Anyone speak other languages?

[oldtimer]

I spend several months a year in French and have visited France every year for over 50 years. My French is good enough to know how bad it is! In the market one day a stall holder answered me in English after I had addressed her in French. When I asked her how she knew I was was English, she replied thet she didn't, but that she could tell that I wasn't Frenchand as a European I'd be able to speak English even if it was not my first language. Therein lies the problem: over the years I have noticed that more and more French want to practise their English on me. As an ex-teacher I decided that it would be easier to teach all my French friends to speak English than to improve my French. My plan is working well and seems to have worked on all 50+million of them.

 

[Jaymzflood]

Me Mrs on the other hand learnt fluent Italian in 3 months, just shows me up more

Ask her how she done it and post back to me? Im waiting with bated breath!!!!

 

[Ahjno]

My Dutch is a bit rusty, but I manage. Also some German and French - not enough no be really fluent though. I've decided I want learn either Russian or Arab, just for fun 'n giggles really.

 

[cbr6fs]

Ask her how she done it and post back to me? Im waiting with bated breath!!!!

She's an English teacher (as a foreign language being as she's Greek) and seems to have a talent for languages as she picks them up mega quickly.

For Italian she used some on-line learning until the free lessons ran out then she read Italian books, watched Italian films and listened to Italian music with her Greek-Italian dictionary next to her, pausing on the words she didn't know then looking them up.

Funny thing is although i'm a born and bred Brit her English is a damn site more "correct" than mine.
It's a bugger when you move to Greece AND get English lessons from foreigners

 

[Woodcutter2]

So t
rue!
Without practice and contact with native speakers of a language I find that now my language skills are very "rusty"....

Very true, its the "use it or lose it" thing, when I first got to France I could speak a healthy dose of Spanish from my travels in the trusty camper but very little French now I find a lot of the automatic response Spanish has gone, pushed out by French which is used everyday, but living here the ability to converse, argue and swear in the native tongue helps a lot!

 

[Dreadhead]

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!!!!!

oh aye its a massive help. itsmostly folk/traditional music i listen tae but a little scandanavian rock or metal inbetween. the movies really help and recently discovered lars monsen on youtube which is braw for it tae

 

[Miyagi]

I'm Canadian.
I have fairly good command on both English as well as French....

Say again but a bit slower please?


Liam

 

[Salaud]

I returned home after living for a few years in France and was hitching to see my girlfriend, I got a lift off a French teacher, so naturally I spent the entire time speaking to her in French, when the journey ended she confessed that she had hardly understood a word due to my strong Bordeaux accent and use of colloquialisms...I guess what they teach in school is not that relevant !!! thats not the only time the accent has caused issues, try screaming at an arresting gendarme that you dont speak french in a thick local accent and they also dont believe you. Whenever we go to France if one of my mates goes to the bar or initiates a conversation in French the answer is always in English.. If I do the same it is always answered with a torrent of rapid French, which usually leaves me going ...huh??? then they have to go ooopss sorry thought you were French.. yep I was fluent but that was 20+ years ago but now j`oublie trop..

 

[Doc]

I guess what they teach in school is not that relevant !!!.

As Miles Kington said:

Les Francaises ne parlent pas 'O' Level French.

'O' Level French est une passeport a nowhere.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Say again but a bit slower please?
Liam

He said..........

I'm! Canadian!.
I! have! fairly! good! command! on! both! English! as! well! as! French!!!!!!!....

 

[Bushwhacker]

Watching Sesame St and other kids shows in a foreign tongue is a good way to learn.

 

[Miyagi]

Ahhh, cheers Southey, I'm a bit Mutt n Jeff this morning!

The sawdust must have shifted...


Liam

 

[calibanzwei]

I've dabbled in German - secondary school and various trips. I would like to become more conversant in it - anywhere in Europe, if they don't speak English as their 2nd language, then they will usually know some German.

 

[Jaymzflood]

Watching Sesame St and other kids shows in a foreign tongue is a good way to learn.

Now....your not the first person to say that. 'Sesame street in another language', someone told me that the other day too! Might give that a go if I can find it.

 

[blacktimberwolf]

Ebay is a good place to learn languages, I've picked up quite a bit of eBay German...