how many languages do you speak?

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 3, 2005, 2:32 pm

at least semi fluently that is.

I'm curious b/c I have a friend I work with that speaks at least 10 languages very fluently. Including Arabic and Mong. This guy lerans languages just for fun which I have to admire. And after traveling to Afghanistan and Europe I can see how ignorant Americans can be about not learning other cultures or languages.

Akaran_D · Post by **Akaran_D** » March 3, 2005, 2:34 pm

Does this include computer code or no?

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » March 3, 2005, 2:37 pm

nobody wrote:I can see how ignorant Americans can be about not learning other cultures or languages.

Cultures recently, yes, but here's the thing.

I think that there are many Americans that do speak many languages, but of the ones that don't, I'd say there could be several reasons.

Some people aren't good at other langauges...I'm not talking about unwillingness to learn, but I think some people just don't have it in them really.

Some people don't because of some psychological reason - IE they have built up some wall inside them that prevents them from doing it.

Some people refuse to learn.

I wouldn't be so quick to make such broad statements about Americans though.

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » March 3, 2005, 2:38 pm

Akaran_D wrote:Does this include computer code or no?

Hah! I know like 8 languages then. =D

Incidentally I speak Russian and Spanish as second languages. My spoken spanish is a bit halting though.

XunilTlatoani · Post by **XunilTlatoani** » March 3, 2005, 2:47 pm

IMO, it has nothing to do with ignorance and everything to do with culture. In Europe, you can drive from one country that speaks English, to another that speaks French, to another that speaks German, to another that speaks Polish, to another that speaks Russian, to another that speaks Danish, etc. etc. etc.

In America, you can drive that same distance, and everyone speaks English. Unless you are going south of the border or up into the French areas of Canada, you only need to know English to get by. Europeans are much much more likely to deal with other people that don't speak English than Americans are, so of course their culture supports the learning of multiple languages much more than the American culture.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » March 3, 2005, 2:53 pm

Does the language of love count? l33t speak?

Why should english speaking people learn other languages? People speaking english with foreign accents is sexy.(not all accents, but some!) Speaking another language other than english with an english accent isn't. Case closed.

Lynnsie · Post by **Lynnsie** » March 3, 2005, 2:55 pm

I can speak spanish as my second language, but I havent had to use it in so long that I could guarantee i would end up sayin something pretty shitty and not meaning to. I should practice it. I always wanted to learn Japanese tho. Seems like one could get an extremely lucrative career bid being bi-lingual and Japanese as your fluent second language. I know that interpreters around my area make good amounts of money. But I guess with learning their language you would have to learn all about their culture and what is right and wrong, in their culture, to do in a social setting.

Lynks · Post by **Lynks** » March 3, 2005, 3:01 pm

My first language is french, my second is english. I know very basic spanish and at least 7 programming languages.

Aabidano · Post by **Aabidano** » March 3, 2005, 3:13 pm

It's not ignorant, as someone else said there's no real need in many areas of the US. I'd bet 99% of Americans never leave the country. For most of the population, it's a major trip to get someplace where a language besides english is spoken.

I've been looking into learning mandrin, I think it's neat and it would help me at work. I took russian and spanish years ago, not at all functional anymore.

Lynnsie wrote:Seems like one could get an extremely lucrative career bid being bi-lingual and Japanese as your fluent second language.

That paid for my cousin's masters and doctorate. Someone of non-oriental descent, fluent in Japanese can do very well. Much moreso than other languages from what I've been told.

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » March 3, 2005, 3:14 pm

I guess knowing dirty words in a number of languages doesn't really count as fluent.

My grandparents on my father's side are/were Russian and I had to speak it to them all the time. Now however I only know a few words and such. Not to mention all my time spent overseas in Asia. You tend to pick up words and phrase that better enable you to get laid with the mama-san offering you a little boy or a sheep.

Drolgin Steingrinder · Post by **Drolgin Steingrinder** » March 3, 2005, 3:40 pm

Fully fluent: Danish, English.

Almost: Swedish, Norwegian.

