What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

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Bernard
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What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by Bernard »

Let's talk about languages.
For example, my native language is Russian. I'm also studying English by myself. Yesterday I started to learn French. I would like to learn a 1337-5p34k or LOL-speak just for fun.
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by Hydro_PT »

Interesting thread. :D I'm a translator and have graduated in foreign languages and translation. I'm now doing a master's degree, also in translation, so this is basically my life and what I like to do the most. :P

My native language is Portuguese, since I was born in Portugal and have always lived there. :wink: I have been studying English in the past 12 years (school, University, also on my own through games, books, music, movies, etc.). I'm quite fluent in English by now, and it is my first working language (level C1, the maximum is C2, which is native-level).

I studied French for 6 years, but since I was never really keen on the language, I forgot a lot of stuff already. I can still read and understand French if it is well written/spoken and not very complicated stuff. In case I start studying French again, I'm sure a lot of the knowledge will come back, 6 years learning the language is a lot of time.

German is my second working language, but I have struggled to make myself more fluent. I studied German for 4 years, but didn't live in Germany yet, and that's what's missing, I think.

The third and last working language I studied was Russian. I was in Moscow for 2 months in 2011 to improve my Russian, it was helpful, of course, and I LOVED the city, but my level is still quite low, A2 (there's still B1, B2, C1 and C2 to go). My priority now is to become C2 in English, C1 in German, and hopefully in the future at least B2 in Russian.

I also studied Latin for 2 years, but that was only to make me more aware of my own language, Portuguese, and other languages that come from Latin. I forgot pretty much everything already, but I can still read some stuff and understand some bits, which is cool when you go to old monuments and things are written in Latin. :D You can always show-off. :mrgreen:
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by junior6at »

Ehh what they hey, being raised in the US my native language is English, but my home country is the Philippines. Because of my family I can somewhat understand Tagalog and Kapampangan, though I wouldn't consider myself fluent in either of the two.

As for my interest, for years Japanese is something I've wanted to learn how to not only speak but also read and write in. In 2008 I went to an intensive Japanese school in Shinjuku, Tokyo for a semester. Probably one of the greatest, most difficult experiences I've ever had, though certainly one of the most memorable.

However since then, I've slacked off and nearly forgotten everything that was drilled into my head by my sensei and friends. It's a shame really, but I got only myself to blame. A lot of it has to do with the fact that, living in the US, I don't have anyone physically around me to practice my Japanese with. I also seem to work well in a school setting or even being tutored as opposed to just studying on my own.

I have been casually exposing myself to the language through movies, anime, and speech lessons on Youtube. At the very least I want the language to remain familiar to my ears. But my passion to become fluent is something that always stayed in the back of my mind. Such a beautiful sounding language and such a rich culture, perhaps one day I'll make a trip back to Japan. :wink:
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Bernard
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by Bernard »

Thank you. Nice to read your posts.
French language, lifestyle and traditions were extremely popular in Russia since XVIII to XIX century, especially among the Russian nobility/aristocracy and upper middle class.
I started to learn French, because I want to listen and understand French music, read French books and articles, watch French movies and cartoons, and talk to French-speaking people.
My English is not perfect. I need a lot of practice. If I have made any mistakes, please, join the Grammar Police patrol and correct me.

To Hydro_PT: Russian language is a little difficult even for me because of its rules and exceptions. But if you really want to learn Russian and you have a proper dictionary, audio and textbook, you don't need to worry. If you need my help, please, send me a private message or E-Mail message.

To Junior6at: Russian people admire the Japanese language, culture and traditions.
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by boganbusman »

junior, that is awesome how you went to Japan to study. I would love to do the same!

I've been studying Japanese at a language school here in Melbourne since 2011. My mother is Japanese but she never taught me when I was younger ;_;
Anyway, I plan to move to Japan one day to live and work. Not sure what job I want to do though...
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by okuhle94 »

I speak/read/write English (i'm really fluent with English), and isiXhosa which is my native language. The sad thing is that I suck at isiXhosa, my own native language. I want to start learning Japanese, but i'm not sure which websites or material I could get.
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by Jack33673 »

okuhle94 wrote:I speak/read/write English (i'm really fluent with English), and isiXhosa which is my native language. The sad thing is that I suck at isiXhosa, my own native language. I want to start learning Japanese, but i'm not sure which websites or material I could get.
Looks like you and me are in the same boat. Why don't you Rosetta Stone there software is pretty good but I might cost alot of money .

http://www.rosettastone.com/learn-japanese
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by RobLSL »

Ya, Rossetta is well spenny. 'parrently amazing though, suppose to recreate what it is like as a child leanring a language. I heard the other day that until you are about 12 there is a part of youir brain that has the sole job to learn language - and its completely receptive, meaning that (apparently) anyone who learns a language under twelve years old (by this I mean immersed in the language, ie. their family moves to a new country), is likely to be 'native' in that language. Sadly, this thing closes off at 12(ish) and everything is up hill from there on.

I am from the UK but can speak French, and a little Spanish. i think thee main thing is immersion, read books, what films, listen to music. Waterstones has a pretty good selection of langauge course books, or even children's books in other languages. Not to expensive either if you combine it with Voucherbox discounts.
junior6at wrote:Ehh what they hey, being raised in the US my native language is English, but my home country is the Philippines. Because of my family I can somewhat understand Tagalog and Kapampangan, though I wouldn't consider myself fluent in either of the two.
:
That's cool, Ive got a friend in the Phillies now, learning Tagalog, and loving it.
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Re: What language do you know/learning/want to learn?

Post by fantasticmrfox »

I'm a native English speaker from Edmonton, Canada, and I've been trying to learn German for a few years, but I'm so undisciplined :/ I learnt a bit of Italian as I lived in Milan for a while, but otherwise English is the only language I'm fluent in!
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