Language Barrier, pt. II

[cloudy]

Okay, I'm interested in seeing just how many of us are multi-lingual, since I've grown irritated with the griping of some of my fellow Americans.

What languages can you make yourself understood in? One or two years in high school doesn't count - I want to know that if you were dropped in a foreign country, could you make yourself understood with more than just the basics.

I'm taking bets on the percentage of Americans that can do that is light years below the percentage of everyone else that can.

 

[rgraham666]

Sigh. Fluent in English only.

I flunked my high school French even worse than English which is a good trick.

 

[neonlyte]

I live in two countries and can order food in six languages though I actually only speak in one and a half

 

[FatDino]

I feel special, I have a column just for me.

Well, if I get dropped in China, or Korea, I can manage to communicate, but not as well as in English-speaking countries.

 

[Guest]

I'm an Air Force brat - lived in Germany for five years.

Learned it at an elementary school on base, had 4 years in high school, 2 years in college. I've lost a lot of words because I don't use it now, of course, but it wouldn't take too much to find it again.

Kids are taking Spanish now in school and we just bought Jump Start Spanish - a good computer game - for them to tear through at home.

It is very important.

 

[cloudy]

I'm an Air Force brat - lived in Germany for five years.

Learned it at an elementary school on base, had 4 years in high school, 2 years in college. I've lost a lot of words because I don't use it now, of course, but it wouldn't take too much to find it again.

Kids are taking Spanish now in school and we just bought Jump Start Spanish - a good computer game - for them to tear through at home.

It is very important.

I agree. Good on you (and vote in the poll, you sexy beast).

 

[Stella_Omega]

It would take me a couple of weeks before I would get any fluency back, but I can get along in most of the Latinate languages (Spanish, French, Italian) and German.

I am not at all fluent in any of them though.

 

[Guest]

I agree. Good on you (and vote in the poll, you sexy beast).

But I don't consider myself fluent in German now -

I voted it anyway.

(Sexy beast - )

 

[fcdc]

Bilingual: English (duh), Shelta, French, Latin, Southern US, N'Yawker.
Fluent but not bilingual: Spanish, Russian, Irish. (Lived for a year in Ireland, learned Spanish and Russian through college 200-level.)
Midrange: Iroquois. (I took a year of Iroquois classes in college. I suppose this would be high school equivalency, or 100-level college.)
Grasping desperately to be understood but they could save my kid from burning to death: German, Swahili, Italian, Portuguese.

I am the exception, not the rule, and I absolutely can't speak any southeast Asian language. I took three Vietnam War classes, and had a friend from Hanoi. As mentioned previously, I tried to learn the Vietnamese language. I really wanted to. It didn't click at all.

I am heading to South America this summer and I wish I spoke more Spanish. As it is, I'm functional, but the rapidfire Chileans are sure to throw me for a loop.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

I can barely speak english...

 

[Liar]

Fluent (enough) in one foreign language: English

Can make myself understood but oh so slowly in: Spanish and all Scandinavian languages (Norweigan, Danish and Icelandic)

Know enough words to understand what is being said in: German, Greek and Farsi.

 

[jomar]

It would take me a couple of weeks before I would get any fluency back, but I can get along in most of the Latinate languages (Spanish, French, Italian) and German.

I am not at all fluent in any of them though.

Awesome. What about Japanese?

 

[jomar]

Fluent (enough) in one foreign language: English

Can make myself understood but oh so slowly in: Spanish and all Scandinavian languages (Norweigan, Danish and Icelandic)

Know enough words to understand what is being said in: German, Greek and Farsi.

Also awesome.

 

[jomar]

I'm taking bets on the percentage of Americans that can do that is light years below the percentage of everyone else that can.

Yes. I was on a Club Med vacation years ago and the Americans were the only ones at the table who weren't bilingual. I thought it was too bad. We haven't had to be, though for a number of reasons. I did have a toddlers level Spanish back when. Got along ok in Mexico awhile back by talking louder and slower.


ETA: A hat trick.

 

[JamesSD]

I'm a native English speaker.

I speak and understand enough Spanish that I could get by using it. It would be a lot of "lo siento, mas despacio, por favor" on my part, but I could get by. I can't watch Spanish movies without the subtitles, but I can often get the gist of a conversation, if not the details. Obviously slang can throw me off.

 

[Liar]

I'm taking bets on the percentage of Americans that can do that is light years below the percentage of everyone else that can.

Well, if you take the poll here, in an English speaking forum, every non-native-English forum member will have one up on the rest.

 

[cloudy]

Well, if you take the poll here, in an English speaking forum, every non-native-English forum member will have one up on the rest.

