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Linguistic skills of SPers

Discussion in 'Whatnots' started by Djieff, Jul 19, 2004.

  1. Djieff Gems: 7/31
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    Just wondering about the linguistic proficiencies of the SP dwellers, since languages have always been an interest of mine.

    How many languages do you speak? Which one(s)? How and why did you learn your second, third, etc. language(s)? I'll start:

    1- First languague is French

    2- Second is English, not by choice but because we have to learn it in school where I grew up :borg:

    3- Third is Spanish - took classes in cégep (college) and continued all the way through university (made it all the way to Advanced level ;) )

    What about you?
     
  2. Alavin

    Alavin If I wanted your view, I'd read your entrails Veteran

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    My primary language is English, since I live in England.

    My second is French, because we learned it in school. I studied that for five years.

    My third is German, which I also learned in school, but only for three years.
     
  3. JSBB Gems: 31/31
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    My primary language is English.

    My second language is French - I took French classes for nine years when I was in school.
     
  4. 8people

    8people 8 is just another way of looking at infinite ★ SPS Account Holder Adored Veteran

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    I speak English as my main language

    Did a few years of German but don't remember most of it now. Did two years at school and three years at home as Mutti liked speaking german.

    I am doing French and am going to start my fourth year of learning it next year. I'm not good at it though.

    I speak a few words of Drow :p
    even in RL now, lol

    Also have my own language I use at home :o
    I'm just glad I haven't used it at school yet :)
     
  5. Barmy Army

    Barmy Army Simple mind, simple pleasures... Adored Veteran

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    English, believe it or not.

    I have neither the inclination nor the see the point in learnign another language. Too much like hard work :p
     
  6. Morgoroth

    Morgoroth Just because I happen to have tentacles, it doesn'

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    Well I'm pretty much bilingual and able to speak both Swedish and Finnish. Finnish a little bit better though. I can also speak fluent English and a bit German(I have had German for four years now), I have also had a few years Latin but since I don't read it anymore I have mostly forgotten the language and its rules.
     
  7. Death Rabbit

    Death Rabbit Straight, no chaser Adored Veteran Torment: Tides of Numenera SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    1) English

    2) Pottymouth

    3) Ebonics, fo shizzle
     
  8. Rolsuk Fryulee Gems: 13/31
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    I speak fluenlty French and English. I was raised and speak French to family, and learned English when I went to an English school.

    Then again, most Canadians speak both languages eh? ;)
     
  9. Mollusken Gems: 24/31
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    1) Norwegian. Everyone seems to be speaking it here.

    2) English. All Norwegian kids have at least 6 years of English. I'm amazingly good at this language when I'm drunk in another country.

    3) German. At the last school I went to, everyone were required to learn a third language. I've never had use of German, and I probably will forget it soon. It's a cool language though, and as a case language it's very easy to learn.
     
  10. Eaglearrow Gems: 4/31
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    1) German

    2) English

    3) French

    The classic combination in my generation of germans, although you can interchange French with Latin or Spanish.
     
  11. Sir Belisarius

    Sir Belisarius Viconia's Boy Toy Distinguished Member ★ SPS Account Holder

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    1) English - My native tongue, although we Americans speak a different English than the brits ;)

    2) Russian - I double majored in Political Science & Russian language in undergrad. I even studied in St. Petersburg & Mosco for a little while.

    3) French - I studied French from 7th through 11th grade. I can still understand it, but my Russian has taken up a lot of room!

    4) Italian - Just the basics. I went to Italy a couple years ago and picked up a small, but useful travel vocabulry.

    5) Latin - Can't become a lawyer without knowing SOME latin.

    For an American, I probably know a lot of languages...It's not stressed as much as in other countries...I would like to learn Spanish next.
     
  12. Apeman Gems: 25/31
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    Main language: Dutch

    Second but almost also main language: English

    Third: French, school 6 years now

    Fourth: German, only 2 years at school though

    Fifth: Spanish, first year now, I really hate the language :D
     
  13. Gothmog

    Gothmog Man, a curious beast indeed! ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    1: Slovenian.
    People tend to speak in it in Slovenia, what can i say ;)

    2: English
    There's formal education of course, but i've gotten next to no knowledge from it. I find that i learn languages much, much faster if i dont "study" them, but rather picing up along the way. Like, in elementary school, i knew some decent english, quite poor though. That i owe thanks to Baldur's Gate :) But then in high school it increased quite dramaticaly, just because i discovered Boards o' Magic :spin:

    3: German
    I've been studying it for 7 years now and i havent learned much, i dont doubt that. I can communicate on the most base level with a german speaker, but that's about it. It just doesnt suit me, it's so rough, hmm. Plus i dont use it anywhere else than in school, so it doesnt get much chance to improve anyway.