Partial fluency: French, German.

not fluent at all: Spanish, Russian.

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 3, 2005, 3:47 pm

ignorant was probably the wrong choice of word but in it's literal definition it does fit. most Americans ARE ignorant about learning other languages. that my be for different reasons both good and bad but ignorant does mean lacking in knowledge. however my intention was not to put down my own culture. i am just learning my second language, persian, and have a lot more respect for people who are able to pick it up b/c it is hard work for me.

Kindo · Post by **Kindo** » March 3, 2005, 3:52 pm

I only know English unfortunately. Multi-lingual people facinate me though. As Winnow said - accents =

Even a good ole southern boy with a drawl will make my knees weak!

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 3, 2005, 3:56 pm

Kindo wrote:I only know English unfortunately. Multi-lingual people facinate me though. As Winnow said - accents = Even a good ole southern boy with a drawl will make my knees weak!

i grew up in the south and my teacher taught his spanish class in a deep southern drawl. is partly why i never picked up the language.

*~*stragi*~* · Post by ***~*stragi*~*** » March 3, 2005, 4:26 pm

Kithyen · Post by **Kithyen** » March 3, 2005, 4:42 pm

Korben Dallas wrote:Lady, I only speak two languages, English and bad English

Drolgin Steingrinder · Post by **Drolgin Steingrinder** » March 3, 2005, 4:52 pm

multipass?

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » March 3, 2005, 4:59 pm

1!

can speak French and Spanish well enough to be a tourist.

can order a beer in German

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » March 3, 2005, 5:05 pm

nobody wrote:
Kindo wrote:I only know English unfortunately. Multi-lingual people facinate me though. As Winnow said - accents = Even a good ole southern boy with a drawl will make my knees weak!
i grew up in the south and my teacher taught his spanish class in a deep southern drawl. is partly why i never picked up the language.

When I was taking classes in Germany I was told that I spoke German with a drawl, does that count?!

masteen · Post by **masteen** » March 3, 2005, 5:05 pm

Eine Bier Bitte!

Zygar_ Cthulhukin · Post by **Zygar_ Cthulhukin** » March 3, 2005, 5:28 pm

Kindo wrote:I only know English unfortunately. Multi-lingual people facinate me though. As Winnow said - accents = Even a good ole southern boy with a drawl will make my knees weak!

Woohoo! Finally one good reason to be from Arkansas.

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 3, 2005, 5:39 pm

when I was in Germany I just held up one finger and said "Hefeweizen". I got along just fine

Ebumar · Post by **Ebumar** » March 3, 2005, 5:42 pm

I think programming languages count. They are a separate context from english. They often times use symbols which are not used in modern languages. In which case, 5+

.

Sirensa · Post by **Sirensa** » March 3, 2005, 6:37 pm

Programming languages don't count you cheaters.

You don't "speak" them!

Does pig-latin count? Cause I'm way fluent in that.

Oh and I think "southern" is it's own dialect.

Fash · Post by **Fash** » March 3, 2005, 6:39 pm

Just english... I had spanish in school and was good at it, but that was ages ago... The most recent attempt I made at learning a language was Japanese.. I have the Pimsluer course, but other things stopped me from getting too far into it.

Nihongo ga sukoshi wakarimasu, demo mada jouzu ja arimasen.

if you include programming languages, it's an even 10.

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 3, 2005, 6:40 pm

i watched a documentary called "do you speak american" that detailed many different dialects and the appalaichan(sp) dialect was by far the most interesting and out there. but supposedly has died off and is no longer it's own, being mixed with other less unique douthern dialects.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » March 3, 2005, 7:02 pm

At one point, I was almost fluent in Spanish. I'm truly amazed at how fast you lose it when you no longer use it on a daily or near daily basis.

I can still understand (translate into English, what someone is saying in Spanish), and I can still read with no problems. But I can't remember how to say anything. I have a feeling it's all still in there, however...would just take practice.

