POLL: How many languages do you speak?

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I wonder why so many Europeen can speak even a litle bit of German.

 

Near-perfect English is really the only one but I'm pretty darn good at, as Splunge put it, ig-pay atin-lay.
Used to be really good with French (First in year 7 and 8 French class), and Italian (all through Primary School we were taught it once a week for about an hour or so)

 

English and Chinese (Mandarin, for those who know the difference)
Currently studying Japanese and Spanish. It's insanely annoying trying to study two languages at once.

 

Although Canada is supposed to be bilingual with french being the other language, I never learned it. I speak just english and spanish.

 

Ofelix, maybe it's bacuse we actually gets lessons in it in school? Usually in danish puplicschools, you had the choice between german and french, whereas the majority would choose the former. However, at my school, there were no choice. German it was. Kind of makes sence considering that Germany is the most populated nation in Europe and just next to Denmark.

 

English fluently.
A smattering of French.
Then Hindi, Marathi and Telugu which is my mother-tongue.

 

German is taught because Germans themselves are less than willing to learn other languages.

No really, although that was a joke, I've always wondered where Germans and French got that pride for their language. Even up to the point where it's annoying others for them refusing to speak any other language but their mothertongue.

I'll also change my previous statement now while I'm at it. It seems the trend here is to describe with fluent what would in reality be no more than high grades in school, and with "knowing some of the language" which would equal a few words and sentences. Then I should claim that I am perfection itself in Finnish, Swedish and English. And in addition to that, I know quite a bit of some German, Japanese, and Russian. And some French. Maybe I should add Estonian, Danish, Norwegian, Irish, American and Australian as well? How many languages would that make... 13?

No pun intended. Just that I was expecting this to reveal some actual linguistic skills with all the people here. Instead of how many languages you know something very little about. At least Sorcerer's isn't spoiled with too much modesty.

 

@Gothmog4230: You recalled wrong.
I speak English and Finnish fluently.
I can be understood in German.
I can understand Swedish and Estonian.

 

I speak Danish, english and german.
tried to learn french, but didn't like it.
and i can undestand swedish and norwedish or what ever the language they speak in norway is called.

 

I'd say there's a correlation between size of the country/"spread of the language" and the number of polyglott people. The smaller the country the sooner and more often you bump into foreigners talking in riddles, the more polyglott people get.

On the other hand, in countries where it actually takes an effort to cross the borders, you can get by by not knowing foreign languages. Languages may even get the stamp of elitist-hobby with no usefull real-life meaning. Better focus on math instead.

Therefore I am not surprised by some French, Germans and of course British being quite puzzled by the fact that it may happen that the bump into people, who actually are not able to speak one of those languages.

I do not think it has to do anything with "pride" in their specific language. Just in the conviction by some that they need no other languages.

 

Fluently: English
Studied Spanish for two years at school and can get by in it.

 

Fluent English, and with ever-increasing skill in French and German. Believe it or not, this is actually considered nerdy and well above the average in the good old Racist UK!

 

Dutch, with a slightly Rotterdamned/Zwijndrechts accent.

Since I had to study English (at 10th), I can make myself understood in this language. But I have to say it could be better...

From 12th to 15th I had to learn some French and I try hard to forget it all.
From 12th to 18th I learned some German. If nessessary, I could make myself understood, but I have to think hard and conversations are a bit slow when talking about difficult matters.

But when I'm in a foreign country, I always try to speak as much 'foreign' as possible and I'm open to learn some basics. That usually makes me the translator of my group of friends when we're on holiday.

Edit:
I almost forgot Celestial, Druidic, Aquan and er.. Common!

 

Isn't it soon time for another IQ thread, to boost the bragging

Anyway, any scandinavian with a little ear for language can easily learn the three languages from Norway, Sweeden and Denmark(not myself I might add). Add the English and French/German, which is forced in schools and you get 5 languages fluently! Add the "I can be understood" argument to French/german/dutch/spanish/italian (because you went on vactation or somethin' ) and voila Vote 9 languages. And of course the ones that we are "about" to learn and "already" know some phrases in.. etc etc.. yada yada and we get well over 10 languages. Imagine that!

 

Fluent: English and Estonian.
I can make myself understandable in German, but I didn't add that in the poll.
I have been learning Russian for about six years... but that doesn't mean anything. I can introduce myself but that's just about it.
Also I can read Latin.
OK enough boasting for one day.

 

Have to ask: Anyone else feel like answering: I am fluent in six million forms of communication....



Every time I see this topic I think of RotJ...

Hmm, almost typed RotK.

Anyway, I liked Eve-9d9

 

Dutch, German, and English. Plus i understand (and speak a little) French and Spanish.

 

English.


And Yorkshire

 

How's the pudding there?

 

English goes well, finnish is my native language, swedish does, and I have a knack with germany. So, I would say that I could speak well with two languages, and come along with another two.