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Question for those who speak more than 1 language

post #1 of 17
8/11/11 at 2:23pm
Thread Starter 
I was just wondering about something. If you speak more than 1 language, which language do you use when you speak to your cats? If you speak both languages to your cat, do they understand words from each language?
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post #2 of 17
8/11/11 at 2:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by My4LLMA View Post
I was just wondering about something. If you speak more than 1 language, which language do you use when you speak to your cats? If you speak both languages to your cat, do they understand words from each language?
My native language is Portuguese, and I have been here for 15 years... I speak to them in English - I guess my second language has already somehow become ingrained in my brain
Not sure if they understand a language - I think they understand more of a tone - it doesn't matter if I speak English, Portuguese, or meow to them, they react the same as long as I use the same tone. (yep, the longest conversations we have is meowing - I am sure they have a great time even though I have no clue what we are talking about )
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post #3 of 17
8/11/11 at 2:36pm
I mostly use English when I speak, but it is only for my own benefit really aside from the volume and tone of my voice that they pick up.

I find its much easier for them to understand more basic communication. Consecutive finger tapping works better than "come" ever did, and they either run and jump onto the object of the tap or towards me if I do it on my shin. "Snick Snick" sound with my tongue means move or get away. "Tsst!" with big wide eyes means "no" or "bad" and was also more effective IMO. "Yumyum" in a somewhat high pitch is the dinner bell. Those are the only ones I know for sure that they actually understand.

I figure the human is the one with the huge language processing center, so it makes more sense to adapt to the cat than try and make the cat adapt to understand human language. *shrugs*
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post #4 of 17
8/11/11 at 2:58pm
I speak spanish and english, but I speak spanish to my kitties they are 100% puertorrican, haha.
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post #5 of 17
8/11/11 at 3:27pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Momto4kitties View Post
I speak spanish and english, but I speak spanish to my kitties they are 100% puertorrican, haha.
CUTE!!!!!!!! . I speak a little Spanish, but not enough to ever be able to carry on a conversation
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post #6 of 17
8/11/11 at 4:33pm
I speak mostly English to them, but will curse fluently in Spanish and German as needed. (Spanish is a MARVELOUS loving and fighting language, IMHO. Nothing better for those tasks!)

They do seem to understand various language I mumble to them. Maybe it's more voice tone than knowing the language?
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post #7 of 17
8/11/11 at 4:36pm
Jake and I are both multilimngual I've spoken to j
Him in English, spanish and Bulgarian
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post #8 of 17
8/11/11 at 6:30pm
I speak German as well, but when I talk to Peanut it's usually in English.
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post #9 of 17
8/11/11 at 7:37pm
I speak to them in my native English.
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post #10 of 17
8/11/11 at 8:56pm
Well.... of course in my native spanish I talk to them, sometimes I said some commands in english to they but their attention are focus on the Can of wet food...




Quote:
Originally Posted by Feralvr View Post
CUTE!!!!!!!! . I speak a little Spanish, but not enough to ever be able to carry on a conversation
Quote:
Originally Posted by ut0pia View Post
Jake and I are both multilimngual I've spoken to j
Him in English, spanish and Bulgarian
you boths said that you talk spanish... so this is for you...:
Ambas son mujeres muy hermosas y grandes amigas!

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post #11 of 17
8/11/11 at 9:52pm
Mine seem to like me speaking Japanese more than anything. But most of the time I just use English.

Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolCat View Post
you boths said that you talk spanish...
Parece que hay un buen número de los que hablan español. Tal vez deberÃ:censor:amos iniciar un foro español?
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post #12 of 17
8/11/11 at 10:29pm
I use English; my husband will use English for commands, but otherwise German. Jamie responds better to English.

I don't think it matters much with cats, but it can with dogs. We had one dog in particular who would totally ignore any commands in German, though he learned "good" German words like those for food and walks. We were his second owners, so he'd learned everything in English before coming to us.
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post #13 of 17
8/11/11 at 11:58pm
I speak Finnish to them. Sometimes if I just ramble something I may use English, and very poor German to Luna.
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post #14 of 17
8/12/11 at 8:21am
Quote:
Originally Posted by TigerOnTheProwl View Post
Parece que hay un buen número de los que hablan español. Tal vez deberÃ:censor:amos iniciar un foro español?
ME GUSTA LA IDEA!!!!!!
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post #15 of 17
8/12/11 at 11:12am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Feralvr View Post
CUTE!!!!!!!! . I speak a little Spanish, but not enough to ever be able to carry on a conversation
I don't know about that, Lauren. You did a pretty good job carrying on a conversation with Rigel when it was your turn being the Spotlight Member.

Maybe someday you can teach me to speak Spanish. Then I can pick on Rigel in both languages!

The only language my cats understand is English (which is all I know), and a few cuss words when they hiss me off.
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post #16 of 17
8/12/11 at 9:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by KittKatt View Post
Maybe someday you can teach me to speak Spanish. Then I can pick on Rigel in both languages!
Que pasa Tiffany...? no puedes con el Español?...:eyesbrow: me gustaria charlar contigo en mi nativo idioma!... te imaginas? una semana de Spotlight en español?,...........
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post #17 of 17
8/12/11 at 9:22pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolCat View Post
Que pasa Tiffany...? no puedes con el Español?...:eyebrow: me gustaria charlar contigo en mi nativo idioma!... te imaginas? una semana de Spotlight en español?,...........
POR CIERTO!... no uses el translator para ver que dije.... seguramente se desvirtuaria esto!.......jejejeje...
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