English

[Farrowlesparrow]

A lot of people who come here are from other countries. I'm curious, as to whether any of you occasionally think of English words when you are talking are just thinking about something. For instance, I think in English, but still years after learning French, occasionally I think of the French word for something. Since you guys use it a lot, I should imagine it could be exaggerated with you.

 

[Maxi]

I think in English when I type, or browse the net... Sometimes I think in English and want to type in swedish... don't make me start posting quotes of that happening now...

And sometimes, but a bit more often then that I actually think in English about everyday stuff.. and schoolwork... I dunno. I guess i'm more English then Swedish or Finnish inside... it's pretty wierd, I can speak almost as good English as Swedish... :/ Sometimes it bothers me...

 

[Majestic XII]

We have something called Swenglish here which is a mix of Swedish and English. Swedish and english are pretty much the same in terms of words. The danish vikings influenced the english with many words, and since danish and swedish are almost the same thing (danish sounds like a drunk swede, or the other way around if youre danish )

I sat and watched TV the other day and ended up watching the Swedish version of American Idol, and there was a guy from the US singing in Swedish. They interviewed the guy afterwards and he talked both swedish and english... but i didnt really catch that. So you really dont care if someone talk english or swedish, everyone can speak/understand both.

Finnish on the other hand... thank god most of them learn to talk Swedish

My favorite is to mix a really really Gothenburg-ish dialect (where im from) with English... sounds so funny We love our ÅÅÅÅ, ÄÄÄ and ÖÖÖs here

 

[Jack_Karverboy]

How did people think back when there were no languages?

 

[CrazyHarij]

I think in swedish mostly but after using the english language heavily when chatting and browsing this god forbidden forum i've started to think occasional thoughts in english. It's pretty fun.

 

[Maxi]

I think in swedish mostly but after using the english language heavily when chatting and browsing this god forbidden forum i've started to think occasional thoughts in english. It's pretty fun.

Trust me, it gets worse. I'm still waiting in terror for the moment when i'm going to think in English an entire day.

 

[Majestic XII]

Just for the kicks, im going to think in english the entire day tomorrow.

 

[NeptuneUK]

How did people think back when there were no languages?

i beleive in this case, and also for animals.
that they would think using a manner of images and maybe noises if u get me?
make sense?

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

Heh, interesting Topic.


I really wish I had studied language so much more. I enjoy it really. Its just that here in the UK we dont learn it as early on and I had a really really evil language teacher...


Oh and btw, You lot never cease to astound me, I mean you type better English that I do! Probably speak it better too!!!

 

[Maxi]

Than*

And yeah, I do speak quit good English... My friends are really stumped when they realize how good I speak... But i'm a bit out of practice right now... :/ I'd realllllly wanna speak English properly...

I have to come pester you guys in England next year.

 

[marksmanHL2 :)]

Than*

And yeah, I do speak quit good English... My friends are really stumped when they realize how good I speak... But i'm a bit out of practice right now... :/ I'd realllllly wanna speak English properly...

I have to come pester you guys in England next year.

Neway, I wouldnt worry about speaking English properly... no one here does. Seriously.

 

[PvtRyan]

Than*

I guess i'm more English then Swedish or Finnish inside...

Than*

Yeah, I think in English sometimes with everyday stuff, it's actually easier to express certain things in English than in Dutch, I think Dutch is a pretty limited language in some aspects, although there is no English translation for 'gezelligheid'

 

[CyberSh33p]

my brain often thinks in a mix of russian and english

 

[qckbeam]

I think in Latin! Beat that!

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Yeah, I think in English sometimes with everyday stuff, it's actually easier to express certain things in English than in Dutch, I think Dutch is a pretty limited language in some aspects, although there is no English translation for 'gezelligheid'

Heh, Dutch...at least, I think as its spoken in part of Holland is very much like old English.

 

[Hazar]

/me only knows english.

 

[Maxi]

Afaik it's nowhere near English

 

[outpost]

I think in Latin! Beat that!

[SARCASM]I think in pig-latin so there![/SARCASM]

My first language is English so of course I think in it. I really wish we had a better language system set up in school so I would have started German at an earlier age instead of starting it in 8th grade. It would be fun to try and think in all German but since I suck at it I don't think I could.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Afaik it's nowhere near English

What..Dutch isn't?

I think its only in a small part, but it honestly is very very similar to old English.

 

[Ti133700N]

I think in english when I want a Hot Dog

 

[Tinneth]

As Korben Dallas put it.."I only speak two languages, English and bad english"

 

[PvtRyan]

What..Dutch isn't?

I think its only in a small part, but it honestly is very very similar to old English.

I don't know, what's old english? Can you give an example? Something like Welsh?
We do have many similar words, but that's the same for all European languages like English, Dutch and French. Like 'interaction' in English, 'interactie' in Dutch and 'interaction' in French. If you get what I mean, all from Latin probably.
But grammer isn't really similar I think, the order of the words and verbs is completely different.

