Are you any good at foreign languages?
By John Welford
@indexer (4852)
Leicester, England
October 22, 2018 2:33pm CST
I appreciate that many people are fluent in more than one language, but it tends to be those whose native language is not English but who have found that knowledge of English is essential for them.
In the UK it is normal for the first foreign language taught at school to be French, and after that German or Spanish are sometimes added. I spent three stints in Wales for my higher education, all three being in Welsh-speaking areas, but I only ever picked up a smattering of the language.
So maybe I should have a proper go at learning Welsh!
30 people like this
36 responses
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
22 Oct 18
I studied English and Russian at uni. I taught English for 40 years at secondary grammar schools in Germany and Russian for 20 years. When Russian was cancelled because the interest dwindled, I taught Italian for another 20 years. I can speak enough Turkish to puzzle Turks. Some sentences in Danish with a Swedish accent. No idea where this has come from.
Next May I'm going to visit Uzbekistan. I've already bought a language guide.
6 people like this
@GreatMartin (23677)
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
23 Oct 18
I'm still learning American--someday I hope to learn English!
I took Spanish in High School but it wasn't until I lived with a Cuban lover that I really learned Spanish---first all the curse words!! :O)
4 people like this
@allknowing (130066)
• India
23 Oct 18
In India although English is not their foreign language most educated are quite fluent and that includes me.
I have picked up a bit of German but having no opportunity to use it have lost touch.
2 people like this
@MALUSE (69413)
• Germany
24 Oct 18
@allknowing Goody! The Goethe Institut has a good reputation worldwide.
What did you do it for? Could/can you use German for your job or are you just interested in the language?
1 person likes this
@Courage7 (19633)
• United States
22 Oct 18
Welsh is a lovely language. Gaelic or The Irish is the language I should have learned but didn´t as my Irish born Mother herself only knew a bit of it. But she knew enough to teach us to be quiet around company lol
The other side of the family taught us a bit of Sicilian. Latin in the Catholic school.
I learned a bit of Russian in school in England and a bit of French in school this side of the ocean.
I am a bit of this and that but not enough to speak anything other than English.
The other side of the family taught us a bit of Sicilian. Latin in the Catholic school.
I learned a bit of Russian in school in England and a bit of French in school this side of the ocean.
I am a bit of this and that but not enough to speak anything other than English.3 people like this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
22 Oct 18
I know what you mean. I surprised myself a few years ago by being able to make myself understood in French during a visit to Paris, but have not had to use it since. I did once start to learn Russian, following a work assignment in Moscow, but did not get very far with it.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
23 Oct 18
I take it that English is not your native language? If so, who taught it to you, because that might determine any accent you have picked up.
@Meemee28 (9)
•
23 Oct 18
I know Russian because I dated a guy back in my 20's who taught me Russian. He didn't speak any English when he first moved here to Pennsylvania back in the early 90s when I first met him, but I would say his English is better than mine now and I took German and Spanish in high school. My Russian is getting rusty now.
2 people like this
@mesbakh (2284)
• Indonesia
23 Oct 18
@indexer they are very different language grammatically. indonesian is branch of malay language (like people in malaysia and brunei and southern thailand). but as time goes on, so many vocabularies from both are absorbed by each other. i use both language in daily life, but indonesian usually used in formal occasioan and javanese for daily activity or informal occasion. but language mixing is inevitable in here. unfortunately younger generation dont speak javanese a lot, because it is not used at school to deliver material or subject
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
23 Oct 18
Are there many differences between Javanese and Indonesian? Do you find yourself slipping from one to the other during conversations?
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104632)
• United States
22 Oct 18
Prynhawn Da! or well Noswaith Da since it's practically night there now.
I made a go of learning Welsh at one point but overall gave it up. There are some resources online, including the Duolingo app. I've come across SaySomethingInWelsh.com as well as the "Now You're Talking!" series you can find on Youtube.
I think the Mutations would be the hardest part of Welsh.
2 people like this
@xFiacre (12596)
• Ireland
22 Oct 18
@indexer Although a native speaker of English I spent most of my childhood in a remote corner of Africa and spoke English at home but Tumbuku playing about in the bush. Then I did a degree in French and have now (belatedly) started to learn Irish.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
22 Oct 18
Tumbuku is a new one to me. Is it spoken in Mali by any chance?
@JamesHxstatic (29242)
• Eugene, Oregon
23 Oct 18
I took French in high school, then two years in college. I like to think I can speak a little. Most Americans are lucky to speak English well.
2 people like this
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
23 Oct 18
I only speak English for my international language but I want to learn Spanish and Japanese.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
23 Oct 18
@ilocosboy Thanks for that - I have learned something new!
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
23 Oct 18
What is the most common language in The Philippines? I always imagined it was Spanish, but has English overtaken it?
@ilocosboy (45157)
• Philippines
23 Oct 18
Aside from Tagalog, its still English. It used to be Spanish during the early years
@Hannihar (129443)
• Israel
23 Oct 18
@indexer
I was born in the United States so English is my Mother Tongue. I moved to Israel in 1986 and learned Hebrew but languages are not easy for me. I took French in High School. I do not speak fluent Hebrew but try to speak it as best I can here. Languages have not been easy for me to learn.
2 people like this
@japanesesamurai (2196)
• Japan
23 Oct 18
i am good at english,japanese and tuskish and i can speak some german!
i think its fun to learn new languages
2 people like this
@marguicha (215403)
• Chile
22 Oct 18
I think that I write fairly well in English. My native tongue is Spanish and never needed English for a job.
1 person likes this
@marguicha (215403)
• Chile
23 Oct 18
@playertwo True. In my country not many people need English to get a job.
@xander6464 (40872)
• Wapello, Iowa
23 Oct 18
Guten Tag! Yes, I speak German fluently but don't ask me any more cause that's all I remember. And if you ask about French, I can say, "Oui!"
1 person likes this
@xander6464 (40872)
• Wapello, Iowa
24 Oct 18
@indexer I know that one, too! I know a lot more French than I thought!
@KristenH (33351)
• Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
23 Oct 18
@playertwo Ah. I know very little German and some Japanese.
@JohnRoberts (109857)
• Los Angeles, California
22 Oct 18
I can barely cope with English!
1 person likes this
@hillhjill (23664)
• United States
22 Oct 18
Nope I only speak English, I wish I learned Spanish as my grandparents came over here from Spain.
1 person likes this
@indexer (4852)
• Leicester, England
23 Oct 18
@playertwo I did Latin at school and have found it very useful for understanding word origins in modern languages including English. It also introduced me to ancient history, which has long been an interest of mine.
1 person likes this
