How many languages do you know/speak?
By Lena Kovadlo
@lovebuglena (52144)
Staten Island, New York
August 11, 2020 3:17pm CST
I am originally from Minsk, Belarus. Two of the native languages there are Russian and Belarusian. I left Belarus when I was nine. I don't know why I know Russian but not Belarusian. The two alphabets are almost identical and many words are the same in both languages, or are very similar.
Since I know Russian I was able to do a few studies on Prolific that were only for Russian speakers. And the pay was pretty good too. It is definitely a benefit to know more than one language.
8 people like this
9 responses
@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
11 Aug 20
Asl (American Sign Language) though I’m rusty, and some Italian and of course English...
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
That must be a hard one to master. ASL I mean.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
@Michellekidwell Do you forget it if you don't use it regularly?
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@Michellekidwell (29953)
• Sonora, California
12 Aug 20
@lovebuglena It is, but such a beautiful language, I had friends in Highschool who were very hard of hearing so it made sense to learn it unfortunately I haven’t had much practice
1 person likes this
@ShyBear88 (59342)
• Sterling, Virginia
18 Aug 20
@lovebuglena yes, I was born in the US. Have lived in the US my whole live so the need for another language wasn’t need but also not required for schooling either. My parents also didn’t want me and my brothers being bilingual because with kids with learning disabilities it is very hard. Sign language is a lot easier but isn’t consider a language but I know some from when the kids where babies.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
18 Aug 20
@ShyBear88 When I went to high school here they made us take a foreign language. That was a requirement. I chose to take Spanish.
@sunil4ya (185)
• Bangalore, India
11 Aug 20
I speak three languages, Kannada ( my mother tongue), English, and a bit of Hindi.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
Being tri-lingual is great. I have never heard of Kannada.
1 person likes this
@sunil4ya (185)
• Bangalore, India
12 Aug 20
@lovebuglena Many confuse Canada for Kannada! But Kannada is a regional language in South India. It has Dravidian roots.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
13 Aug 20
@sunil4ya Why would people confused Kannada with Canada?
@dodo19 (48119)
• Beaconsfield, Quebec
13 Aug 20
@lovebuglena It isn't easy to learn, I find. With the different verbs and such. I guess I never thought too much of it growing up, mainly because I always spoke the language and such.
1 person likes this
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
13 Aug 20
@dodo19 I took Spanish and can't say it was easy.
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@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
French is pretty difficult to learn I bet... no?
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
11 Aug 20
I speak Danish and English. I used to be able to speak and write Italian pretty well, but I haven't used it much since I left Italy. I understand German. I can read German books or watch German movies, but I am not good at writing German. I studied French in high school. I haven't really used it since that time. I have also studied Spanish, Chinese, Japanese and Russian (beginner level) I can read simple words/sentences in Russian, but I read really slowly and my vocabulary is very limited.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
20 Aug 20
@lovebuglena I love languages. I have experienced the same thing as you, but in my case it was French. I studied it in high school, but I haven't used it much since that time.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
20 Aug 20
@Porcospino Downside to that is you forget a lot of stuff you learned.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
So you are multi-lingual then. 
That is impressive. I studied Spanish in high school (grades 9-12). I only know a little, unfortunately, especially since I have not used it for many, many years.
That is impressive. I studied Spanish in high school (grades 9-12). I only know a little, unfortunately, especially since I have not used it for many, many years.1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381760)
• Rockingham, Australia
12 Aug 20
I've been told that Russian is very hard to learn.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
I would say yes. But all languages are hard to learn to a degree.
1 person likes this
@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
12 Aug 20
I know about fifty words in German, but don't speak German. My grandpa spoke German, but my mother didn't. I can only speak English.
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
The only words I know in German are thank you and good morning.
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@kobesbuddy (78833)
• East Tawas, Michigan
12 Aug 20
@lovebuglena I can count and say a few phrases, but don't actually speak German.
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@LindaOHio (222222)
• United States
12 Aug 20
I mostly know English with a few Italian words thrown in. Congrats for the Russian studies!
@lovebuglena (52144)
• Staten Island, New York
12 Aug 20
Thanks. Glad I did them and that they were approved.
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