I may learn lawyerese, just in case I ever get sued.
More seriously, I've taken Japanese classes, but very little of it sank in. I would have to immerse myself in Japanese to learn it. I took the lessons mostly for the hell of it. I would have taken German classes, but I can't imagine living in Germany or meeting anyone who mostly speaks German.
Grandpa h.
Post by post, building his arguments by smashing a couple of theirs -- for America.
I speak English, some Maori, some French, a smattering of Italian and Dutch - but can swear fluently in all of them.
Dog. Some cat. Some chicken. Bass. Mouse. Cave talk. Never got far learning the language of women, though I tried it once, gave me a headache which I took was a mandatory prerequisite. Somewhere around the time I started bitching about the neighbors I said to hell with it. Wished I'd quit earlier as I'd rearranged the furniture 3 times and lost interest in football. And damned if all my pants don't make my ass look big.
If the terrain and the map do not agree, follow the terrain.
When motherhood becomes the fruit of a deep yearning, not the result of ignorance or accident, its children will become a new race.
*lmao*Quote by: minorwork
A man said to the universe:
"Sir, I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."
-- Stephen Crane
I know tagalog language in philippines
So, I have progressed pretty well in my quest. I now have a working knowledge of MATLAB, and I can go wikiwalking through the French section with some difficulty. I still can't understand the spoken language, nor can I speak it or really write all that much, but I think it's good progress.
A man said to the universe:
"Sir, I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."
-- Stephen Crane
Spanglish. With the subtitles on.
I used to speak French when I worked in France, but it's been a lot of years and I'm out of practice. Useful language, though. Widespread and common as a second language.
Dutch, NorSweDanish? Planning a European bug-out when the fertilizer meets the ventilator?
Yes, I'd like that very much. I think French will get me into just about any job I'd want, but Dutch is moreso to communicate with a friend, and Scandinavian just because I think it's an interesting language.
A man said to the universe:
"Sir, I exist!"
"However," replied the universe,
"The fact has not created in me
A sense of obligation."
-- Stephen Crane
yes swedish is the beautiful language.
!! Going to my destruction !!
In high school I was fluent in English, Spanish and German. Today I'm only marginally fluent in my mother tongue. Let my failure be a lesson to others: use all the languages you learn on a regular basis or else they will eventually become as foreign to you as they were before you learned them. The Internet makes this far easier than in my time. Today you can find a lot of sites in various languages that will help keep your skills sharp. You can even converse in foreign languages in most social networks. I wish those opportunities had been around 40 years ago.
The Forum Rules
Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
[John F. Kennedy]
The principal value of debate lies in the development of logical thought processes, and the ability to articulate your positions publicly.
[Senator Dick Clark of Iowa]
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
[Terry Pratchett]
I ran across this story today and thought of this thread.
India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries on earth. Just how diverse is a matter of contention, but it is believed India today speaks between 850 and 900 distinct languages, though only 122 are recognised in the census and just 22 are scheduled as official languages in the constitution. Of mother tongues — the vernacular first learned at home — it was estimated in 1961 that India was home to more than 1600.
Read more: India's tribal people fast becoming lost for words
The Forum Rules
Too often we enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.
[John F. Kennedy]
The principal value of debate lies in the development of logical thought processes, and the ability to articulate your positions publicly.
[Senator Dick Clark of Iowa]
The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely to be preferred to the presence of those who think they've found it.
[Terry Pratchett]
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