 

[Majestic XII]

As Korben Dallas put it.."I only speak two languages, English and bad english"

I always thinks his name is Korvben which means "sausage leg" in Swedish

 

[CyberSh33p]

I always thinks his name is Korvben which means "sausage leg" in Swedish

your deli meats have limbs? :\

 

[Tinneth]

Does anyone here speak Chinese or Mandarin? Seeing as its the most spoken language on the planet.

 

[CrazyHarij]

your deli meats have limbs? :\

You're telling me that yours don't? weird lol

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

I don't know, what's old english? Can you give an example? Something like Welsh?
We do have many similar words, but that's the same for all European languages like English, Dutch and French. Like 'interaction' in English, 'interactie' in Dutch and 'interaction' in French. If you get what I mean, all from Latin probably.
But grammer isn't really similar I think, the order of the words and verbs is completely different.

No no, welsh is a celtic language. Im talking about much later than that. Its hard to explain because it was a long time ago that I read about it. I dont want to pinpoint a date, because honestly I don't know but just....Old'e' English Trust me on this, its true. English as it stands now is far different, apart from certain things.

 

[Maxi]

As probably the majority of us wonders... WTF is a korvben?

 

[Jarman]

I think in English only when I have to speak/write in English. I find idioms fascinating because they seem to mark the real difference between my first language (Italian) and all the others. For example, the literal translation of "I have to get this monkey off my back" is meaningless in Italian and I wonder where it comes from Moreover, I'm amazed by the use the English people make of their own language (they could be amazed by the use I make of it, agreed!). For example, in English you can invent expressions like this: "We gave him a please-don't-mess-with-us warning". I just can't do that in Italian, it lacks this kind of flexibility.

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Heh...Thats what comes from being such a mongrel languaged nation

Although some would say...cosmopolitan

I like English. Its as if someone took all the best parts out of languages in surrounding countries and called it English. There are so many words that we can call upon, and like you say, we can just invent expressions. Ok, maybe its not the greatest language in the world but its so diverse.

 

[AcousticToad]

Im English but have knowledge of Dutch, French, Indian, Russian, Latin, Spanish and German, occasionally the voices in my head gather and have arguments in each language so its pretty bad, but yeah, most of the times if im in a foreign chat room (where i do my learning) i switch modes you could say, so my full concentration is on the specific language.

 

[thefiznut]

I'm absolutely amazed by a lot of Europeans, especially the Swedes. Every Swede i've ever talked to online seems to have a better understanding of English grammar and the language as a whole than most Americans do. I guess we're a lazy nation.

Edit: Well, not every Swede, but most. =]

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Well more often than not, when you learna language you learn the more proper way of speaking. For instance, the French we learn in school is the French equivalent to Queens english...For the most part.

 

[Tinneth]

The English are lazy..we just take it for granted that everywhere we go on holiday etc. the people there know how to speak English heh. But if they can't understand you, you just point and speak a little louder in hope that they will understand you. :thumbs:

I'm so proud and glad to be English.

 

[Jarman]

a better understanding of English grammar and the language as a whole than most Americans do

Grammar doesn't help you much; it may sound weird, but I believe it's true. Would you imagine somebody studying English for years and finding him/herself in trouble with CNN or ESPN? In schools, they teach us a crystallized version of English; in other words, it's the kind of English that can save your day if you just have to talk to your teacher, but that leaves you hopeless at Piccadilly Circus. After reading forum messages for years, I finally made the step forward I was desperately trying to make: they are written just like they would be said if the guys were in front of me. My teacher would have never said anything like "Hey dude, chill out" or "That's freakin' awesome!"

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

Heh..I've learnt that that way of communicating isnt just an English way of doing things Tinneth In France, this woman couldn't speak English, so she just kept repeating herself but louder, and started pointing at random things

I'm learning French again, in fact I plan on learning Spannish, German and possibly Italian as well over the next year or so. You can learn a language in a matter of days if you do it right This guy has a method of teaching where you really do learn how to speak another language within just a few days.

 

[outpost]

Heh..I've learnt that that way of communicating isnt just an English way of doing things Tinneth In France, this woman couldn't speak English, so she just kept repeating herself but louder, and started pointing at random things

I'm learning French again, in fact I plan on learning Spannish, German and possibly Italian as well over the next year or so. You can learn a language in a matter of days if you do it right This guy has a method of teaching where you really do learn how to speak another language within just a few days.

Where would this method be?

 

[Farrowlesparrow]

I don't have the information about my person im afraid If I remember il find it tommorow and post here

 

[mortiz]

I only speak English, wish I spoke more languages though, except french, my french teacher put me off that language for good.

 

[Mechagodzilla]

Ever since I moved right near the Ottawa-Quebec border, I find myself spontaneously breaking out into french speech on occasion.