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Poll

Imagine that you can learn a foreign language by just taking a pill - it works instantly, and with no side-effects, but you only get 2 pills.  (Read the msg first.)

French + Italian + Spanish + Portuguese + Romanian
- 30 (31.9%)
German + Dutch + Scandinavians (inc Icelandic)
- 12 (12.8%)
Russian + West & South Slavics (Polish, Czech, etc)
- 5 (5.3%)
Chinese (all major dialects)
- 15 (16%)
Japanese
- 14 (14.9%)
Korean (both Hangul and Chinese characters)
- 4 (4.3%)
Hindustani (all major dialects)
- 1 (1.1%)
Baltic / Ugro-Finnic
- 1 (1.1%)
Greek (ancient + modern)
- 1 (1.1%)
Turkish
- 0 (0%)
Malay / Indonesian + Filipino
- 0 (0%)
Arabic
- 7 (7.4%)
Persian
- 0 (0%)
Hebrew
- 4 (4.3%)
Thai
- 0 (0%)
Vietnamese
- 0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 24


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Author Topic: Which foreign languages would you learn?  (Read 13365 times)

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Elitist Bitch

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #15 on: March 27, 2007, 04:03:29 AM »

I chose Chinese and Arabic since I already speak pretty good Spanish.  Although I am learning Chinese too, a pill would be nice so I don't have to sweat though Cantonese, Sichuan, and Shahghainese.  Mandarin is cake compared to those.
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Lindsey

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #16 on: March 27, 2007, 04:06:11 AM »

Hmm...orange chicken.  I'm hungry. 
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Bill Brasky

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #17 on: March 27, 2007, 04:10:50 AM »

I thought Mandarin covered the majority.  I know theres dialects that are vastly different, but I didnt think there would be reason to cover those all at the same time.

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Elitist Bitch

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #18 on: March 27, 2007, 04:27:12 AM »

I thought Mandarin covered the majority.  I know theres dialects that are vastly different, but I didnt think there would be reason to cover those all at the same time.



Cantonese is the other major dialect.  The number of tones is what differentiates the dialects (along with some different vocabulary).  Mandarin has five tones.  Cantonese has eight.  And Shanghainese has...TWELVE.

Small wonder I'm studying in Beijing, and not Hong Kong or Shanghai.
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Bill Brasky

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #19 on: March 27, 2007, 04:33:18 AM »

I thought for some reason you were in Cali.

Thats cool though, I'd love to tour China.  Living there, probably not. 
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Elitist Bitch

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #20 on: March 27, 2007, 04:37:42 AM »

I thought for some reason you were in Cali.

Thats cool though, I'd love to tour China.  Living there, probably not. 

I live in Idaho.  I'll be in China for a semester during my junior year of college, two years from now.
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Bill Brasky

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #21 on: March 27, 2007, 04:40:57 AM »

Big switch.

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Elitist Bitch

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #22 on: March 27, 2007, 04:59:40 AM »

Cali to Idaho?  Yes.

I did live there for a year though.  Never again.
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mattbarney

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #23 on: March 27, 2007, 06:42:58 AM »

I answered Hindustani

Hindustani means "The Country of India", it isn't a language.  India has many languages (not dialects) with different scripts and people who can't understand each other unless they're speaking English (or Hindi - the national language).  Quick Indian language lesson (note I'm married to an Indian woman, and have spent a lot of time there):

Hindi - national language of India, not to be confused with the majority religion, Hinduism (Hindu)
English - spoken by most everyone
Gujurati - spoken by the vegetarian community of Gujurat
Bengali - spoken by folks in West Bengal (like Kolkata / Calcutta) (including my wife and I)
Marati - spoken by folks in Maharashtra, where Mumbai / Bombay is located
Kannada - spoken by folks in Karnataka, where Bangalore (Silicon Valley of India) is located
Urdu - very similar to Hindi, but spoken by Muslims. Totally different script
Sanscrit - ancient language that is to Indian languages what Latin is to Western European languages
Pali - an even older language that was the root of Sanscrit

........and about 300 other languages that are too numerous to list.

The good news is they almost all speak english, and unlike most parts of the world, consider Americans like Rock Stars (they like our technology, and our money), so it's a good place to visit, especially if you like spicy food

Matt

Lindsey

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #24 on: March 27, 2007, 11:49:37 AM »

Japanese and German, because Japanese girls are hot and German just sounds demonic.

I don't understand you.  :cry: 
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Lindsey

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #25 on: March 27, 2007, 10:01:41 PM »

Japanese and German, because Japanese girls are hot and German just sounds demonic.

I don't understand you.  :cry: 

I just think they are cool, kay?

No, I mean your attraction to women.  It's all over the spectrum.   :lol:
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Brent

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #26 on: March 27, 2007, 11:55:21 PM »

I picked romance languages because spanish is quickly becoming essential if you want to be able to communicate clearly with everyone you run across.  I also picked Greek.  I hope to retire to my own Greek island someday. 
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Lindsey

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #27 on: March 27, 2007, 11:58:09 PM »

I picked romance languages because spanish is quickly becoming essential if you want to be able to communicate clearly with everyone you run across.  I also picked Greek.  I hope to retire to my own Greek island someday. 

Can we come? 
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Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.
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cerpntaxt

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #28 on: March 28, 2007, 12:05:55 AM »

I picked romance languages because spanish is quickly becoming essential if you want to be able to communicate clearly with everyone you run across.  I also picked Greek.  I hope to retire to my own Greek island someday. 

Can we come? 
We?
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Lindsey

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Re: Which foreign languages would you learn?
« Reply #29 on: March 28, 2007, 12:09:50 AM »

I picked romance languages because spanish is quickly becoming essential if you want to be able to communicate clearly with everyone you run across.  I also picked Greek.  I hope to retire to my own Greek island someday. 

Can we come? 
We?

Yes.  All of us who may want to go to Brent's Greek island. 
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Our enemies are innovative and resourceful, and so are we. They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.
         -George W. Bush
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