talkmagic.co.uk

This man learned a 2nd language in record time....

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,342099,00.html

Do you speak more than one language - if so how did you learn it?

I know Latin and can speak it okay. I also learned Spanish when I went to Guatemala, but I forget almost all of it now.

I learned Latin by taking latin classes for seven years and I learned Spanish from my aunt who is a pre-Columbian American anthropologist.

That´s quite a story but there may have been something wrong with that guy!

I speak Spanish to a good standard as a second language. I was sent on 6 months language training by work (8.30am - 4pm mon - fri) and then sent out here to Spain. I have been here a year and have another year to go. I can understand and discuss pretty much everything but still a way off native-like fluency. I can write but haven´t in a long time though Spanish is written as it sounds which makes it easier!

I learnt French at school and know enough to get by. I speak some Danish too but not very much and learnt some Russian from a Russian friend I had at school.

Learned French in school as it was forced down my throat as I grew up in the politically french province of Montreal Quebec. I can speak enough to get along. I can swear as good as anyone in Yiddish as my grandparents spoke it and as children often do we picked up a few things along the way. And I can read some hebrew and speak some but I understand very little of it. I had to learn to read it for Synagogue and prayers during the holidays and such. So I picked up on reading it but not really understanding it, although I know all the stories behind what I'm reading. And just for the record I'm the least religious person you will probably ever meet.

Hmmm - so no-one has learned a second language through having sex with an animal - maybe I had better re-think my options.

*snigger*

I speak a smattering of French - certainly enough to ask for a map, a beer, a baguette and 200g of brie which is all one really needs.

I'd really, really like to learn Hindi but I'm relaxed enough about my "proper" studies as it is... I think I'd actually start failing if I took on another long term project at the moment.

As I am Welsh,( the deep condolencies line has worn thin over the years so please refrain from using it:wink:) I am naturally bilingual (Welsh and English). I also did French up to GCSE level, so it gets me by. When I was 13, I did a 2 year German course, and I still remember smatterings. I can also speak miniscule amounts of Italian.

Bit of German (about 2 words).

Absolutely hated languages at school!

I'm Welsh too, and speak both languages, but predominantly English as I now live in England, ad where I grew up in Wales the dominant language is English.

Lived in Cyprus for 2 and a half years so became conversational in Greek, not fluent tho!!!

I'm still waiting to hear the remark, I'm fluent in the language of lurve baby!!

For the Welsh here, would the language of lurve be "Baaaaaaaaah"?

Totally Mental wrote:For the Welsh here, would the language of lurve be "Baaaaaaaaah"?

- That was just too easy

Well the first few posts were far too serious!

Totally Mental wrote:Do you speak more than one language - if so how did you learn it?

Well ... gibberish doesn't really count, does it? But I am fluent in it!

(I'm interested in linguistics and have trivia about various languages, but I've not tried to learn one since I gave up German after eighth grade at school. In principle, however, I think it's a good idea for a real magician to know other languages, simply to avoid a repeat of the Porridgeton affair.)

Well, on a Fri or Sat night I can go from speaking fluent English, to talking complete and utter b*ll*cks in the space of about 3 hours or so (usually aided with approx 10 pints of Carling ).