How many languages do you speak?

I can read/understand a bit of French and German, but it is one of my biggest regrets that I am not fluent in a second language. It is on my to-do list.

Both kids WILL be fluent in a second language by the time they graduate from college. They will not be competitive in the working world if they speak English only. I think our arrogance (or ignorance) about this has hurt the US in the long run - made us an "island."

Good thread Scootbug! I agree about Americans expecting everyone else to know English.

Spanish- I studied two years in high school and three and a half years in college, with one a summer abroad to Spain. I feel now I should've taken the whole studying thing more seriously.

From what I know of Spanish I can understand/read some Italian. I had a New Year's resolution one year to learn French- that didn't last. I've always been interested in German. This year, I am going to teach myself Czech and start brushing up on my Spanish.

Broken....meaning tiny bits and pieces of Spanish...I had 2 years but that was in High School...in college I took German.

I need to take another Spanish class...we treat a lot of Spanish speaking people in our ER.

I know pig latin.

I used to speak French, but can still read and write it. Know high school spanish. My husband is fluent in Italian and Spanish and knows a little Portuguese.

Fluent in Lower Alabama Red-Neck. I also know several Spanish words from a Conversational Spanish course I took last spring. Unfortunately, I did not understand conjugating verbs (probably because it wasn't explained to us ). I do have the book "Spanish for Dummies" which I plan to study one day, along with a handheld translator. Fuzz has a DOT manual which contains a section on foul language in Spanish, which is typically what is spoken when diversity occurs.

In addition to the foreign language requirements, I (like jdarg) plan to ensure that my son is fluent in something other than English, AND to speak "proper" English. To stay in Florida, Spanish is necessary. I can write/type proper English, but I have a very hard time speaking it.

Fluent in Lower Alabama Red-Neck.

In all seriousness, I love that and louisiana (whatever it's called coona$$?.) However nothing compares to my italian friends when they get on a roll.

I can't say that I'm fluent in Spanish after taking it 3 years.:roll:

I can read steet and highway signs when in Spanish speaking countries. I can also place orders in restaurants in Spanish. I would really like to become fluent in Spanish.

I think our arrogance (or ignorance) about this has hurt the US in the long run made us an "island."

We are very spoiled about not having to learn other languages, but it definitely comes back to bite us. I've traveled/lived in foreign countries with people who didn't learn/use the language and our experiences were radically different.

My grandfather had to learn German because he was an engineer and back then "all the good machinery was German." Grandma used to tell stories of being on a date in college and he'd have an index card in his pocket w/ the words he was trying learn. Didn't come in handy during WWII as he was in the Pacific, but his granddaughter had no trouble ordering her apple streudel w/ whipped cream in Austria 50 years later .

I speak Latin. Does that count? Ok, "speak" might be a bit of a stretch. But I do know how to say "Semper Ubi Sub Ubi" (Translation: Always wear your underware!) and "Agricolae poeta est" (Translation: The farmer is a poet.) Very important phrases, right? Actually I don't even think I go the endings right on the second phrase.

Anyway, My kids are growing up bi-lingual. My husband is a native spaniard. I speak spanish on a 4 year old level. My son is about to turn 5 and knows more words than I do. Learning more spanish is on my "to do" list. My husband has a cousin that I am dying to have a conversation with -- that doesn't entail charades!

Just got a call from a friend of mine in Hall County, GA. They just went to a meeting last night for a NEW charter school (a charter school is public, but they get to bend the rules a little). It's a Language Immersion school. They will teach 70% in Spanish, 30% in English and when the kids start 3rd grade, they'll add Mandarin Chinese!!! How cool is that? We looked at an immersion pre-school for my kids and just ruled it out because of $$$. But this school will be free. . . .makes me want to put my house on the mkt and move to Hall County!

Nohall - any cute houses up that way?????

I speak Latin. Does that count? Ok, "speak" might be a bit of a stretch. But I do know how to say "Semper Ubi Sub Ubi" (Translation: Always wear your underware!) and "Agricolae poeta est" (Translation: The farmer is a poet.) Very important phrases, right? Actually I don't even think I go the endings right on the second phrase.

Anyway, My kids are growing up bi-lingual. My husband is a native spaniard. I speak spanish on a 4 year old level. My son is about to turn 5 and knows more words than I do. Learning more spanish is on my "to do" list. My husband has a cousin that I am dying to have a conversation with -- that doesn't entail charades!

Don't forget.....Semper Gumby! (Translation: Always Flexible)

Just got a call from a friend of mine in Hall County, GA. They just went to a meeting last night for a NEW charter school (a charter school is public, but they get to bend the rules a little). It's a Language Immersion school. They will teach 70% in Spanish, 30% in English and when the kids start 3rd grade, they'll add Mandarin Chinese!!! How cool is that? We looked at an immersion pre-school for my kids and just ruled it out because of $$$. But this school will be free. . . .makes me want to put my house on the mkt and move to Hall County!

Nohall - any cute houses up that way?????

There is a language immersion school in PC that is getting rave reviews.

Know a little bit of Greek, almost married one! I've got French and Spanish records but you know... know a few Spanish words and took French as a kid, used to dream in French...

Mandarin is very quickly going to become the new Spanish.

Richard Pryor, recounting a visit to Africa:

One of the natives asked, "What language do you speak?"
Pryor said, "English."
"We all speak English, but what language do you speak at home?" the native replied.
Pryor: "Jive?"

