Language Thread
 

I think I made a thread similar to this one a long time, but times change and new people show up. This thread is about languages. Do you speak a second or secondary language(s)? What languages do you speak or are learning? How difficult are they for you? What do you like about them, what do you hate about them? How did you come about learning the language? What reason? For fun? For school? For work or business?

I tried my hand at learning German back when all my friends were entering high school and taking up languages on the side for extra credit. I had to teach myself the language considering I wasn't at school at the time, but my ignorance of languages ended up preventing that. I thought all languages followed the same logic and structure of English and that learning a new language meant just building up vocabulary. I gave up German once I realized how wrong I was.

Oddly enough, I became interested in Russian culture around this time through German culture, when I was trying to absorb it to find an incentive to get past the harsh grammar and continue learning the language. I probably fell for the stereotypes of Russia: The rugged and manly nature, the success through struggle, the kind Russian grandma and grandpa, and the general Russian soul, but they compelled me to learn the language. I have a beginner's understanding of Russian now. It's nothing great. I can communicate and do communicate with my Russian friends here and there.

It's odd that I ditched German for the grammar, when Russian is considered by some to be one of the worst languages for grammar. It doesn't matter to me that Russian is sometimes difficult; There's always an incentive to keep me learning. I actually enjoy the culture, the country, the people, everything of interest. This is something I can't say for German and the other considerations I had.

In terms of love and hate, Russian is a double edged sword. The pronunciation sounds awesome, but it proves difficult at times for a boring white guy who lives in the United States. The grammar can be painful, but sometimes it makes sense and prevents huge misunderstandings that English sometimes isn't protected against. (For example, the following sentence: 'The cop approached the suspect and he raised his gun.' Who raised the gun? The cop or the suspect? Russian fixes this by using a special pronoun that refers to the subject specifically no matter how you use it.)

I now have a general interest in languages. They're pretty fascinating. I am currently learning Russian actively while picking up a little Italian (My bloodline is Italian, so I guess I can pay it a visit, lol) and currently studying the Korean Alphabet (which has so far proven to be pretty bad ass. It's a very logical and easy to comprehend alphabet). My life goal is to actually take in as many languages as possible. Languages have actually improved my view of the world. Learning a language means learning its place of origin and being opened to parts of the world that use the language. A lot of negative stereotypes or misconceptions have been completely washed away in my mind from the benefits of language. What about you?

English.

Nothing else.

It is nice that you have the enthusiasm.

I am lucky that English is the most wide know language, and that I am English. I really can't be arsed learning another.

If I learnt a new one, unless I used it often I'd forget it really quickly.

Same here. Maybe a few important words in German, some Japanese. That's pretty much it.

Don't use it, ya lose it.

I'm currently taking a Spanish class as part as my schedule as a senior.

But I probably won't use it later in life, it's too complicated. All the verbs and shit are harder to memorize, but it's a learning thing. I'm not going to speak fucking Spanish. I would instantly refuse if knowing Spanish was a prerequisite to any given job.

I am inactively pursuing expertise in Spanish, French, German, Finnish, and Russian.

You, sir, are a champion and a scholar.

Gracias, merci, danke, kiitos, i spasibo.

Fuck Cyrllic.

Primary: Finnish
Secondary: English

We had to learn Swedish in school for some years but cant really remember anything :D

English, some fragments of French retained from school, currently learning Italian.

i could just about get by in france.. perhaps some other latin derived speaking countries. cant say i understand a word of russian or anything else though!

I took German for 3.5 years in HS, but a lot of it has atrophied and only seems to come out during Oktoberfest.

Pig Latin, sup

Learning Japanese... took about a half a semester (had to drop it), but will take it again this summer and beyond (hopefully).

I took 4 years of German, and try to use it from time to time, but I feel like I've lost a lot of it.

btw.. Its pretty funny how close Estonian is related to Finnish..
I have never even tried to learn Estonian tho I can understand some of it if someone speaks it :P

i took spanish in high school and college, could definitely get by in spain or mexico. i talk to the mexicans at work in spanish all the time, so im getting better at understanding and speaking it (ive always been great with reading and writing it, but listening is a different story). they talk so goddamned fast that its hard to keep up!

Yeah I have the same problem. :\

Yeah, I am good at reading and writing Russian, but sometimes words that I understand in text go by unnoticed when it is spoken. This is because I usually forget how the word is pronounced. I don't have difficulties necessarily because the speakers talk fast; It's trying to tell where a word begins and ends. It seems the words 'slur' together.

I've always wanted to learn latin, though everyone says it's a 'dead' language.

I learned Russian for a year, spent about a year not using it and forgot most of it. Epitome of language learning

Between middle school, high school, and college I took 7 years of Spanish. I was getting good at understanding it for awhile, but then it started to slip. Nowadays, I can read/write it better than I can understand it, and I can understand it better than I can speak it. I need to go live in a Spanish-speaking country for 6 months or something.

Not to throw politics into this, I refuse to learn any Spanish at all. You move to another country, it's up to YOU to learn it's culture, language(s), and assimilate yourself into it.

I am learning German, though... although it's been a bit since I've worked with it. I figure, this way, when I move there in the future, I can live up to my expectations of Mexicans.

The USA's culture and languages are just whatever the fuck other people brought here. We are what we are because people came here, crushed the natives, and did their own thing.

Xenophobia's a pretty shitty personality trait.

It is hard not to learn conversational Spanish. At least where I live: every store and 80 percent of the products on store shelf have signs and branding in BOTH languages. Not to mention every form from private loan applications to government requests are in BOTH languages. So I can say that to live in a country for 20 years where in most areas you are exposed to English 24/7 and not being able to learn it says a whole lot to me.

Having said that I embrace the latino/mexican culture. I can hang over in latino hoods and have a good time. Almost got shot a few times but the fucking tacos are worth it. :) Some of those dudes come here and work really hard and want to help and love this country. Others are like progressive liberals who suck the life out of the system. Those people can fuck off.

So on topic. A little of Spanish, Arabic, and Portuguese. Although I forgot most of the Portuguese. I plan to learn Egyptian Dialects.

Gonna quote part of a post Mervaka made, and then deleted, because I agree with it. The USA *IS* made up of many people from many walks of life.... but the predominate language is English(actually the dirivitive thereof, known as American....) By promoting Spanish above and beyond all other languages(which, if there is anyone from Spain on here, they will tell you that American English is to real English what Mexican Spanish is to real Spanish).... you are slapping those other people who bring their other languages and cultures to this land, right in the face. The only time I see a fairly equal distribution of languages on products, is when they come from Europe.

Yes, English is the predominate language here.... so that being a given, learn it or stay isolated. -OR- be fair and adopt all of the primary languages for potential usage.

That's how it's done in Europe.... but then again, this country *IS* FUBAR'd...

i'd like to point out i deleted it because i realised this isn't the D&A forum.

Hyvää huomenta.

..menta -__-

That made me laugh so hard for some reason.

Took one 3 month course of Spanish in my final year of high school, and I'm living in South America right now. Rather spectacular how fast you pick up a language when you're forced to speak it.

In university I hope to do a formal study of English, because we're not taught grammar and structure and tenses in school. I'm also going to continue my study of Spanish, take up French for its practicality in Canada, and throw German in the mix as well.