Second Language?

[trackrat]

I learned German for a couple of years but unfortunately I have let it lapse, as due to my wife having cancer I have not been abroad for 4 years.

[deuces wild]

I can speak the Queen's English (with a fairly good British accent) Canadian English (with eh's included) and American English ( with several different American accents like New York, Boston and Texas)  :D

Tried to learn Spanish but didn't have the patience.

Speaking of the Canadian English.........here is how the Country name came about......

Many years ago a couple of French men came upon a large and beautiful land and decided to claim it. They had to decide a name for it so they decided to put letters of the English alphabet in a hat and draw a letter one by one.

The first pick was a "C" and both men exclaimed "Eh!"

The next was an "N" and again both men exclaimed "Eh!"

The last draw from the hat was a "D" and again bot men exclaimed "Eh!".

And so the country was named. :lol:

[Sir Radfordin]

I learnt French at school and thanks to being allowed a dictionary in the exam managed to get a B at GCSE. Today I can't really remember any of it which is perhaps a shame. Problem was we were taught about verbs and nouns and the such...none of which mean anything to me in English let alone another language.

Rusian is supposed to be one of the hardest languages to learn. One company I worked for had a network manage who had done a Rusian degree...never did work that one out.

[scuzzman]

I can speak limited French, and can also speak in C, C++, and Perl :D

[homecomputeraid]

I'm pretty good with Japanese. I lived in Japan for 9 1/2 years, and the ex-wife's Japanese. It seemed to fall into place more after I learned to write Hiragana and Katakana.

I dated a Russian woman who's from Moscow for a while (still friends with her). I learned some basics like Privyet, and Spaciba (hi and thank you). It sounds cool when she speaks it, and I like the accent. :)

I found that there's quite a Russian population here in the Rochester, NY area.

Here's a link to get you started: http://www.russianrochester.com/

[andsome]

We are so 'narrow' here! I think all kids should have to learn at least one other language in school.

I couldn't agree more. However, I think that it is about time that schools also taught and encouraged children to speak true English. I have NOTHING at all against America, having visited there several times, but they DO NOT speak correct English, they speak their own version, and I find it very irritating to hear English Children and now even young adults speaking Americanised English. The constant use of the word 'LIKE' is a main point. Most young people never say a sentence such as, "I was really upset by him", rather, they would say, "I was LIKE, really upset by him". this just one example. Another example is that instead of saying, "I said to him", they would say, "I went". It is a sad fact that many schools do not correct bad English in written work, other than in an actual English grammar lesson. If my granddaughter spells a word incorrectly in a history or geography paper for instance, or uses incorrect grammar, this remains uncorrected.

[scuzzman]

We are so 'narrow' here! I think all kids should have to learn at least one other language in school.

I couldn't agree more. However, I think that it is about time that schools also taught and encouraged children to speak true English. I have NOTHING at all against America, having visited there several times, but they DO NOT speak correct English, they speak their own version, and I find it very irritating to hear English Children and now even young adults speaking Americanised English. The constant use of the word 'LIKE' is a main point. Most young people never say a sentence such as, "I was really upset by him", rather, they would say, "I was LIKE, really upset by him". this just one example. Another example is that instead of saying, "I said to him", they would say, "I went". It is a sad fact that many schools do not correct bad English in written work, other than in an actual English grammar lesson. If my granddaughter spells a word incorrectly in a history or geography paper for instance, or uses incorrect grammar, this remains uncorrected.

I'll actually have to disagree with you here andsome. This slaughtering of the English language is very looked-down upon by most instructors, and intellectuals who know how to speak it correctly. This is, unfortunately, the product of a pop-culture generation, with which I'd like to disassociate myself, but can't because I'm a young adult.

[andsome]

We are so 'narrow' here! I think all kids should have to learn at least one other language in school.

I couldn't agree more. However, I think that it is about time that schools also taught and encouraged children to speak true English. I have NOTHING at all against America, having visited there several times, but they DO NOT speak correct English, they speak their own version, and I find it very irritating to hear English Children and now even young adults speaking Americanised English. The constant use of the word 'LIKE' is a main point. Most young people never say a sentence such as, "I was really upset by him", rather, they would say, "I was LIKE, really upset by him". this just one example. Another example is that instead of saying, "I said to him", they would say, "I went". It is a sad fact that many schools do not correct bad English in written work, other than in an actual English grammar lesson. If my granddaughter spells a word incorrectly in a history or geography paper for instance, or uses incorrect grammar, this remains uncorrected.

I'll actually have to disagree with you here andsome. This slaughtering of the English language is very looked-down upon by most instructors, and intellectuals who know how to speak it correctly. This is, unfortunately, the product of a pop-culture generation, with which I'd like to disassociate myself, but can't because I'm a young adult.

Unfortunately, if you were in England now, you would know that the standard of English teaching on schools is appalling, and that what I have said is true. It is a sad fact that many younger teachers actually slaughter the English language themselves. I know this to be true, because I have spoken to several of them at my granddaughters school.

[rong]

My neice (she's German) used to get into dissagrements with the English teachers (in Germany) as they have a limited range-knowlege of English. About the same as me.

[andsome]

My neice (she's German) used to get  into dissagrements with the English teachers (in Germany) as they have a limited range-knowlege of English. About the same as me.

You surprise me. I worked for a German based company for eighteen years. At sales meetings in Germany, I always gained the impression that most of the office staff spoke BETTER English than we did.

[rong]

My neice (she's German) used to get  into dissagrements with the English teachers (in Germany) as they have a limited range-knowlege of English. About the same as me.

You surprise me. I worked for a German based company for eighteen years. At sales meetings in Germany, I always gained the impression that most of the office staff spoke BETTER English than we did.

I think thats what I said, or tryed to. She learned her English firstly from her dad (my brother) and us the English side.

[bhuk]

I can speak Geordie ya'aalreet :rolleyes:

[andsome]

I can speak Geordie ya'aalreet  :rolleyes:

Yes ta!

[Damo]

Thanks for the link HCA!

Sir Rad, not sure about going on to a degree in Russian - seems totally pointless, (like you say).

Russian is ONE of the hardest languages to learn, but its easier that Japanese and chinese.

If anyone is interested in looking at the russian language here are two sites I'm using along side my classes:

http://www.learningrussian.com

http://www.masterrussian.com

Damo

[andsome]

All I can say is that I wish you the best of luck.

[Damo]

Thanks Andsome! :D

[Besty]

I forgot to say I can speak fluent gibberish

[andsome]

I forgot to say I can speak fluent gibberish

We have already noticed

[homecomputeraid]

When I was travelling in the Navy, there was a popluar joke:

What do you call someone who knows three languages?

Tri-lingual

What do you call someone who knows two languages?

Bi-lingual

What do you call someone who knows one language?

American! :)

[andsome]

When I was travelling in the Navy, there was a popluar joke:

What do you call someone who knows three languages?

Tri-lingual

What do you call someone who knows two languages?

Bi-lingual

What do you call someone who knows one language?

American!  :)

I like that :D :D :D

[homecomputeraid]

By the way, studying a second language is a requirement in New York now. Not sure about other states. Most High Schools only offer French or Spanish.

[don't ask]

First language - broad Scots (which came in very useful when we moved to Germany in later life and had to learn the language very very quickly) - second language learned at School was French (difficult for broad Scots tongues to master I thought) - third language was everyday English for business and personal use :rolleyes: . Counting the German that makes 4 tongues :lol: )

Have a son that also does Japanese and a bit of Russian.