Just 4? What's the world coming to??? Just kidding my friend, I wish I could speak more than just English!
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How many languages do you speak?
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Just 4? What's the world coming to??? Just kidding my friend, I wish I could speak more than just English!
I can read and write Russian, but so far I have not had enough practice to be able to speak Russian.
If you can read and write Russian, I'd imagine that you would be able to express yourself pretty well, too.
Understanding the language is usually the first stage, and speaking it (and, as an adult, reading - or trying to read it) tend to be next.
For me, writing a language is invariably the most difficult, because that is where the gap between my aspirations (lofty and articulate) and my capacity (sometimes limited) tends to be most pronounced.
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Я хочу выучить русский,Мне нужно потренироваться.
Speaking is hardest because I don't come into contact with enough Russian speakers.
English (Native-level)
Korean (Upper Intermediate)
Japanese (Lower Intermediate)
Honorable Mention: spoke French with near fluency in High School, now totally incapable
Korean (Upper Intermediate)
Japanese (Lower Intermediate)
Honorable Mention: spoke French with near fluency in High School, now totally incapable
Of course it helps to learn other peoples languages, if your own language is only spoken by 20,000,000 in the whole world.
When you go on vacation the chances that you will meet another Dutch speaker is small.
Its one of the main reasons I use KLM on long haul flights, after weeks away its nice to hear your own language, and not have to worry about misunderstandings.
Я хочу выучить русский,Мне нужно потренироваться.
Speaking is hardest because I don't come into contact with enough Russian speakers.
Bravo!
I spent four years studying Russian at night, around 20 years ago, and have lived (and worked) in Russian speaking countries. But, while I can write it, I'll freely confess it is a struggle.
Re languages, I agree that the issue is exposure to speakers - essentially, is simply constant exposure to the language so that the language is actively used rather than dormant.
When dormant, it can be resurrected, but I find that process can take several weeks (or months, sometimes) as comprehension (and consequently, confidence) return.
For myself, English is my native language. Around 20 years ago, my French was excellent, but these days, I rarely use it, although - as with any dormant language - it can be prodded and re-awakened if needed. Then, there is Russian, which I have studied, (but do not know as well as I would wish), fairly functional German, and Irish (Gaelic); in addition, I can understand some Serbo-Croat, although I cannot speak it.
Moreover, I studied Latin at school for five years, but with far too little application, something I regret now, as it is a most useful and interesting language.
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Yes, I can understand about the need and mental relief and relaxation of travelling with KLM.
However, re ease of language acquisition - I think you overlook the importance of the wonderfully central location of the Netherlands for the advantage of exposure to not just other languages - but to other sounds and ways of expressing something.
To be honest, I am a little envious of environments where individuals are encouraged to learn several languages - it open and challenges the mind in more ways than simply learning to speak other tongues.
I suspect that most people in the Netherlands would have a good knowledge of - or certainly exposure to - a number of languages on a regular basis.
A lot of it is down to location, exposure, opportunity, (and attitude).
Again, over twenty years ago, I was on an EU funded travelling scholarship to Lithuania (almost immediately after the collapse of the USSR). I used my four months there to speak (and read) Russian daily, but - surrounded as I was by Lithuanian speakers - I also realised that I had come to understand that language surprisingly well after a few months, although I never actively set out to learn it.
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I really dont want to side track this thread, but I did have another thought about languages.
Foreign films and TV programs are sent out in their original language, with sub titles. I really do believe that this does help, as you grow acustomed to the sound of a foreign language.
Again, not for the first time, I am in complete agreement with you. This is exactly the reason that I much prefer to watch sub-titled (rather than dubbed) movies.
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Jean-Luc Goddard: "When it's dubbed, your'e duped"
(I do believe it was he who said that).
i have studied english, grammar and stuff, but what taught me to 'speak' the language was watching hollywood movies / tv shows with english subtitles long ago.
after a year or so doing this you can drop the subs altogether.
trying it with spanish, but there aren't many movies or tv shows worth watching
cheers
after a year or so doing this you can drop the subs altogether.
trying it with spanish, but there aren't many movies or tv shows worth watching
cheers
Yip, that makes indeed a difference.
In the Flemish (Dutch) speaking part of Belgium, foreign films and TV programs are also broadcasted out in their original language, with sub titles.
While in the Walloon (French) speaking part of Belgium everything gets dubbed.
This means that while the Walloons get English as their second language in school, they aren't (on averige) very good at it.
The other difference is how the languages are given.
In Flanders, in a language class you only here the new language from day one and the first weeks there are a lot of signs and gestures to bring over the meaning.
In Wallonia, a language class is technically a French class that explains a foreign language through grammer and vocabulary examples. So they never really get submerged in the new language.
I see Hungarian is very popular around here.
(Te is fiam, Brutus!)
Я хочу выучить русский,Мне нужно потренироваться.
Найди красивую русскую девушку и вопрос решён!
Найди красивую русскую девушку и вопрос решён!
Это правда, Любовь решает все проблемы.
Я хочу выучить русский,Мне нужно потренироваться.
Speaking is hardest because I don't come into contact with enough Russian speakers.
In recent years, I've found Russian interesting, but I would have to get used to case-- English has, for the most part, done away with case and depends on word order and prepositions to indicate noun usage.
I'd like to be able to understand Dutch too, if only to appreciate more fully the delightfully unconventional musical phenomenon known as De Stoopjes. "Als wij in de achtbaan gaan..."
Thread Reboot
Anyone speak Spanish and Italian? I've been to Italy a couple of times and I'll swear Italian sounds an awful lot like Spanish. Although I'm semi-familiar with Spanish, took it in High School, I am no where close to being fluent. If you know Spanish, can you get by in Italian? JC, thanks!
Anyone speak Spanish and Italian? I've been to Italy a couple of times and I'll swear Italian sounds an awful lot like Spanish. Although I'm semi-familiar with Spanish, took it in High School, I am no where close to being fluent. If you know Spanish, can you get by in Italian? JC, thanks!
My native language is English, but was also brought up reading, writing, and speaking Hebrew fluently.
I took 5 years of Spanish and was pretty decent at one point, at least in terms of reading, writing, and speaking. Listening was far more challenging when I went to Spain. It would be nice to brush up on it.
I took 5 years of Spanish and was pretty decent at one point, at least in terms of reading, writing, and speaking. Listening was far more challenging when I went to Spain. It would be nice to brush up on it.
Thread Reboot
Anyone speak Spanish and Italian? I've been to Italy a couple of times and I'll swear Italian sounds an awful lot like Spanish. Although I'm semi-familiar with Spanish, took it in High School, I am no where close to being fluent. If you know Spanish, can you get by in Italian? JC, thanks!
The romance languages are all very similar. I've never studied Italian or Spanish, but usually understand most of what I hear/read because I do speak French.
French was the 2nd language I studied after Hebrew and followed by Mandarin.
Would it be too silly to ask where the Mandars live?
Thanks for the serious response. Did you use it in a professional capacity?