That is with the languages that I once could literally speak almost if not as good as my English. I remember so well of how I came to know French when I arrived within Canada as my father thought it was pinnacle with surviving within Canada. Although most of Canada is predominantly english and there are 29 different languages spoken here but English tends to be the main stream. And then Spanish, I loved spanish I could never write it but while living within NYC, I came to literally understand and be able to speak it within six months, now so often when I run into someone that is of either a spanish or a french decent so often I will conjugate the two languages - it's not spanglish, it's something rather different where I will combine spanish, english and french.
I used to say a word or two when I was still a struggling student , French being one of my major subject way back ... but slowly forgotten it through the years. How i'd wish, i worked on that.
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ReplyDeleteOh I used to be able to literally speak both very well but if one does not use it then it kind of goes in all directions. So at least my english is ok. :) It's all too interesting with meeting some of these people from all corners of the world.
ReplyDeleteAmazing Natashia.....!
ReplyDeleteI am still struggling with English...But I do the best I can..I see you are from Canada..Currently, I live in London, ON
ReplyDeleteIt's all good and languages are great and thanks Natashia! Too cool.
ReplyDeleteOk I see this London, is a very nice city within Ontario. English is not the easiest language I am glad it was my first but I applaud those that are literally bilingual or trilingual.
ReplyDeleteYeah we should all learn a second lanuage of we don't speak one already. I only speak english and want to learn spanish myself. So going to find out where here in California I take a class like that.
ReplyDeleteIt's dubbed the forest city..It is very beautiful during the summer and fall. Anyway, I've got to retire now..goodnight all.
ReplyDeleteI spent a few months in Toronto in the mid 70's and Lucky English is the major with French being second..French is a beautiful language...I was fortunate enough to learn "The Lords Prayer" in French
ReplyDeleteGary, I was literally immersed with spanish and as time went on I will conjucate my spanish now with french, but I used to speak it very well. French as I was taught when I was 17 for one year, ironically aided with Spanish which followed year later.
ReplyDeleteI love languages literally.
Mike I found when I returned to Quebec this last year that my french really was very basic, I found that my spanish was much better than my french....I do recall "Our Father", but I have often had the reflex where I get by but it's a mix of spanish and french.
ReplyDeletethanks muchly!
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Your most welcome this was very touching...to say the least. Natashia.
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ReplyDeletei remember "je pence donc je suis"(spelling?)----as i child i understood italian/polish/spanish and french---enough to communicate with my friend's grandparents -----my first language was spanish but that was lost to english by third grade----my native language is unknown to me----as it is to many cousins----lost to "civilization"......................................
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ReplyDeleteMy father was norwegian and my mother was mostly hungarian with a tad of italian within there somewhere and I never learned either of these languages but still a smile and a good gesture goes a long ways. I would like to think that we hold on to language, that that we are ethnically and as well it's great to know more than one. A lost civilization ? Yo no entiendo. Pending where you are speaking of...
ReplyDeleteEnglish speaking here only although at one time did know some Spanish. Without using the language, tends to get away from a person.
ReplyDeleteCarol it certainly does...
ReplyDeletesi---lost through boarding schools and churches --generations denied---honoured long after their heroism----still they survive and teach----but there was a time when i was young that i had no time for such "teaching"---so i laughed and lost..........................the peabody coal company still tries but the mountain always wins ---the mountain is alive---the mountain holds the truth and the peace and the songs...........some ask for "papers please" but the mountain asks only that we listen....truth speaks in all languages and transcends all cultures-------we just need to listen
ReplyDeleteI find if you understand french you can easily understand italian , spanish etc I am fluent in English and French.
ReplyDeletei love French singing. It is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteRight now I am learning Tahitian.
We Brits are awful at speaking other languages, I think it is due to other countries raising the bar and all learning English at a young age.
ReplyDeleteIn saying that, there is no excuse for complacency.
My youngest Daughter loves French and can now speak it rather well. My Eldest is a Italian speaker.
In my opinion language should start at pre school age, children are like sponges at that age and can take in vast amounts of information, shame we dont do it though.
I speak only English , but I manage when I am in another country by smiling gracefully and pointing to what I want in the stores lol, how bad is that? see you when I get back , have a great weekend love Rosiex
ReplyDeletei am studying french and i really love this language. I wish i could speak english better, just like my french :)
ReplyDeleteFor me it seemed at first that there was a compartment in my brain marked "foreign language" and all the ones other than English went in there. I really enjoy learning other languages. A language does have to be used to remain active.
ReplyDeleteIt is difficult for me to learn... without hands on, so for me to learn a language other than my own I would need to actively use it with another human being or group of people.
ReplyDeleteI was not always this way. If English is a combination of so many languages why is it so difficult for me, an English ace when I was in College to learn another language? It does not make sense to me
I stand in admiration of those who speak multiple languages and a bit intimidated as well.
I have found learning other languages to be fun... I am in no way an expert. When I was young, I spoke 7 different languages since I lived in a place with people speaking these often.. Now I can speak, read and write three and speak four out of the 7, the other three I still understand, but I am not quick to reply. If you dont speak the language you tend to forget how the tongue needs to twist itself to make that sound. The other thing I have noticed is that there are many alphabet sounds that are not there in English language(like aspirated words in the Arabic language, or the double LL's that are pronounced by turning the tongue inward in Asian languages)that makes it harder for English language speakers to learn other languages.. especially if they are Asian languages. On the other hand, being Asian, I find it tough to sound the double consonant sounds that I find in German or Gaelic. So, the way I figured, the more sounds you are exposed to early in life, the easier it is to learn languages.
ReplyDeleteIt's nice to know another language. I wish I did. The best way to learn is to spend some time with the people and it sounds like you know enough of the languages to at least understand some of what people are saying in French or Spanish. I took Spanish in high school but just a year and know very little
ReplyDeleteHave a nice weekend