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Learning a different language


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9 hours ago, mrflynn03 said:

I speak spanglish.  If you can figure out the feminine/masculine words and get through the past, present, future tense differences then Spanish is useful.

I have thought about learning Russian just for fun. Think Russian wound sound extra angry when I really get pissed off. 

I took a couple years of Spanish in high school, but never got past that.

If you spoke Russian, I'd expect your life to be like Teddy KGB from Rounders. Check, check, check.

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20 minutes ago, Leathernecks said:

I took a couple years of Spanish in high school, but never got past that.

If you spoke Russian, I'd expect your life to be like Teddy KGB from Rounders. Check, check, check.

Took a couple years too. 

Lol. Yeah, good movie.  I do eat oreos like Teddy does. 

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I took 2 years of Spanish in college. The class had inmates from a minimum security federal prison on base...had some Mexicans and Cubans in class, and on breaks, they hung out in cliques. A friend I worked with who was Puerto Rican told me PRs, Mexicans, and Cubans don't get along at all, and although Spanish was the language of all 3 groups, the slang was very different... 

So he taught me all of the good stuff... 😁

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On 3/24/2020 at 10:38 PM, mrflynn03 said:

I speak spanglish.  If you can figure out the feminine/masculine words and get through the past, present, future tense differences then Spanish is useful.

I have thought about learning Russian just for fun. Think Russian wound sound extra angry when I really get pissed off. 

I used to know several hundred words in Russian and could usually get my point across, but rarely understood what anybody else was saying because the pronunciation changes based on the usage? Speaking of sounding angry, it's said Russian has more swear words than any other language. I never learned any.

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Took one year of French in middle school. Still remember the opening of every class "bonseir misuer zheff" Oh and I can still count to five and say merci! Actually came in handy at Charles DeGaul airport when the ticket guy I bought a bus ticket from started repeatedly yelling Duer at me! I realized I was standing at entrance one and I needed to be at entrance two for the bus. I said Merci!

Took two years of German in high school and remember about as much as I do French!

Edited by Drroogh
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This could actually morph into a fun thread! Talk about some of your foreign language interactions.

I remember going down to the concierge at the Russian hotel I was at to ask for a Taxi. The girl in a not so polite manner said I needed to pay her 200 rubles about 4 dollars. At that point she got up and walked to the full wall window looking out at 3 cars parked outside in the snow, she pounded on the window and one of the cars pulled out of the parking space. 4 dollars for that? Anyway, the driver didn't speak English but I new how to tell him the address in Russian. So as we approach the building, I believe he is asking me which entrance as there are about 6. I said Dakansa which means to the end. We get there and I ask in Russian how much. After the exchange with the concierge at the hotel and my interaction with airport taxi drivers I'm expecting a sizable number. He says Sto, I didn't recognize so I say Schto? He says Sto, again he I say Schto (what). He reaches into his wallet and pulls out a 100 Ruble bill. Suddenly I realize what an idiot I am Sto means 100! I gave him 140 Rubles!

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  • 11 months later...
6 hours ago, Leathernecks said:

Bumping this thread.  I've recently (like 2 weeks ago) started trying to learn Japanese.  You know, why not go for one of the toughest languages for English speakers to learn.  Anybody have any useful tips/tricks for learning a new language?

Bonsai

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9 hours ago, Leathernecks said:

Bumping this thread.  I've recently (like 2 weeks ago) started trying to learn Japanese.  You know, why not go for one of the toughest languages for English speakers to learn.  Anybody have any useful tips/tricks for learning a new language?

That's impressive.   Go big or go home!! I college i wanted to learn Russian, Russian women seemed to do something for me. 

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I took Russian at IU while I was studying Russian literature. They have an incredible Russian program. 

I can still read a bit of it and catch phrases when spoken, but my ability to converse in Russian has become almost non-existent. 

I learned enough Spanish to make me look like a dork when we went to Mexico City last year. It was just enough for people there to feel sorry for me and start speaking in English to bail me out. Felt pretty dumb a lot of the time. 

We always try to learn the basics of the language when we travel, I find people are a lot more open and friendly if you at least try to use their native tongue. 

Japanese is impressive though! Way harder than Russian. I have one of those Japanese in 10 Minutes a Day workbooks, but it’s in the bookcase at work. I find that those books give you a good overview of the basics if you are traveling. 

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41 minutes ago, mrflynn03 said:

I find it interesting no matter where you come from the first words people learn of a new language are the dirty words.  

I had a Polish friend in high school who used to teach me all the Polish cuss words. He spoke fluent Polish as his parents were from there.

I sucked at foreign languages...I took a couple years of Spanish and German. I remember how to count to 10 in both languages and say "I don't speak Spanish/German."

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