exceptions to the rules of grammar, and you basically pronounce the letters the was they are written.

Yep - I like languages. I think of myself as more of a dabbler than being fluent in any language besides my native English.

I tend to start getting good and then get interested in something else.
I know some Icelandic and Old Norse, some Norwegian, a little French and snippets of different languages both alive and dead.

My MA was in linguistics and involved a description and analysis of Aboriginal languages in South eastern Australia (no longer spoken).

I also like looking at language variation and change.

All the best,
Michael.

English is my first language.

Currently learning Welsh and can get by if I keep it to the basics.

Some Spanish.

Some aboriginal dialects individual words only.

Would love to be fluent in Welsh, Spanish and French...Maybe one day.


Mick

English as a native language. Studied Japanese for 3 years at an Aussie uni and 1 year at a Japanese university. Then worked in a Japanese company for 10 years (speaking only Japanese every day). Speak the language fluently and read and write reasonably well. Basic conversational ability in German and French.

Raising my two young kids (5+7) to be tri-lingual (English/Japanese/Korean) since I believe it is so much easier to learn at that age instead of the long struggle I had as an adult!

english is my mother tongue and i speak swiss german fairly well depending on the kantone. also speak texan and some mississippien and enougf spanish to get into a fight

Originally Posted by pcdad

IDF served 1998-2k..refreshed Hebrew there

קורס תותחן, מחנה שבטה, קיץ 1984; מילואים עד גיל מסוים (מ"מ155 נגרר)

כל הכבוד לצה"ל!!

Some people are naturals when it comes to learning languages. I really admire the people on this site who converse extremely well in English even though it is their second, third or even fourth language.

I, on the other hand, am some one who struggles with just one language. I failed high school German and Japanese. Only scraped by on English too.

Having said that, I married a Thai woman and moved to Bangkok from Australia. For the first three months I lived here, while my wife was at work if I didn't speak Thai I couldn't talk to anyone or even eat. I leaned fast. Now I can hold simple conversations and make people think I understand a lot more then I really do. Makes me think that the best way to learn a language is complete imersion.

Now that I am an English teacher I think I have a better understanding of my Nuff Nuff students because I was one of them.