topic Re: Another language in Among Friends

Another language

qualitygal — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 14:08:48 GMT

As I stated in another thread, I'm watching a film, and have to read what they are saying. Then I wondered what my name would be like in another language, since this is Icelandic and I'd have guessed Swedish from how it sounds. It's comforting to listen to them talk.

I love to listen to Italian, and French and English from Englanders. I speak no other language, but they are interesting.

Do you speak another language?

Re: Another language

ms traditional — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 14:23:18 GMT

yes - Hebrew, Russian and French (and know Latin but we don't really "speak" it!)

Re: Another language

Zhills — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 14:57:11 GMT

Does "Southern" count?

Re: Another language

Nataliesgramma — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 15:19:31 GMT

My parents used to talk to MY PARENTS in their language often....maybe it was when they didn't want us youngsters knowing what they were talking about....LOL

Re: Another language

chrystaltree — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 15:58:13 GMT

I do not speak any other languages but I cannot relate at all to just listening to the sounds of another language. That's another thing that Europeans have over us, many are bilingual and many speak some English. I want to speak and read Spanish spend time in Spain.

Re: Another language

FrostyBabe1 — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 18:07:08 GMT

I can make myself understood and get around in Spanish and French. I'm not fluent, but I can make it work.

Re: Another language

blackhole99 — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 20:34:08 GMT

I know enough Polish, Russian, German and Spanish to be dangerous. lol My son's girlfriend used to laugh her keister off when my son and I would speak Spanish around her and I have had more than one Russian speaking person roll their eyes at me. I get along best with Polish and German because my grandmother's were of that extraction.

Re: Another language

Bibione — Sat, 14 Oct 2017 21:32:28 GMT

I am writing from Italy where I am visiting my mother.Got a couple of packages from Qvc Italy.I used to speak German when I worked in an office renting apartments to Germans.My hometown is a popular beach resort near Venice.

Re: Another language

hckynut — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 00:01:01 GMT

Nope.

hckynut(john)

Re: Another language

I am still oxox — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 00:23:02 GMT

Leaned French in school, I can speak it somewhat if really needed, it does come back if someone will speak to me slowly.

I understand some Yiddish, my Mom was fluent, and she and dad would speak it when they didn't want us to know what was happening. Also she spoke to an old family friend in Yiddish

Re: Another language

Vivian — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 17:27:27 GMT

I speak French. I had taken it in school and then took it up again about 20 years ago. My hobby is studying French and then visiting French-speaking countries. I love the language in all its accents and dialects. My visits to France, Belgium, Switzerland, and Québec have been immeasurably enriched by my speaking French. I think it’s good for mental agility too.

Re: Another language

libbyannE — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 17:57:10 GMT

French, because six years of it were required where I went to school, and

German, which I minored in at college. But I speak both rather badly, in my opinion! At least I can get by when we're in Europe.

Re: Another language

Mominohio — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 18:31:48 GMT

Had four years of Spanish in high school, and four quarters in college (yep, back when college year was divided into quarters), and would read novels in Spanish, and even think in Spanish oftentimes.

Over the years I have lost the conversational part of it all, but I could still communicate enough to get by in the language.

In fact, several years ago, we were painting the outside of our house. One day, rain was expected, and I needed to know how many hours it would take the paint to be 'dry to touch'. I had spilled paint down the label covering all the English directions and information, but I could read the Spanish directions and get the information I needed to know.

We also live in an Amish community, and they are rather rude when in mixed company (referring to language not gender), and when they don't want you to know what they are talking about, they communicate with each other in their German/Dutch so the "English can't understand them. Right in the middle of a conversation with you, they will turn to each other and communicate in the other language and exclude you. I find it very off putting and rude to do that in the company of others regardless of the language and nationalities involved.

So my son had 8 years of Spanish in school as well, and when they would start this, we'd simply begin to converse in Spanish. Needless to say, it didn't go over well, and we got some strange looks when we gave them a dose of their own medicine!

I personally think everyone should try to learn another language, at least one. There are so many aids/programs now that are supposed to be much easier than the way we were taught back in the day.

Re: Another language

Q4u — Mon, 16 Oct 2017 01:01:15 GMT

I had taken a few of years of Spanish in school, and can understand far more than I can articulate. My Dad was fluent in Spanish and was a technical editor in English and Spanish. Living near the Mexican border, he and I would go down there to shop and "practice". I was far better back then but can awkwardly get by today. But DH and I no longer live in So. Calif. so the opportunities are far less.

Oldest son speaks Swiss German, German, and some Swedish.

Re: Another language

Moonchilde — Tue, 17 Oct 2017 01:07:42 GMT

Four years of Spanish and at one time could speak it tolerably well. I would now speak it poorly, especially grammar/tense-wise, but I can still read it much better than speak it and understand a certain amount. When you grow up in CA you understand ‘Spanglish’ without giving it a thought and use it without giving it a thought as well.

Re: Another language

dex — Tue, 24 Oct 2017 13:56:20 GMT

@Mominohio

@Mominohio wrote:
Had four years of Spanish in high school, and four quarters in college (yep, back when college year was divided into quarters), and would read novels in Spanish, and even think in Spanish oftentimes.

Over the years I have lost the conversational part of it all, but I could still communicate enough to get by in the language.

In fact, several years ago, we were painting the outside of our house. One day, rain was expected, and I needed to know how many hours it would take the paint to be 'dry to touch'. I had spilled paint down the label covering all the English directions and information, but I could read the Spanish directions and get the information I needed to know.

We also live in an Amish community, and they are rather rude when in mixed company (referring to language not gender), and when they don't want you to know what they are talking about, they communicate with each other in their German/Dutch so the "English can't understand them. Right in the middle of a conversation with you, they will turn to each other and communicate in the other language and exclude you. I find it very off putting and rude to do that in the company of others regardless of the language and nationalities involved.

So my son had 8 years of Spanish in school as well, and when they would start this, we'd simply begin to converse in Spanish. Needless to say, it didn't go over well, and we got some strange looks when we gave them a dose of their own medicine!

I personally think everyone should try to learn another language, at least one. There are so many aids/programs now that are supposed to be much easier than the way we were taught back in the day.

@LOL I think I have had that experience too but with someone speaking a different language.I remember thinking if you are saying something insulting about me it won't work in that language.

Re: Another language

patbz — Wed, 25 Oct 2017 00:16:39 GMT

Had two years of French in HS and another two years in college. I lived in Germany for eight years and took German through college extension. Although I'm not fluent in either language, I know enough to decipher signs/menus in Romance languages plus German (especially if I've had a beer--to take away some of my inhibitions). Even in Brazil (where they speak Portuguese) German helped some, as many speak it as a second language. My best travel aide is a fold out laminated thingy where you just point to a picture in order to communicate many travel related issues.