What languages are you studying?

Right now, I'm trying to become more fluent in French. I took three years of it in high school and two years in college. However, I've been out of practice for a few years, so I am a bit rusty, to say the least. :)

I'm also studying Filipino. I often feel guilty because that's what I am and I can't speak the language.

In the future, I'd like to study: German, Swedish and Italian

What languages are you studying?

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Permalink Reply by Meg on September 19, 2008 at 6:46am: By birth I am French Canadien, so it's only natural that my native tongue be french. But I have been in a french imersion school, in Vancouver, where they teach english kids french, since I was five. So I am essentially fluent in the two lanuages.

I am partly fluent in spanish, and I know a good handful of italien.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tedd on September 19, 2008 at 7:41am: I never did take a second language in school. I did spend 3 years in Germany while I was in the Army. Unfortunately I never did become fluent in the language, but for some reason I picked up counting. I can count as high as you want in German, give directions and say a few key phrases in ordering food. I would love to learn the language fluently but I honestly doubt I have the discipline to do it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kat M on September 19, 2008 at 9:57am: German's on my list on languages to learn. I'm very intrigued by it.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Meg on September 19, 2008 at 10:44pm: Germans a though one because all the verbs have a sex but there not the same as in french. Not to mention they have nutral verbs.

I wouldnt last a moment.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Tedd on September 20, 2008 at 6:24am: Well, I did try to use German as much as possible while there. I found that if I at least attempted to speak the local language instead of automatically asking if they spoke English, I was treated with more respect. That being said, I was asked on more than one occasion by the locals NOT to speak German. Apparently my southern American accent did not mix well with German and resulted in me pretty much slaughtering the attempt. Germans would make a painful face sometimes when I tried. They have a common sound that we do not, best described as a "K" sound, but it is deep in the throat and I could never quite get it right.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Meg on September 20, 2008 at 7:56pm: It's quite a similar situation in France, where they do not care for American turisits. My father does not speak very good french, being from Vancouver, and he speeks english often when we go to France. You can tell that the French do not care for you if you sound american for Western Canadien and North Western American accents sound very similar. But even his poor attempt at French was a much prefured option to the French, who took each mispronounced sound with a smile. Really, it pays to know a second language!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kat M on September 20, 2008 at 11:12pm: I agree with this. I have to admit, I still have a rough time with them in French. It would have been better if I initially remembered things with the articles (as it should be), but I was lazy. :/ I had a lot of bad habits in the beginning.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by OsirisRa on October 6, 2008 at 1:30am: German uses three genders for nouns not verbs, the feminine 'Die', Masculine 'Der' and the Neutral 'Das' as well as the informal 'Sie' and informal 'Du'. It is very hard to remember the correct article and they change in different situations, An absolute nightmare that makes you understand why the English language got rid of it all years ago.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kat M on September 19, 2008 at 9:56am: That's cool. I wish that I could go to some kind of immersion school. I think that would help a lot in picking up languages.

I took a bit of Spanish in school as well, and know enough to survive if I had to. :D; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by BigBadVista on September 20, 2008 at 1:37pm: French, Latin, German and Klingon =P; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Kat M on September 20, 2008 at 11:13pm: Klingon! :)

Those are some good languages to know. Are you fluent in any?; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by BigBadVista on September 21, 2008 at 11:32am: Well as of right now I'm learning French in school and I'm pretty good with verbs and basic stuff like telling time and such. So that's hopefully gonna help with Latin and German...Klingon is still a challenge T_T; ▶ Reply to This