MooZilla · Post by **MooZilla** » March 3, 2005, 7:39 pm

im learning spanish right now.

archeiron · Post by **archeiron** » March 3, 2005, 7:52 pm

Truant wrote:At one point, I was almost fluent in Spanish. I'm truly amazed at how fast you lose it when you no longer use it on a daily or near daily basis.

I can still understand (translate into English, what someone is saying in Spanish), and I can still read with no problems. But I can't remember how to say anything. I have a feeling it's all still in there, however...would just take practice.

At the end of my "high school" career, I was fluent in Spanish (reading University level literature) and Dutch (lived there). Within two years of finishing school, my French was good enough to maintain a relationship with a French girl that didn't speak English (best way to learn a language, evah!). In the time since university (read: after I split up with my French girlfriend), I haven't used any of those three more than to swear at someone (read: the last thing I ever said to her!).

I can speak with an Irish, English (southeast), American, and Australian accent for what that is worth, but I doubt I could survive any deep conversations in any of the three languages I used to be able to speak well. Seven years of inactivity can really build up a lot of cobwebs on that kind of knowledge.

I probably should have answered one, but eh... . /shrug

It scares me how little I can force myself to remember right now; it would probably come flooding back if I was forced to live amongst Spanish, French, or Dutch speaking people, but I have trouble remembering damned easy things right now!

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 3, 2005, 10:37 pm

Kelshara, do you speak Finnish?

Trias · Post by **Trias** » March 3, 2005, 11:33 pm

English and German(somewhat, lack of use has made me pretty rusty)

i've also been trying to teach myself some basic Japanese for the past few months and it seems to be very difficult to speak japanese properly...at least for me heh

i'm going to look into some summer courses i can take on it perhaps...will be nice to at least speak the language at a basic level before i visit summer 2006

Trias · Post by **Trias** » March 3, 2005, 11:37 pm

oh...and i am pretty good at reading/translating Turospeak(tm) and Slabspeak(tm)

Sneekz · Post by **Sneekz** » March 4, 2005, 4:57 am

Learning about another culture and learning their language are two different things, I like to consider myself knowledgable of many cultures but I can't speak much of their languages. In Europe its customary for children to grow up learning a few different languages, but not in America, thats why many Americans can't speak secondary languages. Maybe I'm ignorant, I blame the schools for not offering courses in language until high school, which is too late.

I'm no psych major, but according to a proffessor I had in college if you don't use a certain part of your brain for a while it deteriorates. So when you try to go back and learn a second language 10 or 20 years later, you have to use a different part of the brain to learn it, which is why its so hard to do as an adult.

Sionistic · Post by **Sionistic** » March 4, 2005, 1:32 pm

Fluent in English, Spanish
A Very very limited knowledge of german, so I should have voted 2 not 3

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » March 4, 2005, 10:51 pm

nobody wrote:Kelshara, do you speak Finnish?

No. Finnish is in fact extremely different from Norwegian/Swedish/Danish. Finnish is closer to Russian I believe than to anything else (I am not an expert so don't quote me on that..). However, most Fins also learn Swedish so it is ok.

I voted 4 for me.. Near perfect in 3 (2 Norwegian languages and English), and used to be fluent in French but it is a bit rusty. Am actually brushing up on it again atm due to work. Could also have said Swedish and Danish if I wanted to since that isn't too hard for a Scandinavian. So I rounded it out to 4

And hey programming languages don't count

That would give me more!

Personally, I believe learning languages forces you to learn more about a different culture as well. That will make you more tolerant and more understanding of not only that particular culture, but other cultures different from your own as well. I am very thankful that I learned languages, and am even more thankful that I've had a chance to travel a lot. Europeans are lucky that way, and unfortunately, most Americans who don't get a chance to travel don't know what they are missing out on. It is hard to understand just how.. enlightening.. it is to travel if you don't get a chance to. And military travel really doesn't count, you don't get to see the real people that way.

