1. JTheGreat

    JTheGreat New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2010
    Messages:
    381
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Everywhere and Nowhere

    Any Multilinguals Out There?

    Discussion in 'The Lounge' started by JTheGreat, Jun 10, 2010.

    Just asking. I think it's awesome when you learn a new language.

    I can understand Tagalog pretty well, but I don't like speaking it because of me ever-so obvious American accent.
     
  2. jacklondonsghost

    jacklondonsghost New Member

    Joined:
    Jan 25, 2010
    Messages:
    1,039
    Likes Received:
    10
    Location:
    Buffalo, NY
    I speak fluent German with a decent accent. French and Spanish I can understand but I'm nowhere near fluent.
     
  3. Wreybies

    Wreybies Thrice Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 1, 2008
    Messages:
    23,826
    Likes Received:
    20,815
    Location:
    El Tembloroso Caribe
    Many!!

    <-- English, Spanish, & Russian with fluency and a sprinkle of German and French.
     
  4. thirdwind

    thirdwind Member Contest Administrator Reviewer Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2008
    Messages:
    7,851
    Likes Received:
    3,339
    Location:
    Boston
    I can speak English, French, and Greek. I speak and understand a little Spanish, too. I'm the most fluent in English, however, and would prefer to speak in it than in any of the other languages. I took two years of Spanish in school. French and Greek I learned from my parents (my mom's French and my dad's Greek).

    When it comes to writing, I stick to English.
     
  5. Cogito

    Cogito Former Mod, Retired Supporter Contributor

    Joined:
    May 19, 2007
    Messages:
    36,161
    Likes Received:
    2,827
    Location:
    Massachusetts, USA
    Some Spanish, some German, plus odd bits from various other languages. Only fluent in English, though.
     
  6. CaptainMcNeil

    CaptainMcNeil New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2010
    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Fluent French and some German. I grew up speaking French and English and went to a French school (no English allowed) until 5th grade. I can still remember most of it too, and a half decent accent. I want to learn Russian next.
     
  7. Khaiden

    Khaiden New Member

    Joined:
    Mar 7, 2010
    Messages:
    7
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    The Alternative Realm
    I'm fluent in Spanish and English, although those are practically the only ones.
    I know Japanese to a very basic level, though I seek to learn a lot more languages. I think I will eventually take the Languages (Or whatever the actual career name is) career at some point. (That and the writing career too, I'm strongly considering studying 2 at the same time, all for the sake of knowledge).
     
  8. Mercurial

    Mercurial Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2009
    Messages:
    3,451
    Likes Received:
    116
    I speak English with fluency, and I have been learning Spanish for...ever. I actually grew up with Spanish in my home. I have studied Spanish formally since middle school (I just graduated high school a little over a week ago). I wouldnt call myself bilingual (and certainly not multilingual!) because it doesnt come naturally to me like English does, but I can speak with enough fluency and with a convincing enough accent that most hispanohablantes dont look at me like I'm stupid and dont usually slow their speaking. Which I consider to be a success. :)
     
  9. natsuki

    natsuki Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 3, 2010
    Messages:
    194
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    São Leopoldo - RS, Brazil
    The only language I can speak fluently is my mother language, the Portuguese. My English is very good, I believe, but I can't call it fluent yet.
    And I can understand a little - but I do mean little - Italian and Spanish.
     
  10. ClearPurpleSkies

    ClearPurpleSkies New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2010
    Messages:
    17
    Likes Received:
    0
    In the process of learning Spanish and fluent in English, but God only knows how many random bits of other languages I know.
     
  11. Lydia

    Lydia Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,919
    Likes Received:
    235
    Location:
    Somewhere out there.
    My mother tongue is Dutch and I would like to say I'm fluent in English, but I know I still make a lot of mistakes. I can understand and speak some French, and a little bit of Spanish too.
     
  12. Lavarian

    Lavarian Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2009
    Messages:
    4,562
    Likes Received:
    93
    There's English, then there's Lynglish. :)
     
  13. Thanshin

    Thanshin Active Member

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2010
    Messages:
    562
    Likes Received:
    13
    Location:
    Spain
    I'm fluent in English, French and Spanish and it takes me a couple weeks in Italy to recover Italian.

    I should speak Russian but I lost it for lack of use.
     
