Diversity...crossing the borders, mixing the genepool

[catalina_francisco]

Given we have such a diverse bunch of people on this forum, and my interests even before making such a big move across oceans have included different languages, nationalities, and cultures, I was wondering who speaks more than one language, what they are, and what nationalities are in their genes and family, either immediate or even further back if you know. It fascinates me and was always something discussed in our growing years in my family.

So for my immediate family we have Australian, Russian/Greek, Francisco being Spanish of course, and our newest family member is a lovely person from Czechoslovakia who left Prague to make a better life for themselves, worked hard at a variety of things and studied as well, met one of my family and moved to Oz and married them. Going back to grandparents we have English, Scottish, German and French lineage. Then in extended family of cousins etc., we have Filipino, New Guinian, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, and American.

My language skills are poor...I am learning Dutch, and hopefully Spanish when he says I may. F speaks Spanish, Dutch, English, German, Portuguese, and I think from memory there is another one I can't remember plus a few words in Bulgarian he picked up while working there. The new member of our family speaks 7 languages I believe, including Russian which has impressed the patriarch of that side of the family who was overjoyed to have someone he could speak to in his language.

The good thing I am finding with learning Dutch is that my gift for spelling seems to carry over into other languages. My teacher is amazed she can say a word I have never heard or seen before and as long as I hear it correctly, 9 times out of 10 I can spell it to her perfectly...I hope it keeps going that way.

Catalina

 

[m wisdom]

My closest relatives are all from Sweden but we have some German, French and Spanish influence if you go back a bit. The majority of my ancestors have been local the last 400years, at least on the male side, so not too much stirring in the gene pool I'm afraid.

I speak Swedish and English as do all of my close relatives (most people in Sweden do). Some of my cousins also speak Spanish fluently and I my dad is pretty good at German and can make himself understood in French.

I can't spell in any language so I'm very happy for Google spellcheck

 

[PrimalGirl]

I am very much a hodge-podge of several different ethnicities. My dad's parents came to the US from the Ukraine. My grandmother spoke very little english, but she died when I was very young, so I don't know much of the Russian language. My mother was named after Robert the Bruce of Scotland and was very proud of the fact that we had our own family crest and tartan. As far as the spoken language, I speak Spanish, and some French. I'd love to learn the Russian language someday.

 

[malinborn]

My gene pool that we Know of... Are Irish, German, Scottish, English, and somewhere Norse... my mom is adopted and so i do not know her side at all. My father is a mutt tried and true.

I speak English and not that well, but other languages and cultures fascinate me but if i could learn any other language it would likely be C++ or Gaelic *smirks*

 

[chelleb]

My mom is 100% portuguese and my dad is 100% french.....so I'm half and half.

Besides English, I can also speak some french. Enough that I went to Paris for a week and only spoke english to my mother (she doesn't speak french)!

 

[HottieMama]

My father was Greek/French my mother is 100% Italian. If anything my skin tone/coloring suggests the Northern Italian/French more than anything else. i am very fair and NO ONE has ever been able to determine the exact color of my eyes. i have seen them be anything from blue to green to violet to grey.

i can speak/read/write Italian, Spanish and a little Greek.

 

[SubKekiLee]

I am Irish, Norweigan, Indian(Sac An Fox) and French. I speak english and some french and some spanish. but I can only write english. and I can read a little spanish I also SIGN ASL ....( my step brother is totally deaf due to spinal menegitis at 18 months old)

 

[graceanne]

What a fun question!

Ok, I'm 5/8 German (about half of that's Jewish), 1/4 English, 1/8 Cherokee/black.

I speak English and ASL. (My grandma was deaf, my dad's losing his hearing, my sister will eventually.)

 

[@}-}rebecca----]

Selemat Pagi !

Interesting topic Miss Cat

Hmmmn well it's no secret that I hail from the best country in the World.

Australia naturally. Chillllllllll people, I am just being playful. My immediate family classified by genetics has origins Ireland and Wales. My extended non genetic family consist of most countries on the Planet. I am all for the concept of 'my global village' and have happily adopted people into 'my family' from a diverse spectrum of cultural backgrounds. Traveling to the extent as I have been very fortunate enough to do, the World doesn't seem such a big place and for that recognition and those mutually embraced along the way I am grateful.

As far as languages spoken :

I am completely fluent in the International language of luuurve

I speak some basic Indonesian, which I chose to take in High school due to Indonesia being the closest Asian neighbour to Australia. I studied Japanese for a few years for my own pleasure, though not having a jousting partner in the language for many years and having recently observed our HRHdK Miss Neon's finesse with it realize how appalling my skills are currently. In fact suggesting it's a skill is a stretch. Never mind with some patience and study I know I could get back there, the endeavour seems a little whimsical however with my current priorities. Like our Miss Grace I also can use ASL, though I would no longer consider it of a satisfactory standard due to it being superseded for practical use by other alternatives here. Safe to line that up next to the Indonesian and Japanese.

I am currently learning Minspeak. Perhaps about 40 hours in to an extensive course . It's a iconic representation of language developed by Bruce Baker. Then there is PODD . PODD is a walk in the park though. It's meant to be.

For those that may be curious as to what Minspeak is, here is a brief synopsis.

" Minspeak is a new language prosthesis designed for disabled people who cannot express themselves through speech or hand signs. It is a semantic interface that uses microprocessor technology in a radically new system of communication that reduces the time and effort required for self-expression. It includes a modern linguistic coding system based on general ideas underlying human communication. The coding technique uses sequence to define context, thus exploiting the human mind's ability to process semantic information. Easy-to-under-stand symbols on each key represent ideas. The meaning of each key image changes according to the sequence in which it is hit. By combining these symbols, whole spoken sentences can be generated. The simplicity or complexity of the symbols will depend on the needs and abilities of the user."

Bruce Baker is a sadist in my estimation . I have no idea at times how his reasoning worked when he developed most of the sequences. It's amusing to me at least. Ohh and I almost forgot, quite brilliant.

 

[Chicklet]

I'm an American Mutt. My mother's family was predominantly Irish Catholic, while my father has a ton of different things in his background. Mostly German. But I identify as American.

Although I took Spanish and Russian for years, all I speak is English. Blech.

 

[CutieMouse]

My father's side of the family was from English origins; my mother's, German. I married a man who's parents were of Scottish descent (father) and Mexican Hispanic (mother).

The children are therefore English/Scot, German and Hispanic... only the middle daughter got my blue eyes (though her's lean towards green) and light brown hair; the rest of the children have their dad's dark eyes/hair, my pale skin, and tan chestnut brown in 5 seconds flat.

 

[Thane1234]

Not exactly answering your question but I can think of one person's gene pool I have contemplated mixing

Also, I know a little Spanish, less French and even less German.

 

[Betticus]

Nice topic Cat.

Lessee, the betticus mix of ethnicities would be Cherokee, Choctaw, French, German, English.

As far as languages I've picked up bits of them from everywhere I have lived but if I don't use them I don't retain. Just a few words here and there but I'd love to learn French and German, possibly Mandarin. I love just about forty miles from Mexico so Spanish is something I should learn.

I do manage to pull really odd shit out of memory at the most strange moments in time. A couple of friends of mine were once out clubbing here in town, after the clubs closed we went for breakfast. My Hawaiian buddy had gone and sat down at a large circular booth with these two Hispanic ladies. So my friend Darren and I went over and joined them. We had thought that our pal Steve (the Hawaiian guy) knew these girls but after we found out he was just flirting.

Anyhow, we had a good conversation with the two girls. One lived in Las Cruces and was the aunt of the other girl who is an optometrist in Juarez. The one from Juarez was really cute but didn't speak any English. I ended up hitting on her in a blend of French, German and Spanish. All in the same sentence! Hahaha.. she understood everything I said. I don't know where it all came from but we laughed our asses off.

Anyway, I'm weird.

 

[Exogenous]

I was born in Scotland but have lived in the U.S. since I was an infant. My parents and grandparents were also born in Scotland. My great-grandparents on my mother's side are French. I don't know about my great-grandparents on my father's side.

When I turned 14 years old my parents "made" me become a U.S. citizen. My dad and brothers were already "naturalized" citizens. I was against it, chalk it up to being a rebellious teenager, I guess. I just figured if my mother didn't have to become a citizen, then why should I? I look very grim in the picture on my certificate. My mother just became a citizen this year, at 75 years old. She got tired of having to re-new her green-card, lol.

I only know the English language. I can speak a few sentences in Spanish. But I learned those sentences so I could get basic information from patients who were from Mexico. I regret that I didn't pay better attention from two years of Spanish in high school, and from the high Hispanic population around me, and learn to speak and understand it more fluently. The languages I'd really like to learn are Italian and Portuguese, for no other reason than just because I love the way they sound. Maybe one day.

 

[EmpressFi]

From what we can gather, my father's side of the family is Polish, my mom's side is Irish and Native American. I only speak English, although I had two years of German in high school. I would also, like my husband, Malin, learn how to speak Gaelic. I'd also like to learn Russian and renew my German

 

[Thane1234]

Fi,

The only thing I know in Gaelic is Póg mo thóin, which means kiss my ass. Not sure if ya knew that one already or not.

 

[Bandit58]

I am a Pakeha (white/Caucasian) New Zealander now living in Australia. I speak English and I know a smattering of Maori. I took French in high school but have forgotten most of it Master Gil and I still have minor problems understanding the difference between Kiwi English and Aussie English

My ancestry is a mix of English, Danish and French. There's a story that three of my English ancestors (all brothers) jumped on a ship to NZ to escape charges of sheep stealing.....

