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Anyone speak other languages?

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been learning norwegian for nearly a year now with a learn norwegian book and cd. also watch as much norwegian films and mostly listen tae swedish music which can be very similar. spend most days rambling away tae myself...tis very rewarding!
 
Hi there
Since I arrived in France in 1987 we've spoken French home... (first wife French, second wife French & Canadian)

I tried to speak English as much as possible to my kids...but not always easy in a French speaking environment. The eldest did ok and is fluent, he is now reading chemistry at Cardiff uni....

My younger son has really good marks in English and understands most of what is said.... but we still mostly speak French.

My step-daughter despite being Canadian, refuses to speak English with me. She is though top of her class in English with virtually 20/20 marks.

cheers
Gareth
 
Lived in Paris for 5 years, and became good as dammit fluent in the language.

I came back to the UK 6 years ago, and while a bit of rust obviously settles in I can slip back into it no problem.


I think that speaking another language to a proficient is really beneficial on a number of levels.

Alex
 
I can pronounce Welsh, but I don't know what it is that I'm saying.
I can count to ten in Russian (learned it in school) and know a few Russian words

Languages not my strong point.

I categorically do not speak Wife, and she doesn't speak Husband. Probably why we get along so well...
 
dreadhead said:
been learning norwegian for nearly a year now with a learn norwegian book and cd. also watch as much norwegian films and mostly listen tae swedish music which can be very similar. spend most days rambling away tae myself...tis very rewarding!
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does watching the films and listening to the music help at all? That was another hint i read off the net, but id need to find Italian Rock bands coz i hateeeeeeee POP!!!!!
 
as others have said, i used to speak a few different languages, namely Spanish, Italian, Russian & a smattering of Arabic, but since ive stopped travelling to those countries/areas of the world, the ability and need has dwindled somewhat, I did O level French at school and i cant remember a word of it now.
 
Jaymzflood said:
does watching the films and listening to the music help at all? That was another hint i read off the net, but id need to find Italian Rock bands coz i hateeeeeeee POP!!!!!
Click to expand...

i watched Monty Pythoins Life of Brian in Portugeese when i was working in Lisbon, one of the funniest things ive ever seen, strange thing was after a while, it did kind of make sense:) - Obligado
 
Great thread by the way. I'm currently studying french at A level at school, its a subject that i've always had an aptitude for and was always a step ahead up til this year when it gets a lot harder. As far as the curriculum goes, i'm okay, as far as conversation in french goes, i can handle myself well. I wouldn't call myself fluent but I could have a good ol' chinwag with someone in french, I find it sort of comes naturally although I'd really like to try different languages, Japanese, Italian and Swedish are one that interest me particularly, for now though, i need to focus on getting a good grade in my A levels. Very interesting topic this.
cheers,

outdoorpaddy
 
Libyan Arabic for me, father worked there when we were kids, many fond memories as the Libyan people are, despite media reports, very much like us. Apart from the polite stuff have forgotten a lot of it and can no longer read and write it.

Have spoken Japanese since the age of 12 and even though it lapses through lack of use at times, I can understand what's being said and then the brain kicks in. I can write a small amount and recognise a small number of characters - nursery level basically.

I found Spanish very easy and used to be fluent but struggle to reply as its very, very rusty although I can still understand most of it.

Born to blether...


Liam
 
Last edited:
Biker said:
"...Word of warning to others tempted to learn another language. Your brain has a place reserved for it called the language centre. It has limited amount of space in there. Thus anything new you add to it such as another language something gets replaced/overwritten so expect your ability to remember English words to be great reduced..."
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about things being edged out through lack of space but things certainly fade from lack of use.

I speak French, enough to have a fairly detailed conversation about a persons ancestry and animal husbandry. I can navigate around towns, markets, bars and shops in several other European languages and I have spent the past six years learning Hungarian. Six years and I'll probably need another twenty before I am fluent. :)
 
I speak Greek.
No where near correct but i can get myself understood.

After 12 years though my Greek should be better than it is, i just don't pick up languages easily though.

Me Mrs on the other hand learnt fluent Italian in 3 months, just shows me up more :lmao:
 
I am a Frankophile who lived in France for a long while, so not too bad.

I was told that you only need three phrases in any language to get by:
-How much?
-Too much.
-I pay tomorrow.
 
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