Are you into foreign languages?

As being in love with literature and travelling, it is my dream to learn as many languages as possible, especially, French and Russian. So, I could read the literature in those languages instead of the translated versions. And so, I could meet different people in the world and see/discover their culture and way of living.

But it seems like that the dream will be left a dream, as I am not getting a way how to learn French. I found some guides online but it is not helping much...But again, one has to struggle to achieve something....

I speak Japanese, as my mother tongue. I have learnt English at school, but also by traveling to the US, Ireland and England. I am currently improving my French, living in Belgium. I understand Spanish but have difficulties speaking.

I love studying languages, it really is a reflection of its country and culture. Plus, it allows people from different origins to get to know each other and learn from each other.

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Originally Posted by Jtolj

I am sort of. It's fascinating to see the different ways people speak (and all the ways in which I am thankful for the simplicity of English). I am also a speaker of Spanish and hope to attain a great deal more by the end of this year after I finish the dictionary. Are you into linguistics and which languages do you speak?

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I am a speaker of German (alright, it is my mother tongue but still... I hear people have difficulties with it ;) ), English and French. Though, as for french ... let's not say "I speak it", let's say "I stutter and write it".

But on the whole, I enjoy languages very much. I loved Latin (and English and French) very much when I attended it at school and would have given anything to learn Greek as well.

I'm hoping to learn Portuguese some day and Chinese. And basically any language I come across. ;) A few words here and there would be nice in any language. But mostly languages interest me that other family members haven't covered.

I speak English, Greek and Italian fluently...don't know which one is supposed to be my mother tongue (a heated debate between my two flatmates who do linguistics!) but I do manage to get confused sometimes and "forget" words in 1 language but not in the other two. Very weird.
I also did Spanish last year, very easy because of the Italian...but haven't practised it so that's slipping! Started French this year: I've always loved the language and finally I get to learn it. Yay!!
Does Latin count? Can't say I know it really. We did 4 years at school but in the end I felt I was left with a bunch of grammar rules and a mode of pronouncing Latin which may very well be incorrect! And I didn't like it one bit..
I'd also like to learn Portugese and Arabic...but maybe later on!!

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Originally Posted by Jtolj

Spanish is rather boring with simplified and repitive phonetics

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simplified? from what?
nope, languages don't need a past tense, I'm afraid.
(Yesterday I go to fast food place--> you can express the idea of past time without a past tense)

I speak German, English and took Latin and Classical Greek at school (for 7 and 3 years respectively). I used to take a Russian course but I quit because it was cr*p, will take it up again at some stage, though. I also know some bits of Norwegian because I took a course for half a year...

(ah, Themis, you're Austrian right? What's a Kindsverzahrer? Does it mean Kindesentführer? cf. Natascha Kampusch's interview? for the benefit of those who don't know German: I'm talking about the guy who abducted that Austrian girl and kept her in his carshed for 8 years. there seem to be different words for this kind of person in German and Austrian)

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Originally Posted by SleepyWitch

(ah, Themis, you're Austrian right? What's a Kindsverzahrer? Does it mean Kindesentführer? cf. Natascha Kampusch's interview? for the benefit of those who don't know German: I'm talking about the guy who abducted that Austrian girl and kept her in his carshed for 8 years. there seem to be different words for this kind of person in German and Austrian)

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Actually, the word is "Kinderverzahrer" and it's not exactly the same as Kindesentführer, its possible means also include [sexual] abuse.

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Originally Posted by SleepyWitch

simplified? from what?
nope, languages don't need a past tense, I'm afraid.
(Yesterday I go to fast food place--> you can express the idea of past time without a past tense)

I speak German, English and took Latin and Classical Greek in school (for 7 and 3 years respectively). I used to take a Russian course but I quit because it was cr*p, will take it up again at some stage, though. I also know some bits of Norwegian because I took a course for half a year...

(ah, Themis, you're Austrian right? What's a Kindsverzahrer? Does it mean Kindesentführer? cf. Natascha Kampusch's interview? for the benefit of those who don't know German: I'm talking about the guy who abducted that Austrian girl and kept her in his carshed for 8 years. there seem to be different words for this kind of person in German and Austrian)

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Phonetic is as pertaining to the sound of the language.

I know jtol, I'm a linguist myself (and I mean a real one, as in someone who studies linguistics at univ. Sorry to brag :) )
my question was: what do you mean by simplified phonetics? If Spanish has 'simplified' phonetics then there most me some phonetically more complex language you compare it to?

Well, it has always seemed to us that the phonetics of irish and french, for example, are complicated. In our mother tongue(estonian), you read a word how it is written, but in some languages it pronounces completely differently. Of course, since we are not very versed in the area of specific linguistic terms in English we might be talking total nonsense.

But yes, we like foreign tongues.
Know:
English
German (arguably)

Am studying french.
Have tasted irish, russian and italian. Plan to learn them more one day.

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Originally Posted by SleepyWitch

I know jtol, I'm a linguist myself (and I mean a real one, as in someone who studies linguistics at univ. Sorry to brag :) )
my question was: what do you mean by simplified phonetics? If Spanish has 'simplified' phonetics then there most me some phonetically more complex language you compare it to?

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English. Stuff that has lot's of vowel sounds. Spanish has five vowel sounds. If you were to consider certain clusters, English has upwards of 15. A variety of vowel sounds, preferably what would be consider English short vowel sounds, sounds a lot better. That's why almost all the other Romance Languages sound better, in my opinion, for they've shorter vowel sounds and variety.

I speak a little bit of Italian, some Spanish, a few words in German and basics in Korean. Chinese and Japanese languages are better to learn, my mom reckons. Good for business dealings, she says. :)

I adore languages... all of them. I would positively love to learn Latin for the sake of the knowledge, and German for the sake of the sounds. I've heard it called the "coughing, spitting language." Pooh. I think it's gorgeous. It's so guttural and bubbly. Unfortunately, I'm stuck fighting my way through Spanish, instead. More useful than either, and I've got a head start from high school Spanish. (I've got to take twelve credit hours of a foreign language to get my B.A.)

Languages of all kinds come easy to me, and I'm sure some day I'm going to regret not learning a handful while I was young. I can't imagine learning English as a second language. I'm deeply in love with the English, but it's such a convoluted language. (But? I think I meant to say, "because"!)

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Originally Posted by SummerSolstice

I adore languages... all of them. I would positively love to learn Latin for the sake of the knowledge, and German for the sake of the sounds. I've heard it called the "coughing, spitting language." Pooh. I think it's gorgeous. It's so guttural and bubbly.

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Eh? I do wonder how some people cough and spit. I can see no similarity at all.

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. I can't imagine learning English as a second language. I'm deeply in love with the English, but it's such a convoluted language. (But? I think I meant to say, "because"!)

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I can relate to that. Only regarding German. ;)

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Originally Posted by Themis

Eh? I do wonder how some people cough and spit. I can see no similarity at all.

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I think the guy who said it was thinking of the people who try to speak German. ^_^ A lot of the sounds in it--I don't know any german at all, so I'll use the sound at the end of the interjection "Ach" as an example, whatever language that's originally from--are ones that conversational English is entirely devoid of, so it sound harsher or they say it harsher than it really is. Kind of like people imitating a Spanish accent who way overtrill their 'r's.

yay! so many people here like Latin!!!

i love it. but possibly because it's my only other language. but it stil rocks. :)