Klingon, Orcish, Spanish, Pig Latin with Mango, and lately I have been picking up a smattering of Cuckoo. If I keep reading certain posts I am hoping to crack the code. Ravin' in another thread is creating a Rosetta Stone for the language. I am a little scared I'll be like one of the FBI profliers on t.v. and then I'll be trapped in LaLa Land too. I believe it's worth the risk if I can provide the help the Cuckoos so desperately need.

Richard Pryor, recounting a visit to Africa:

One of the natives asked, "What language do you speak?"
Pryor said, "English."
"We all speak English, but what language do you speak at home?" the native replied.
Pryor: "Jive?"

That reminds me of Airplane!
"Excuse me, I speak jive..."

I barely speak English, for pity's sake. (But I took 2 years of Greek in college! )

Just got a call from a friend of mine in Hall County, GA. They just went to a meeting last night for a NEW charter school (a charter school is public, but they get to bend the rules a little). It's a Language Immersion school. They will teach 70% in Spanish, 30% in English and when the kids start 3rd grade, they'll add Mandarin Chinese!!! How cool is that? We looked at an immersion pre-school for my kids and just ruled it out because of $$$. But this school will be free. . . .makes me want to put my house on the mkt and move to Hall County!

Nohall - any cute houses up that way?????

ALL the houses are cute here, and most of them are on the market for some reason. Gainesville, GA is the center of the universe--c'mon up!

Klingon, Orcish, Spanish, Pig Latin with Mango, and lately I have been picking up a smattering of Cuckoo. If I keep reading certain posts I am hoping to crack the code. Ravin' in another thread is creating a Rosetta Stone for the language. I am a little scared I'll be like one of the FBI profliers on t.v. and then I'll be trapped in LaLa Land too. I believe it's worth the risk if I can provide the help the Cuckoos so desperately need.

Yeah good luck with that.

I can read/understand a bit of French and German, but it is one of my biggest regrets that I am not fluent in a second language. It is on my to-do list.

Both kids WILL be fluent in a second language by the time they graduate from college. They will not be competitive in the working world if they speak English only. I think our arrogance (or ignorance) about this has hurt the US in the long run made us an "island."

america's no more an island than most countries..europe is a slightly different story, but americans don't really understand the relationships and geography there. the closer proximity makes a certain amount of cross-culturalism inevitable. but even in the UK they really didn't start speaking french or spanish until recent generations.

america's no more arrogant than any other country in which i've lived or worked! we mistake our pride for arrogance because americans don't value their differences. too bad really. we also express ourselves differently. we're more outgoing and aggressive. secretly, that's one of the things people actually like about us the most!

lots of americans also don't understand other country's cultures and that their encounters and reactions to american's culture is neither hatred nor disgust, but many times jealousy and what's considered an appropriate response to other's success- they don't assume our counter response will be self-loathing, but you know..we are americans!

i think when americans first encounter different cultures they're shocked by the lack of understanding about world events and other cultures. they are likely to blame themselves for many things. it's a charming attribute, but it's not really accurate about america's place in the world and there's not need for shame!

but some americans because they are a little unaware and culturally limited think the apporpriate response is to attack their own country and culture. pretty sad.

living languages i presume?... 3 in the home and 4 more with a bare modicom of proficiency...oh and kids are learning chinese

I cannot even get people to listen to me in English, so why should I bother with speaking in other languages? The average American doesn't even speak English very well.

I cannot even get people to listen to me in English, so why should I bother with speaking in other languages? The average American doesn't even speak English very well.

...I listen!

I speak English, a bit of Spanish and unfortunately losing both of those because of the new language I have acquired...mentalpause.

america's no more an island than most countries..europe is a slightly different story, but americans don't really understand the relationships and geography there. the closer proximity makes a certain amount of cross-culturalism inevitable. but even in the UK they really didn't start speaking french or spanish until recent generations.

america's no more arrogant than any other country in which i've lived or worked! we mistake our pride for arrogance because americans don't value their differences. too bad really. we also express ourselves differently. we're more outgoing and aggressive. secretly, that's one of the things people actually like about us the most!

lots of americans also don't understand other country's cultures and that their encounters and reactions to american's culture is neither hatred nor disgust, but many times jealousy and what's considered an appropriate response to other's success- they don't assume our counter response will be self-loathing, but you know..we are americans!

i think when americans first encounter different cultures they're shocked by the lack of understanding about world events and other cultures. they are likely to blame themselves for many things. it's a charming attribute, but it's not really accurate about america's place in the world and there's not need for shame!

but some americans because they are a little unaware and culturally limited think the apporpriate response is to attack their own country and culture. pretty sad.

living languages i presume?... 3 in the home and 4 more with a bare modicom of proficiency...oh and kids are learning chinese

raven: I have absolutely no idea what you are saying here. none.

I cannot even get people to listen to me in English, so why should I bother with speaking in other languages? The average American doesn't even speak English very well.

It was not until I studied Latin in college (my only language other than English and that was long ago) that I truly learned to speak and write in English.

On a side note, I was reading a book on early Christian religion last night. The chapter that I happened to be on discussed the concept of literacy in biblical times. In that time only only about 10% of the population was considered literate and that classification consisted only of being able to write one's name. Village scribes were enlisted to sign their names to official documents that they themselves most likely could not read or understand. It made me think that we are not far away from that now, especially when I thought of Amendment 1. I have read the text of the amendment, read the text on the ballot and have read several versions of what people think that it says.