  14. digitig

    digitig Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2010
    Messages:
    2,490
    Likes Received:
    81
    Location:
    Orpington, Bromley, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
    I can get by in French and German. I tried to learn Cantonese for a couple of years, but didn't get far beyond saying "hello" and counting to ten. I've managed to order food in Cantonese (by pointing and saying "One of those please") and to ask directions (I didn't understand the answer, but set off in the direction they waved towards and sure enough, what I wanted was down there).
     
  15. Sonata

    Sonata New Member

    Joined:
    Jun 10, 2010
    Messages:
    71
    Likes Received:
    1
    Location:
    London, UK
    I'm currently part way through a languages degree focusing on french and the english language. It touches on Spanish, which will be topped up to a diploma in Spanish afterwards, along with a dimploma in German. Latin and classic greek are also included but I think I'll have to take some top up courses to feel I have achieved an acceptable level of understanding in them, perhaps it'll result in another valid qualification.

    I adore languages and the art of words :)
     
  16. Afterburner

    Afterburner Active Member

    Joined:
    Jul 4, 2008
    Messages:
    205
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    North Carolina
    Only fluent in English, but I can get by in Spanish.
     
  17. Mercurial

    Mercurial Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2009
    Messages:
    3,451
    Likes Received:
    116
    Lydia, es loca!

    I know that Belgium has a few official languages, and I knew that you spoke Dutch, but I was certain that English was one of them (until just now, when I looked it up ;) ), and that you grew up learning it. You're fluency in English is fantastic. I never would have thought that it wasnt your first language.
     
  18. Lydia

    Lydia Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,919
    Likes Received:
    235
    Location:
    Somewhere out there.
    Lol, thanks. Well, I kinda grew up learning it, but my parents made A LOT of mistakes (I still have to correct them now and then) so it wasn't easy- I had no idea how to write anything in English till I was about 12 years old, though (Except maybe 'I love you' :p).
     
  19. digitig

    digitig Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2010
    Messages:
    2,490
    Likes Received:
    81
    Location:
    Orpington, Bromley, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
    But I am assured by Belgians that Dutch is not one of them. The fact that most Belgians would be hard pressed to tell Vlaams and Dutch apart is besides the point when it comes to national identity! :rolleyes:
     
  20. Mercurial

    Mercurial Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2009
    Messages:
    3,451
    Likes Received:
    116
    Really? :eek: For the longest time I thought it was Dutch, French, and English, but when I looked it up I saw that it was Dutch, French, and German.

    (And I have no idea what language Vlaams comes from... :redface: )
     
  21. digitig

    digitig Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jan 21, 2010
    Messages:
    2,490
    Likes Received:
    81
    Location:
    Orpington, Bromley, United Kingdom, United Kingdom
    As I understand it, Vlaams (Flemish) is what the Dutch speaking Belgians call their language. Not Dutch. No, it's certainly not Dutch...
     
  22. Lydia

    Lydia Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2009
    Messages:
    5,919
    Likes Received:
    235
    Location:
    Somewhere out there.
    Lol, let me explain. Dutch is the language that is spoken in Holland and certain parts of Belgian, but Flemish (or Vlaams) is simply a kind of Dialect on Dutch. It is the same language but the accent is completely different from that in Holland and certain words are not the same.
     
  23. Lemex

    Lemex That's Lord Lemex to you. Contributor

    Joined:
    Oct 2, 2007
    Messages:
    10,704
    Likes Received:
    3,425
    Location:
    Northeast England
    [Eyes my signature]

    I can speak French and Russian aside from English, also a little Gallic, but I'm Scottish, so it does with the package.

    I can understand little bits of German and Greek; but really not much.
     
  24. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2006
    Messages:
    19,150
    Likes Received:
    1,034
    Location:
    Coquille, Oregon
    i speak/read/write french well enough to get along ok when i'm there, though i'm short of fluent... and i have enough basic italian and spanish to get by, as well... plus english, of course...

    oh, and a smattering of ελληνικά, deutsch, and portugues...
     
  25. Honorius

    Honorius Active Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2008
    Messages:
    1,449
    Likes Received:
    3
    Location:
    Thebes
    English as a matter of course, but I've taken AP level Spanish, so at the very least, I can get by with it. (Although I'm a much better reader than speaker and listener)

    Of course, I also pride myself with being to identify most languages, even if I don't understand them.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice