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Bi-/Tri-/Etc.- Lingualism

V

vorbb

macrumors member
Original poster
Aug 18, 2010
47
0
What do you guys think about the virtues of knowing more then one language?

I think it's one of the most amazing skills that anyone can have. I just turned 18 and am fluent in English, Hebrew, French, Spanish, and American Sign Language.

It's a skill that I will definitely be developing as I progress in to my adult years.

What languages do you speak, and do you consider learning more a worthwhile pursuit?
 
I speak french and english fluently. I started to learn german a couple months ago, by myself.

I also understand a bit of italian and spanish, since it looks very much like french.


I'd say knowing english is by far the most important. In most places where tourists go yuo can get service in english, and most of the content on the internet is in english. Learning otehr languages is useful, but to a much lesser extent.

miles01110 said:
Mathematics/Physics.
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No chemistry? How sad :p
 
Somewhat fluent. LOL. Funny.

English, Spanish. Know enough Mandarin to get me around the PRC. Know enough German to find a place or order. Know a few words and phrases in Malay, Thai and Japanese. Used to know ASL but can't say I know more than a word or 2 these days.
 
English (Native language)
Took 3 years of Spanish in High School

Been studying Russian for a while as I find the language interesting. LOL
 
I know a Macedonian guy who speaks 6 languages extremely fluently. I had no clue he wasn't even american (hes only been in the states once for two weeks). Supposedly the only language he has a slight accent in is Bosnian (according to my Bosnian friends) but damn 6 languages is impressive! Oh, and hes an automechanic not a professor or anything lol.
 
chrono1081 said:
I know a Macedonian guy who speaks 6 languages extremely fluently. I had no clue he wasn't even american (hes only been in the states once for two weeks). Supposedly the only language he has a slight accent in is Bosnian (according to my Bosnian friends) but damn 6 languages is impressive! Oh, and hes an automechanic not a professor or anything lol.
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Some people have talents in arts, some in languages.
 
My mother was fluent in English, Spanish, French, German and Turkish. My father in English, French, German, Italian, Arabic and Turkish. My sister is fluent in English, French, German, Hungarian, Spanish, Serbo-Croat and Russian. I am only fluent in English, French and (almost) Italian. What a let-down! :)
 
I'm bilingual, fluent in English and German. I can get by if pushed with French but it's not great.

Unfortunately I'm not very skilled at learning new languages - my family's never been good at it. Not in schools or courses at least but then people learn differently. My mother was from Germany and was so poor in English at school that she got held back a year despite having one to one tuition at home. When she was 21 she randomly decided to move to England for good and years later worked as an English/German translator and interpreter with no accent whatsoever. Immersion can be immensely powerful.

Being brought up to be bilingual is an amazing gift in my opinion and when we get round to having children we hope to get a live in nanny/au pair or whatever they're called that is German to make sure that we can pass the gift on.
 
My dad and grandparents are fluent in Dutch but for some reason never taught me when I was growing up. To this day I wish he (they) would have.

I'm fluent in English, and after 4 years of Spanish in high school I can now only understand a fair amount of it.

Anyone have any experience using Rosetta Stone? I'm really tempted to pull the trigger, but I can't bear to spend the money on it now.
 
earthmonster said:
My dad and grandparents are fluent in Dutch but for some reason never taught me when I was growing up. To this day I wish he (they) would have.

I'm fluent in English, and after 4 years of Spanish in high school I can now only understand a fair amount of it.

Anyone have any experience using Rosetta Stone? I'm really tempted to pull the trigger, but I can't bear to spend the money on it now.
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I love Rosetta Stone. It forces you to make connections between objects and pictures rather then memorization. It worked wonders getting me up to speed on Japanese. (Although its been years and I've forgotten almost everything :'()
 
PHP, HTML, Javascript... :D

Seriously - I'm very familiar with German, Japanese and American Sign and very limited in Spanish. Not fluent in any, however. Probly best in ASL, but that's mainly because if I don't know the word I can fingerspell. :)
 
English as it's my native language. I took Spanish for 5 years in middle and high school and don't have much to show for it besides knowing how to ask where the bathrooms are and a few swear words. And I know all of the Yiddish swear words because that's what happens when you're a child and hear your Jewish parents and grandparents speaking English except sticking one Yiddish word in there because they don't want to curse around children. You eventually fill in the blanks ;)

I'd like to be fluent in another language, but I don't really have the time to learn a new one right now.
 
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