    4: Japanese
    I cant say i know it at all. Few dozen words and a feel for it, how it flows and all. I got it all from watching animes :) It's interesting though and i like it. Someday i'll learn it, just for watching animes without having to rely on subtitles ;)
     
  14. chevalier

    chevalier Knight of Everfull Chalice ★ SPS Account Holder Veteran

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    Polish is my first one. I'm practically bilingual, English coming second.

    Then goes Latin. I can speak it with some effort, though it isn't normally spoken. In fact, I've taught it and translated both ways.

    My French is no longer error free. And nowadays I understand it much better than use. However, with Becherelle to give me confidence as to particular forms, and with a dictionary to help me out when I don't really know or remember something (especially the spelling, and of that especially the accents).

    I know some ancient Greek, though there isn't much to boast. Still, give me a dictionary and a manual with some grammar rules and I'll do. Sometimes I read small bits of New Testament.

    I typically understand basic German, as I learnt it for three years with max grades all the time, but I'm no longer able to form anything more than very basic sentences. After all, the mechanism behind declinations is like in Latin and the one behind conjugations is much like in English.

    I've made myself study some Italian and it helps the understanding of Italian that comes from knowing Latin and French. I should be able to get what I want out of a newspaper or a webpade. In dire need, I could translate something (to, not from), but I would need a manual to check some forms and endings etc.

    Though I've never learnt it, I typically understand Spanish in writing, except perhaps guessing at tenses, which doesn't normally succeed if you haven't learnt that language at any point. I've caught myself reading a Spanish text sometimes on the net ;) Portuguese is more difficult, but I'll understand most of it. And from what I've seen, Catalan inscriptions are easier to me than Spanish ones. However, in speech I won't catch anything.

    I can figure out some basic modern Greek in dire need. I'll usually get the essentials when someone's talking in Greek in a chatroom. I can deal with labels, signs and other simple informative stuff.

    I'm able to figure out Czech or Slovakian - they're akin to Polish and I'm fairly good with Old Polish and historical grammar, so I do more or less fine. I can try the same with Russian, but the chance is worse. Czech and Slovak are easier to figure out in writing, Russian in speaking (I'd rather write something Czech or Slovak than Russian, but in speech it's the opposite).
     
  15. Jaguar Gems: 27/31
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    I speak English as my first language, but I am ashamed to say my French is that of a 6th grader. I did take it until grade 8, but as it is not required... Eh. :heh:

    Oddly enough, now that I work in a cooler at a convenience store, I can read most any words relating to foods. :D
     
  16. Alucard Gems: 1/31
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    My first language is french. My second is english and I think I'm not too bad in it. I'm going to an english college in like one month. Finally, I'm able to speak spanish. (I went on a trip to Nicaragua for two weeks)
     
  17. Equester Gems: 18/31
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    Danish as my first language, since all Scandinavian languages sounds alike i understand Norwegian and Swedish. English of cause, some German and a wee little bit of French.
     
  18. Wordplay Gems: 29/31
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    Finnish is my native language, but I believe I write almost as good english (might be wrong though ;) ) and speak it well enough. I have also studied swedish, russian, german, and chinese. Of these, I can only understand swedish well enough and know the basics of others.

    It's kinda pity that you cannot get more courses of chinese language, as it seems like a language I could consider majoring beside english. :(
     
  19. joacqin

    joacqin Confused Jerk Adored Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    I am more or less fluent in Swedish even though my speech is littered with slang and dialectal expressions. I am fluent in English, sadly almost more so than Swedish, especially written (thanks SP). I can make myself understood in German and can understand it speaken slowly and read it if I really make an effort.
     
  20. Harbourboy

    Harbourboy Take thy form from off my door! Veteran Pillars of Eternity SP Immortalizer (for helping immortalize Sorcerer's Place in the game!)

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    1) English (as spoken in New Zealand and learnt at school)

    1a) English (as spoken in London - learnt from living there)

    1b) English (as spoken by Americans - learnt from TV, living there, and from many people on SP)

    2) French (learned at school and from travels so not really fluent)

    3) Italian (learned from tapes, books, and travels - so really only just good enough to get by with. I read a Mickey Mouse comic in Italian recently and it took most of the day to finish.....)
     
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