True, but that also sort of proves my point. Americans without another language can't post anyplace else. You, however, can.

 

[shereads]

After fifteen years in Miami, I am ashamed to admit I can't habla much espanol. I can read a bit, but Cubans talk so fast I can't follow a conversation to save my life.

I have, however, carried on entire conversations with repairmen and a lawn service, using nothing but gestures. If you try it, be aware that the arm motion for "Mow the lawn" is awfully close to the one for "Run over the neighbor's cat." Be careful!



Like most Miamians, I have a basic understanding of Spanglish, which is the language of second- and third-generation Cuban-Americans. A typical eavesdropped Spanglish conversation might go something like this:

Girl A: "Spanish spanish spanish spanish that outfit she had on? Spanish spanish up to her thighs. I swear."

Girl B: "No way!"

(laughter)

Girl A: "Si, chica. That's why Manny spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish on Prom Night. Spanish spanish Jorge's girlfriend.

(laughter)

Girl B: "What about your mom? Spanish spanish spanish, spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish the Prom, but spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish with Manny's Volkswagon."

Girl A: "Maybe. But spanish spanish spanish his dad to rent a limo."

Girl B: "Spanish! The stretch Hummer?"

Girl A: "Spanish."

From this, you can infer that a boy named Manny wore a hamster to the Prom, and Girl B's dad wants Girl A's mother to run over Manny with a Volkswagon.

 

[Liar]

For shereads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code-switching

You have a lingustics geek in the thread. I almost wrote my thesis on spanglish, but decided not to because it would mean transcribing taped converstions for weeks 24/7.

 

[shereads]

For shereads.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code-switching

You have a lingustics geek in the thread. I almost wrote my thesis on spanglish, but decided not to because it would mean transcribing taped converstions for weeks 24/7.

Cool. But couldn't you have made up a lot of it?

 

[Nirvanadragones]

This is a porn site, Darling. We should all be able to speak Sex. No matter what your tongue, we all groan, shiver, pant, breathe and orgasm in Lust. No?

I voted anyway.

 

[Guest]

After fifteen years in Miami, I am ashamed to admit I can't habla much espanol. I can read a bit, but Cubans talk so fast I can't follow a conversation to save my life.

I have, however, carried on entire conversations with repairmen and a lawn service, using nothing but gestures. If you try it, be aware that the arm motion for "Mow the lawn" is awfully close to the one for "Run over the neighbor's cat." Be careful!



Like most Miamians, I have a basic understanding of Spanglish, which is the language of second- and third-generation Cuban-Americans. A typical eavesdropped Spanglish conversation might go something like this:

Girl A: "Spanish spanish spanish spanish that outfit she had on? Spanish spanish up to her thighs. I swear."

Girl B: "No way!"

(laughter)

Girl A: "Si, chica. That's why Manny spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish on Prom Night. Spanish spanish Jorge's girlfriend.

(laughter)

Girl B: "What about your mom? Spanish spanish spanish, spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish the Prom, but spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish with Manny's Volkswagon."

Girl A: "Maybe. But spanish spanish spanish his dad to rent a limo."

Girl B: "Spanish! The stretch Hummer?"

Girl A: "Spanish."

From this, you can infer that a boy named Manny wore a hamster to the Prom, and Girl B's dad wants Girl A's mother to run over Manny with a Volkswagon.

Just spit out my fucking drink.

 

[shereads]

Just spit out my fucking drink.

Okay, I will. What are you having?

 

[Guest]

Okay, I will. What are you having?

Rum and coke, chica.

 

[FatDino]

Like most Miamians, I have a basic understanding of Spanglish, which is the language of second- and third-generation Cuban-Americans. A typical eavesdropped Spanglish conversation might go something like this:

Girl A: "Spanish spanish spanish spanish that outfit she had on? Spanish spanish up to her thighs. I swear."

Girl B: "No way!"

(laughter)

Girl A: "Si, chica. That's why Manny spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish on Prom Night. Spanish spanish Jorge's girlfriend.

(laughter)

Girl B: "What about your mom? Spanish spanish spanish, spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish the Prom, but spanish spanish spanish spanish spanish with Manny's Volkswagon."

Girl A: "Maybe. But spanish spanish spanish his dad to rent a limo."

Girl B: "Spanish! The stretch Hummer?"

Girl A: "Spanish."

From this, you can infer that a boy named Manny wore a hamster to the Prom, and Girl B's dad wants Girl A's mother to run over Manny with a Volkswagon.

I'm suing you for making me vaporize a good gulp of apple juice.