The British. Multilingual Failures

[Maximowitz]

This thread is inspired by all the members of this fine forum who can speak other languages than their own native tongue.

Many times I've noticed members of this forum saying "Sorry for my poor English!" when that particular language is not their own. No, don't be sorry, frankly I find that you can communicate to me and others amazing and enviable. Let me explain.

I'm 47. When I went to school the teaching of other languages was not really considered a hot priority. When I was 13 I got the choice of learning French or French. So basically it was French. At 13.

No male of that age could possibly concentrate to the level needed while going through puberty. I was growing hair in strange places, getting odd swellings while looking at girls and wondering why my voice had dropped an octave overnight. The result? Er.... bonjour.

So... that's why the English are the way they are in a foreign country. If you didn't understand us the first time we'll just say it again MUCH LOUDER. The only reason we had an empire was because we didn't want to learn Urdu.

So to all multilinguists here. Rejoice and be proud! Mangle a few verbs and prepositions, you'll still be understood.

 

[Colin1]

This thread is inspired by all the members of this fine forum who can speak other languages than their own native tongue

Eengleesh peeg-dog
I speekadalingo mucho bueno like what you do, ja?

Those gringo-amerikanos, 233 years und they steel no speakadalingo mucho bueno

 

[imalko]

...So to all multilinguists here. Rejoice and be proud! Mangle a few verbs and prepositions, you'll still be understood.

I say, thanks awfully old chap! That's very nice of you to say so.
Cheerio!

 

[Lucky13]

Former colonials....sorry...Americans learning English? See, if you'd remained a colony, you wouldn't have that problem, you's speak properly already!





Not to mention Kiwis and Diggers!

 

[Maximowitz]

Former colonials....sorry...Americans learning English? See, if you'd remained a colony, you wouldn't have that problem, you's speak properly already!

Remember what Mark Twain said about that?


England and America. Two countries seperated by a common language.

 

[Lucky13]

Yup!

Just want to make sure that my Yankee friends know that I was kidding earlier...would hate to get banned!

 

[Clay_Allison]

I'm in Texas so I learned to speak Spanish in self defense.

 

[Lucky13]

We start with English in 4th grade, or we did when I was in School anyway, don't which grade now. We learn that up to the 7th grade, when we can decide to continue with English or go with French, German, Italian, Spanish or whatever...

I decided to stick with the English, which after I joined this forum, I'm d*mn glad that I did!

 

[imalko]

I speak Slovak language as my native tongue and Serbian as language of country in which I was born and live in.
As far as foreign languages go, I've started learning German in Elementary school and continued in High school, but I must admit I'm not that good with German and I forgot most of what I learned in School. As far as English goes, this is quite different story. I've "officially" started learning English in High School as my second foreign language and continued to learn at the University. But mostly I was self educated in this language by reading comics and books in English and by watching movies without subtitles. I also consider this forum as another good place to learn the English language.

 

[RabidAlien]

I took two years of Spanish in highschool. Passed by the grace of God and several cheat-sheets. I can order a hamburger and find the bathroom now. I do NOT have a gift for languages, by any means (although I think German would be a cool language to learn)!!! Yep, I'm with Max...the simple fact that someone has the ability to communicate in multiple languages, and give us here the opportunity to experience the differing viewpoints of at least five different nationalities (off the top of my head...there's probalby more!) spanning the globe, is simply awe-inspiring! Thanks for takin the time to stick around with us, and nope, I've never minded the occasional "odd" phrase or misplaced verbage!

(this one's good in any language!)

Although...I will say, I find it terribly annoying that the British refuse to speak proper English, and keep using that measurement system that can only be understood through the use of recreational drugs. And WTF is "cricket" anyway????

 

[Maximowitz]

I'll have to ask you about the rules of American Football then... and why the baseball World Series is only played in America!



God bless America.

Gibson Guitars

Traci Lords

Van Halen

*Salutes the Stars and Stripes*

 

[Lucky13]

I'll have to ask you about the rules of American Football then... and why the baseball World Series is only played in America!



God bless America.

Gibson Guitars

Traci Lords

Van Halen

*Salutes the Stars and Stripes*

God bless America....for the 20', 30's, 40's, 50's and 60's cars, their old railroads, 50's rock n' roll, rockabilly, proper hot rods and kustoms etc. etc.

Gibson Guitars? Gretch if you ask me!

Traci Lords...who??

Van Halen? You're taking the p*ss, right? Eddie Cochran, Buddy Holly, Johnny Burnette...

*Salutes the Stars and Stripes*...and any good flag that represents a country that's willing to fight for a free world!

 

[Maximowitz]

I'd also like to thank the Swedish for Ikea, Volvo and Abba.

And learning English in the 4th grade.

 

[Lucky13]

...and the fridge, wrench, propeller, colour in the computer, dynamite etc.

 

[evangilder]

I have learned fragments of languages, phrases here and there from my travels in the service. But to say I am adept at any of them would be an embellishment.

And some of you folks that are using English as your second, or third, or fourth language; your English is better than some of the native speakers here.

 

[Vic Balshaw]

I'm much older than just 47 and when I went to school, it was French or French and that was at the age if 13. What a lot of help that was with many of my years being spent in the Middle East countries. Up till about my mid 40s, the closest I ever got to France would have been Bournemouth.

So g'don ya all you multi lingual guys out there. Fair Dinkum.
8)

 

[wheelsup_cavu]

And some of you folks that are using English as your second, or third, or fourth language; your English is better than some of the native speakers here.

That is so true.


Wheels

 

[RabidAlien]

Lucky: Traci Lords - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[Ferdinand Foch]

And some of you folks that are using English as your second, or third, or fourth language; your English is better than some of the native speakers here.

Got that right! I got an idea. In order to pass an english class in the U.S., you must be able to decipher a statement with a very thick southern accent (no offense to those living in the south).

As for languages, through middle school into high school, we only had two big choices, Spanish or French. Vassili took Spanish, I took French. Vassili, after about six years of spanish, can say only one or two sentences (though he really did have a lot of crappy teachers). I know about thirty or forty words of French. I wanna learn it, but you don't use a lot of French in Connecticut.

 

[Amsel]

No se mucho espanol, pero es muy importante a hablar dos o mas lenguas. En este parte del nacion, hay dos lenguas, tejano y espanol. La historia de mi estado es muy rico; parte de americano, aleman, francais, espana, y por supuesto, mexicano. Tengo respecto por la gente quien son bilingue.