Christian Forums

This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Do you speak another language?

Native: German
2nd language: English
3rd language: French (but quite rusty)
4th language: modern Greek (forgot everything of it except a few swear words)
5th language: Latin (forgot much of it too. Too bad Latin doesn't have swear words.)
I know enough Japanese to survive martial arts classes. Would love to actually learn the language.
Does Java count as a language?
 
1.Aussie : Native
2.Sarcasm : Exceptionally Fluent
3.Thai : Conversational

Aussie English is incredibly hard to understand. Reading it is obviously easy, but listening comprehension of Australian English is impossible. :angry3 Not even the Scots and the Texans are that hard to understand.
It should be considered a language of its own.
 
Aussie English is incredibly hard to understand. Reading it is obviously easy, but listening comprehension of Australian English is impossible. :angry3 Not even the Scots and the Texans are that hard to understand.
It should be considered a language of its own.
Wotchameanweezhardtaunnerstand? Iunnerstandevrythinuthaozeesaytame.
FairdinkumClaudyaIthinkyaproblybarkinuptawrongtreetheremoity!:biggrin2:nod
 
Wotchameanweezhardtaunnerstand? Iunnerstandevrythinuthaozeesaytame.
FairdinkumClaudyaIthinkyaproblybarkinuptawrongtreetheremoity!:biggrin2:nod
Hey that's what my English sounds like when I'm drunk. LOL "Barking up the wrong tree"? That's a cute metaphor!
 
Hey that's what my English sounds like when I'm drunk. LOL "Barking up the wrong tree"? That's a cute metaphor!

See you do Understand us Claudya! There are some great metaphors in Aussie English, I think it comes from our sense of humour and use of sarcasm as humor (in a nice way usually)
 
See you do Understand us Claudya! There are some great metaphors in Aussie English, I think it comes from our sense of humour and use of sarcasm as humor (in a nice way usually)

"Barking up the wrong tree" makes me imagine a not-so-bright dog failing at chasing squirrels. :lol
Gonna try to store that metaphor in my mind and use it when it fits the situation.
I can imagine you have some good metaphors.
The hard think to understand about Australians (especially for those who's first language isn't English) is the accent. In Europe we are taught British English at first and then American English, and of course we get to hear *a lot of* American English, but Aussie English sounds completely different than American, a bit closer to British, but still very different.
I wonder, if you are an English teacher, do you teach your students Aussie English, or do you aim at an accent free (if that's possible) pronounciation?
 
I am learning Japanese and I would LOVE to practice with someone who knows it!
If there's no one around, that's ok.

What languages can you speak?

Angel-san

Angel,
I would like to learn Japanese as well. I can count to 10 ;)
 
Angel,
I would like to learn Japanese as well. I can count to 10 ;)

I can count up to 4. And even though I couldn't hold a conversation, I do know quite a few words in Japanese when I think about it. For example, Honda, Suzuki, Yamaha, Subaru, Sony, Panasonic and a whole bunch of others.

The TOG​
 
Angel,
I would like to learn Japanese as well. I can count to 10 ;)
Hehe, me too. After so many years of Japanese martial arts you could wake me up in the middle of the night and I could count to ten in Japanese without even being fully awake. Often when I exercise, even if it isn't in a martial arts context, I count the repetitions of my push-ups or whatever in Japanese because that's how my brain learned to count sports exercise repetitions.

However, I noticed a funny thing, I can't really translate numbers, I can only count. So if someone would ask me what six is in Japanese I'd have to start counting "ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku...." while counting my fingers parallel at the same time. That's how I could tell you what six is in Japanese, but the two words aren't stored together in my head as different words for the same thing.
 
Hehe, me too. After so many years of Japanese martial arts you could wake me up in the middle of the night and I could count to ten in Japanese without even being fully awake. Often when I exercise, even if it isn't in a martial arts context, I count the repetitions of my push-ups or whatever in Japanese because that's how my brain learned to count sports exercise repetitions.

However, I noticed a funny thing, I can't really translate numbers, I can only count. So if someone would ask me what six is in Japanese I'd have to start counting "ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku...." while counting my fingers parallel at the same time. That's how I could tell you what six is in Japanese, but the two words aren't stored together in my head as different words for the same thing.
the pattern is easy up to 100
 
Hehe, me too. After so many years of Japanese martial arts you could wake me up in the middle of the night and I could count to ten in Japanese without even being fully awake. Often when I exercise, even if it isn't in a martial arts context, I count the repetitions of my push-ups or whatever in Japanese because that's how my brain learned to count sports exercise repetitions.

However, I noticed a funny thing, I can't really translate numbers, I can only count. So if someone would ask me what six is in Japanese I'd have to start counting "ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku...." while counting my fingers parallel at the same time. That's how I could tell you what six is in Japanese, but the two words aren't stored together in my head as different words for the same thing.
Well... I can't count yet but I can pronounce what you said!
 
Hehe, me too. After so many years of Japanese martial arts you could wake me up in the middle of the night and I could count to ten in Japanese without even being fully awake. Often when I exercise, even if it isn't in a martial arts context, I count the repetitions of my push-ups or whatever in Japanese because that's how my brain learned to count sports exercise repetitions.

However, I noticed a funny thing, I can't really translate numbers, I can only count. So if someone would ask me what six is in Japanese I'd have to start counting "ichi, ni, san, shi, go, roku...." while counting my fingers parallel at the same time. That's how I could tell you what six is in Japanese, but the two words aren't stored together in my head as different words for the same thing.

Claudia, you sound like me.
 
Claudya, there is an app I was using a little bit - one called Japanese (flash cards) and another called learn Japanese. Another way is to talk to someone who is Japanese. You can also get Japanese pen pals - so many of them really want to learn English.
 
I wonder, if you are an English teacher, do you teach your students Aussie English, or do you aim at an accent free (if that's possible) pronounciation?

I try to teach them British English as that is "true" English example Mum not mom and also the spelling in British English. Unfortunately next semester I'll have no choice as the Govt here is enrapture with all things US and as such are changing the course books to an American one.
I can actually put on a rather posh British accent to help with pronunciation for the kids, but sometimes they still repeat words back to me sounding like Aussies then I have to go syllable by syllable.
Most of the older kids (years 11 and 12) now say "g'day Paul how you going?" in the morning instead of the robotic "Good morning teacher Paul, How are you today sir?" they they have had drummed into them for so long.
If they are going to enter the world to work, they need conversational English, not some crud the learn by rote that doesn't fit into any conversation what soever.
 
Back
Top