Languages

[retired_member33]

Was wondering which languages people here at Acorn speak.


Let me kick off:

Danish
Dutch
English
French
German

And occasionally I think I can speak Spanish and Turkish

 

[Edwin]

That's an impressive list.

In decreasing order of fluency...
English
French
Japanese (verbal)
Dutch (mainly reading)
Spanish (a bit, mainly reading)

 

[retired_member33]

How long did it take you to speak Japanese?

 

[Edwin]

How long did it take you to speak Japanese?

Well, I was out there 15 years

 

[aZooZa]

English
French
Latin

 

[retired_member33]

Well, I was out there 15 years

Yeah I heard something like that, but did you just learn it by picking up words or did you have a proper course?

 

[aZooZa]

Yeah I heard something like that, but did you just learn it by picking up words or did you have a proper course?

I think living there for fifteen years would equate to a proper course, although having said that, I've lived partly in Malaysia and China for twenty years and can't speak any Mandarin other than the 'please and thank you' stuff.

 

[Edwin]

Yeah I heard something like that, but did you just learn it by picking up words or did you have a proper course?

I never had a classroom course, but I did study at university on an informal basis (1 hour a week during term time) with the Japanese Society for 3 years before I moved out to Japan. That was enough to give me some basics to build on.

 

[retired_member33]

I never had a classroom course, but I did study at university on an informal basis (1 hour a week during term time) with the Japanese Society for 3 years before I moved out to Japan. That was enough to give me some basics to build on.

Must have been an amazing place to live, its still on my "to visit" list.

 

[aZooZa]

I'm sure you're quite fluent Edwin. I was going to have a stab at Mandarin until I discovered that in Hunan Province (China) they have a completely different language. It's interesting to note that in the UK, dialects can change for every 60 miles you travel. And to some, they are unintelligible.

 

[retired_member33]

I'm sure you're quite fluent Edwin. I was going to have a stab at Mandarin until I discovered that in Hunan Province (China) they have a completely different language. It's interesting to note that in the UK, dialects can change for every 60 miles you travel. And to some, they are unintelligible.

Talking about UK dialects... I still remember my first meeting in Northern Ireland.. It all went well when I was talking to the local manager but then the meeting started and there were 5 people from NI talking... Spent the rest of the meeting just nodding and saying yes

Then I had a meeting in Liverpool and one in Edinburgh and the same scenario repeated itself

 

[aZooZa]

Talking about UK dialects... I still remember my first meeting in Northern Ireland.. It all went well when I was talking to the local manager but then the meeting started and there were 5 people from NI talking... Spent the rest of the meeting just nodding and saying yes

Then I had a meeting in Liverpool and one in Edinburgh and the same scenario repeated itself

Phone calls are also a nightmare. I speak to many friends here on the phone and without the ability to lip read, it's very difficult. I have a London accent, and I get totally confused with the Mancunians and Geordies

My favourite UK accent is Birmingham. I just love it. Wish I could speak it

 

[Edwin]

I have massive difficulty understanding some regional accents, probably because I've hardly been exposed to them until now.

 

[retired_member33]

I have massive difficulty understanding some regional accents, probably because I've hardly been exposed to them until now.

All we learn over is just British English by a Dutch teacher with a horrible Dutch accent as from the 5th/6th grade. Luckily they are now employing teachers from the UK and Ireland who teach kids English starting at the age of 6/7, a brilliant thing to do.

Unfortunally I saw an E-petition saying that the UK shouldn't be part of the EU anymore which makes it even more difficult for schools in Europe to hire teachers from the UK, or for European companies to hire UK drivers or UK builders.. But I guess that's what the people in the UK want, stick on their little island and think their currency is the best and will survive every economical crash.

 

[aZooZa]

It's actually and practically impossible to 'teach' English. It's the most diverse language in the world and the syntax is deadly. Granted, you can teach the basics, but even in England you have to have enough 'smarts' to understand much of it.

 

[retired_member33]

It's actually and practically impossible to 'teach' English. It's the most diverse language in the world and the syntax is deadly. Granted, you can teach the basics, but even in England you have to have enough 'smarts' to understand much of it.

Naah, not really.. I would actually say its one of the easiest languages to learn,, the English vocabulary is very limited compared to other languages..

 

[aZooZa]

Naah, not really.. I would actually say its one of the easiest languages to learn,, the English vocabulary is very limited compared to other languages..

You're a very parochial guy then. Do you have any qualifications to make such a statement? I'm keen to know.

 

[Retired_member41]

We have workers from all over the world who come to us. There English sounds great, but they understand nothing outside the mr chumley warner vocabulary.

I speak Italian. But unless you intend to actually converse, the only words you need in Italy are quanta costa, si, non, ciao, grazi and prego. Body language does the rest lol

 

[retired_member33]

Removed

 

[aZooZa]

Sure, hows your Dutch or Afrikaan?

Or you know what.. let me know which languages you master and I will come up with ten words.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5_SP1ChuuY

I'm a master at English. It's my native language. I actually had English language (as an academic subject) severely beaten into me; like Latin. Is it your native language? Are you a native speaker? If you want a public pissing match, you've picked on the wrong guy And don't try looking things up in dictionaries -- the way I can speak it -- you'll never discover it that way. So bring it on! You might also suffer peer derision if you want to pursue this.

Edit: All 'tongue in cheek' of course