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Originally Posted by mrsd
Neat thread. My questions are for those who know many languages.
1. Do you dream in your primary language? Or all of them?I only dreamed in them if I had an assessment in that language coming up - just bits and bobs - I was normally terrified!!!
2. How do you keep the other languages 'fresh', when the people you are around DON'T speak French or conversational Chinese.
I share the Staff Common Room at the Uni with my Spanish and Italian teachers - they don't let me get away with speaking English!!
3. If you have children, do you speak to them in all those different languages?
When I was studying I used to talk to my daughter in Italian and she would speak back in French.
4. Do you feel you have a 'gift' for languages? That is, was it easy for you to pick the languages up? (Or could anyone do this?)
Definitely, I find them easy to pick up - whereas Maths is all greek to me! My husband is a scientist/mathematician and cannot pick up languages.
5. What language do you find the most beautiful on the ears?Italiano.
6. What made you interested in all the languages in the first place?They just fascinate me. i love to be able to communicate in the language of the place that I go to. I also love finding similarities and differences between different languages; and the different patterns that develop like word endings tion, ity etc (sad I know)
7. How did you learn? Tapes? Schooling? Immersion?A combination of formal tutoring and lots and lots of private study, including simply being there and conversing with native speakers.
Thanks to all who respond to my curious questions.
wow, Denise, incredible. Vous et tres magnifique!Originally Posted by turtlecat
Let's see, some the less represented languages:
French: Bonjour, J'adore les chats
Turkish: Merhaba, Kedilar seviyorum.
Japanese: Konichiwa, Ateshi wa aibyouka (I am a cat lover)
Croatian: Dobardan, Ya Volim Matchkas (Phoenetically spelled- I was taught in Cyrillic)