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 4, 2005, 11:48 pm

military does count half the time. i got to get out and meet real people in Germany. People knew i was American but not a soldier b/c i was on "vacation" and traveling in civilian clothes. i was so embarrassed when i went to mcdonald's and couldn't even order freedom fries (oops i mean french fries

). i had no trouble ordering beer though.

i was curious about Finnish b/c in the army they rank the laguages into difficulty and you have to score high enough on an aptitude test in order to learn them. Mandarin is a CAT 4, and Finnish is a CAT 5. only three languages are harder than English to learn as i understand it. Finnish, Estonian, and one other i can't remember.

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » March 4, 2005, 11:58 pm

What categories are the languages I speak, Russian and Spanish?

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » March 4, 2005, 11:58 pm

Finnish and Estonian are fairly close to eachother I think.. I know there is quite a bit of trade between the two countries. That was probably what I was thinking of when I said Russian. And yeah from what little I know of Finnish I'd believe it is hard to learn. Been told Norwegian is as well though but hell if I know.

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 5, 2005, 12:01 am

Lohrno wrote:What categories are the languages I speak, Russian and Spanish?

i'm sorry i don't speak moron, can you repeat that, por favor?

lol, Russian is a 4, and Spanish is easier to learn Pig Latin.

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » March 5, 2005, 12:04 am

nobody wrote: i'm sorry i don't speak moron, can you repeat that, por favor?

No, no you're doing very well! =D

lol, Russian is a 4, and Spanish is easier to learn Pig Latin.

I figured something like that. =D Odd that Mandarin is on the same class though I'd think it would be harder...

Kylere · Post by **Kylere** » March 5, 2005, 12:20 am

English, German, Dutch

nobody · Post by **nobody** » March 5, 2005, 1:03 am

There are only two things in this world I hate...those who are intolerant of other people's culture. And the Dutch.

Arborealus · Post by **Arborealus** » March 5, 2005, 4:55 am

I suck at many languages...

English and Latin I am decent in...I can usually puzzle out spanish, french and german written but butcher them all in speaking...

Does Jive count?...Shiiiiiiiit...

TheDarkreigns · Post by **TheDarkreigns** » March 5, 2005, 10:34 am

English and bad english!

Kylere · Post by **Kylere** » March 5, 2005, 3:28 pm

nobody wrote:There are only two things in this world I hate...those who are intolerant of other people's culture. And the Dutch.

Hating the dutch is like hating sex, drugs and rock and roll, but more stupid.

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » March 5, 2005, 3:30 pm

Kylere wrote: Hating the dutch is like hating sex, drugs and rock and roll, but more stupid.

It's a Steve Martin joke I believe...

Go to Tools->Internet Options->Advanced and uncheck the "Humor Filter" box. =D

Lynks · Post by **Lynks** » March 5, 2005, 3:33 pm

Isnt it an Austin Powers joke?

Lohrno · Post by **Lohrno** » March 5, 2005, 3:41 pm

Yes but I thought Steve Martin said it before...could be wrong.

Drolgin Steingrinder · Post by **Drolgin Steingrinder** » March 5, 2005, 4:17 pm

Kelshara wrote:Finnish and Estonian are fairly close to eachother I think.. I know there is quite a bit of trade between the two countries. That was probably what I was thinking of when I said Russian. And yeah from what little I know of Finnish I'd believe it is hard to learn. Been told Norwegian is as well though but hell if I know.

Finnish, Hungarian and Estonian are all finno-ugric languages - they're te only european languages not a part of the indo-european language family. The only other languages similar are samoyedic languages, mostly spoken in northern area of Russia and in northern Mongolia along the Ural.

Russian is a slavic language, which is a sub-family of the indo-european languages. It's most closely related to Ukrainian and Belarusian and, further out, Czech, Polish, Slovak, Macedonian, Bulgarian, Serbo-Croatian, and Slovenian.

This has been your Saturday Linguistics session.

Fesuni Chopsui · Post by **Fesuni Chopsui** » March 5, 2005, 4:28 pm

English, Spanish, Japanese, Hebrew...4

VeeshanVault

how many languages do you speak?

How many languages do you speak?

how many languages do you speak?

Re: how many languages do you speak?