CrazyIvan 0 #26 August 25, 2003 Quoteyeah, sorry it's all i had left:) No problem...thank you. __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #28 August 25, 2003 Quotedenada Those are 2 words: De nada __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
alanab 0 #29 August 25, 2003 im telling you.... of all the languages and phrases i have learned. i cant spell any of them, only english. (but i do know that its hola not ola!!) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shunkka 0 #30 August 25, 2003 i can speak my native language (romanian) english and... hungarian i understand and hardly can speak this language i learn it from TV (yeah... it`s not a joke) ------------------------- "jump, have fun, pull" Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
txblondie 0 #31 August 25, 2003 By your definition, I'm an American. Took Spanish in high school and have family who speak it fluently, but what I learned in school wasn't practical, so I never really learned the language. If someone speaks slowly enough, I can catch a little of it, but not a lot. My boyfriend is trying to teach me German, and I've learned a few short phrases, but by no means am I close to fluent! My boyfriend, however, speaks fluent English, German, Spanish, and Italian. It makes me proud! ***************************************** Blondes do have more fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CrazyIvan 0 #32 August 25, 2003 It's all practice, I used to speak Portuguese (my writing was not really good) and also Italian, my mother speaks it (she learned because of her job), but now I can barely understand Italian. What a shame __________________________________________ Blue Skies and May the Force be with you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katiebear21 0 #33 August 25, 2003 I think it's funny that most people didn't get the joke! It's very funny though and you're right, everyone I've met from another country usually speaks their own native language and at least English... sometimes even more languages. Americans put very little effort into teaching their youth multiple languages from a very young age. Hell, which ONE would they pick? Katie Get your PMS glass necklace here Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricaH 0 #34 August 25, 2003 I was lookin for the same answer. Took a few years of Spanish, minored in Japanese in college & studied some Russian (know the nicities, hi, I'm fine & you kinda thing) & know a bit of sign language. I desperately want to be fluent in another language, just can't find one I like & could use w/ enough regularity to stay current. My s/o is from Poland, so i'm thinking of taking a few classes in that & suprising him. But will prob wait till we've been together for a bit longer. There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear. PMS #227 (just like the TV show) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SkyDekker 1,155 #35 August 25, 2003 QuoteHell, which ONE would they pick? I would pick Spanish, since most southern states are pretty much forced bilingual anyways. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyrose7 0 #36 August 25, 2003 hehe, don't call him a doop-eye-osh (phonetically spelled) or ja ju or boosha (also phonetically spelled).~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The mind is like a parachute--it works better when it is open. JUMP. MaryRose Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
katiebear21 0 #37 August 25, 2003 QuoteQuoteHell, which ONE would they pick? I would pick Spanish, since most southern states are pretty much forced bilingual anyways. You're probably right... can't even get a job in Texas if you don't speak Spanish! I think we should be more proactive at teaching languages at younger ages. Katie Get your PMS glass necklace here Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
txblondie 0 #38 August 25, 2003 QuoteQuoteQuoteHell, which ONE would they pick? I would pick Spanish, since most southern states are pretty much forced bilingual anyways. You're probably right... can't even get a job in Texas if you don't speak Spanish! I think we should be more proactive at teaching languages at younger ages. Texas schools are doing this now; many schools are beginning Spanish in elementary school, where the mind is still super-absorbant and learns quickly. Also, the majority of school systems, when I was in high school just 8 years ago, didn't require a foreign language class; now they are requiring at least 2 years, and more for advanced placement or IB classes. It's become much more important in daily life to speak another language, which is why I really want my SO to keep trying to teach me German, even though I get frustrated a lot and am learning at an extremely low rate (mostly due to the frustration). ***************************************** Blondes do have more fun! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EricaH 0 #39 August 25, 2003 Skyrose, Thanks for the heads up & the phonetic spelling. Found some good web-sites, but am having issues w/ sounding the stuff out. I live in Chicago, one of the largest Polish pops outside of Poland & can't find one person to help me - jeesh!! QuoteI think it's funny that most people didn't get the joke! It's very funny though and you're right, everyone I've met from another country usually speaks their own native language and at least English... sometimes even more languages. Americans put very little effort into teaching their youth multiple languages from a very young age. Hell, which ONE would they pick? This is so true - which one. Spanish is great, but so very typical. No matter what our education system needs to start w/ foreign languages MUCH earlier. I'd like to marry a multilingual prson & learn thier language. that way we can talk about other people in front of them & they'll never know (hopefully) (AND KIDDING - I wouldn't use my special powers for evil ). There is no can't. Only lack of knowledge or fear. Only you can fix your fear. PMS #227 (just like the TV show) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wmw999 2,175 #40 August 25, 2003 Quotecan't even get a job in Texas if you don't speak Spanish [clears throat] Ahem. Yes, you can. It's harder to get one in some segments of the service industry, and in some government jobs, but it's entirely possible. It's easier to get a job in those arenas if you speak Spanish. More skills = greater ease in finding a job. Wendy W. (English, Portuguese, Spanish, (rusty) French)There is nothing more dangerous than breaking a basic safety rule and getting away with it. It removes fear of the consequences and builds false confidence. (tbrown) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Steel 0 #41 August 25, 2003 QuoteHow do you call somebody who speaks 3 languages : trilingual How do you call somebody who speaks 2 languages : bilingual How do you call somebody who speaks 1 language : an american ---------------------------- I call myself quadrilingual English, Spanish, Italian and German.If I could make a wish, I think I'd pass. Can't think of anything I need No cigarettes, no sleep, no light, no sound. Nothing to eat, no books to read. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
skycutie 0 #42 August 25, 2003 Spanish, of course... English, some French and some Italian. MEN: you can't live with 'em, you can't shoot 'em, but you can act psychotic and keep 'em off balance. HISPA #10 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BlueEyedMonster 0 #43 August 26, 2003 Quote...How do you call somebody who speaks 1 language : an american This quite often very true. Even though most of us learn some of another language in school, the opportunity to use, retain, and become fluent in another language is just not there for most of us. In europe, its just a 1-3 hour car/train ride to an area where another language is necessary. Here, its just an hour or 3 car ride to the DZ. And a 15 hour, several hundred dollar plane ride to Europe, where all the different languages are necessary. Sure Spanish would be helpful in the southern/western US but then again thats like telling the French they need to speak English to the American tourists in France. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kmcguffee 0 #44 August 26, 2003 Buttukullum Araby schwe schwe wa englizy. "Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do." Ben Franklin Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bch7773 0 #45 August 26, 2003 I speak quite a bit of german, but I wouldn't consider myself a really fluent speaker. However, german really doesn't get much use in the US. MB 3528, RB 1182 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snowwhite 0 #46 August 26, 2003 My son got a scholarship to study abroad for a year. He had always made fun of my attempts to teach him German and French. The scholarship sent him to Germany, and they said 'don't worry about Germans they all speak English." Then they sent him to EAST Germany as the wall came down. He learned to speak German very well, very fast, or he would have starved to death. The second language there was Russian, not English, so he learned Russian as well. While he was there, his French class from America went to France, so he traveled there to visit, and polish his French speaking skills then came back to the States, then to West Germany for a year, then to the States for a year, then to Australia for a year, then the States then China for several months. So he speaks English, French, German, Russian, and Mandarin Chinese. Is he fluent? Yes, he negotiates contracts in German and Chinese for his law firm all day every day. So speak funny languages to your kids when they are little, you never know what they will pick up. If you are looking for help learning a language in Chicago, I am sure he could point you in the right direction.skydiveTaylorville.org [email protected] Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MattyBoy 0 #47 August 26, 2003 2...unless you count restaurant French and Pornographic German! I may be gullible but at least I have a magic fish Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
masher 1 #48 August 26, 2003 I am fluent in over 6 million forms of communication. c'mon... I can't believe it took this long to get here.... . One for me. I did French and Italian in primary school, and 3 yrs of Japanese in high school.-- Arching is overrated - Marlies Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mujie96 0 #49 August 26, 2003 4 at last count, but my French is pretty bad at the moment. Shhh, don't tell anyone, I think the consensus is that people in my line of work are not supposed to be particularly bright. Just keep swimming...just keep swimming.... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tobi778 0 #50 August 26, 2003 Swedish Finnish English and also a touch of.. Norwegian and German Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