 

[northwoods_sub]

Fun thread Cat.

Lets see, for me I am german/russian from my fathers side of the family. A number of years ago one of my aunts traveled to Germany and traced our family back to somewhere in the 1500's. On my moms side I am half german and half mutt.
My husband family name is scottish, though I do not know where His mothers family hails from, I think England, but I am not positive.
We have a mixed family so my oldest son is german/russian, english and ojibwe. Our son is obvious a mixture of us both and my two stepsons are scottish, english and unknown because their mother was adopted. I ended up with three blonde haired, blue eyed sons and one black haired, brown eyed son who towers over his brothers!

I pretty much only speak english. I know a little german, russian, spanish and ojibwe, but not enough of any of them to hold a conversation. I also can do the basic alphabet is ASL and that can get me by if it is ever needed. I regret not knowing more ASL, or paying attention more in my russian classes in high school, as the years go by the russian alphabet is becoming more difficult for me to comprehend. *sigh*

 

[EmpressFi]

Fi,

The only thing I know in Gaelic is Póg mo thóin, which means kiss my ass. Not sure if ya knew that one already or not.

Hehe no, I didnt know that.. I only know Slainte`! And although I cant spell it, I know the word for whisky.

Funny.. the only thing I know in Spanish is how to ask for beer and tequila...

 

[catalina_francisco]

My ancestry is a mix of English, Danish and French. There's a story that three of my English ancestors (all brothers) jumped on a ship to NZ to escape charges of sheep stealing.....

Ah, so it's your ancestor's fault that NZ has more sheep than people inhabiting it...they bought the buggers with 'em and they bred like rabbits?!!

Catalina

 

[catalina_francisco]

Wow, what an interesting mix we all are...I will get back to the thread after my Dutch lesson this afternoon....have homework to rush through as I have kept putting it off and now have an hour to get through it. I have been studying though, so I figure that is just as good if not better. Hmmm, a certain man decided to finally give me some help late last night and tried sneaking some dirty words by me, and worse, asking me to ask my tutor to translate them for me!! Fortunately I guessed what he was up to knowing his twisted sense of humour.

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1153/1367647576_99db5be94d_t.jpg Catalina

 

[FurryFury]

I am so not good with languages. I know a very little bit of quite a few languages:

such as (and these are just off the top of my head),

Italian
Cherokee
Spanish
Latin
German
French
Japanese
Manderan Chineese
ASL
and
Baby sign language,

but not really enough to get by. I have noticed most are interrelated and stem from Latin roots. If it's slow enough I might be able to figure out what someone is saying or what a menu in another language has on it. I also have my own language, sorta. It drives my husband nuts but the kids get it.

LOL.

As for my roots, I usually just say I'm a Heinz 57.

I suspect there is more in my roots than my assessors wanted to remember and have known commonly but what I know for absolute fact is the following:

Sicilian
French
German
Irish
English
Scottish
Cherokee (tiny bit waaaay back, I only wish it were more.)

 

[ShyGuy68]

I am completely fluent in the International language of luuurve

I would like some tutoring in that by you

From what I know, my parents are both Danish back in many generations. My dad did some research into it some years ago, so it's at least true on his side.

I do have some Swedish in my family, since when my mom remarried she did so to a Swede, who now live in Denmark, and have for many years. He have 2 kids who live in Sweden and they both have a partner and 2 kids. So through him and them I've learned to speak some Swedish, enough to make me understandable to them anyway

Many moons ago I went to a German boarding school in the south of Denmark, where the spoken language was German, so in that year I learned a lot of German. I can still understand most of it, and also speak it, even though it's rather rusty. In the years after I've in periods worked in the tourist area in Denmark, where there are a lot of Germans, and that have helped keep it up. I am however not very good at writing it, but what I need it for, is to be able to speak it.

The year after boarding school I went to the states for a year as an exchange student, and that's where I learned English, and after a few months there I started to think and dream in English, and had a hard time talking Danish when I spoke with my family on the phone. To this day it's still with me, because in the years after I got back i kept reading a lot of booke in English, and then when the internet got more widespread I started chatting, which I think have made my English even better.

I do of course also read and write Danish, it's not perfect when I write it, but I'm not that good at grammar

 

[HB1965]

Thanks to the genetic testing I made my brother do (I'm into genealogy big time) my sister, brother, and I are Slavic, German, Scottish, English, and Dutch. We are so lily white it's unbelievable. As far as languages besides English, I speak some French and Spanish, and my SIL is trying to teach me some Danish (cause she's Danish)

 

[bholderman]

Good thread. Im you run of the mill American mutt. Unfortunately, I dont speak anything other than English fluently. But have managed to pick up words and phrase of Spanish, German and Russian. Its definitely something to enjoy and envy, practicing on the few occasions that I can. Im one of those people that can read (i.e. decipher) better than I can speak it though.