Greetings in Foreign Languages
- Thread starter JHC
- Start date
Dorsetmike
Member
Strange how so many of these languages, that have not advanced in the same way as English and other European languages, seem to rely on English words for more modern items and terms, e.g. Teddy's "pitchfork" and a couple of words of Colin's above. I recall teaching some electronics to engineers whose native language was Arabic; when they were discussing lessons among themselves they used English words like "transistor" and other technical terms as Arabic had no equivalent.
Alban Berg
Banned
I don't understand a word
T.D.C. and you....I don't understand...could you translate?
Martin
Oops! Teddy I meant...
Martin
=============================
T.D.C. and you....I don't understand...could you translate?
Martin
Oops! Teddy I meant...
Martin
JHC
Chief assistant to the assistant chief
It happens more in the fields of science and technology, in NZ the Maori Language is a fine example, they did try to find Maori equivalents but not successfully they had to use too many basic words much easier to say "transistor"
teddy
Duckmeister
This caused some troble in France where the French started talking about le weekend, etc. The French govermnet is trying to stamp it out as they believe the launguage is becoming bastardised. I believe nearly every language uses words borrowed from other countries either because there is no equivelant or the foreighn word sounds exotic. i.e. bistro instead of cafe.
teddy
teddy
Alban Berg
Banned
Bistro!!!!
Bistro comes from the word бистро (pronounced bistra) in Russian. The meaning is FAST. French adopted this word when many Russian guys (Chefs mainly) went there...
Here in Quebec everything is mixed...(English and French). The worse is that people don't even know...To be followed.
Martin
Bistro comes from the word бистро (pronounced bistra) in Russian. The meaning is FAST. French adopted this word when many Russian guys (Chefs mainly) went there...
Here in Quebec everything is mixed...(English and French). The worse is that people don't even know...To be followed.
Martin
Alban Berg
Banned
boycott
after the boycott they made to the ESPERANTO in 1954
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto
Maybe is it going to be replaced by Chinese...Very easy language!
French is far behind...Spanish is more important than English.
The Summer Institute for Linguistics (SIL) Ethnologue Survey (1999) lists the following as the top languages by population:
(number of native speakers in parentheses)
after the boycott they made to the ESPERANTO in 1954
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esperanto
Maybe is it going to be replaced by Chinese...Very easy language!
French is far behind...Spanish is more important than English.
The Summer Institute for Linguistics (SIL) Ethnologue Survey (1999) lists the following as the top languages by population:
(number of native speakers in parentheses)
- Chinese* (937,132,000)
- Spanish (332,000,000)
- English (322,000,000)
- Bengali (189,000,000)
- Hindi/Urdu (182,000,000)
- Arabic* (174,950,000)
- Portuguese (170,000,000)
- Russian (170,000,000)
- Japanese (125,000,000)
- German (98,000,000)
- French* (79,572,000)
teddy
Duckmeister
In my humble (ha ha) opinion it is not just how many people speak a language, or how many countries it is spoken in, it is how widespread it is. According to my cousin (a doctor of languages specialising in Spanish) there are many more countries than most os us realise that speak Spanish, but English, in its many forms is certainly the most widespread. Add to that the fact that English is the language of aviators and like Colin I believe we have a clear winner.
teddy
teddy
JHC
Chief assistant to the assistant chief
I agree with teddy, I dont think its the number of people that speak a language but how fast the language is spreading and adding new words to its vocabulary, and again it depends on where you get your info from, what I have found and of course I do not know if it is correct and up to date but the fastest spreading ones are : English, Spanish, and English in front.
English is the international business, trade, manufacturing and learning language of the world.
English is the international business, trade, manufacturing and learning language of the world.
teddy
Duckmeister
The main trouble with Chinese Mat is the number of characters you need to know. Someone told me a Chinese typewriter has 400 keys. I would be interested to know if this is correct. Add to that the fact that the Chinese are generally selling, not buying. The French refuse to trade in any language but their own and the English are notorious for not learning other languages. they think if they shout everyone will understand them. The Chinese seem very good at foreign languages. Possibly because of the complexity of their own. I agree that English will continue to be number one.
teddy
teddy
Alban Berg
Banned
You are right...but there is a reason...
English is the easiest language to learn quite quickly...I mean not perfectly but you can manage English quite fast...No stupid femenin or masculin things (like in Latin languages or Russian)...Verbs are easy....Other languages are much more difficult...In Short, no need to be smart to learn this language! And you have so many "no-smart" people over there...you could make up a new country just for them...More people than in China! About 40% of the earth!
Martin...(even I can speak English...LOL)
==================================================
English is the easiest language to learn quite quickly...I mean not perfectly but you can manage English quite fast...No stupid femenin or masculin things (like in Latin languages or Russian)...Verbs are easy....Other languages are much more difficult...In Short, no need to be smart to learn this language! And you have so many "no-smart" people over there...you could make up a new country just for them...More people than in China! About 40% of the earth!
Martin...(even I can speak English...LOL)
Alban Berg
Banned
LOL
Martin
Even though...sometimes you can't understand my poor English (e.g. the ducks' story). LOL
Martin
JHC
Chief assistant to the assistant chief
Perhaps if they were shipped to Spain it would raise the IQ of both countries
Alban Berg
Banned
a very difficult question...
Well (if I consider that my English is quite ok): 3: Spanish, French and English
Manage: Russian, Portuguese and Italian....
No other, my German sucks...
My mother tongue...this is a difficult one. I was born in Argentina (let's say Spanish?)...I went to a Scottish school...My father was British...I learned French when I was 15 but since I started speaking just in French with my mother, who was French...I've been living here for more than 27 years, speaking in the three languages constantly...Tell me...which one is my mother tongue?
Best
I have to run!
Martin
Well (if I consider that my English is quite ok): 3: Spanish, French and English
Manage: Russian, Portuguese and Italian....
No other, my German sucks...
My mother tongue...this is a difficult one. I was born in Argentina (let's say Spanish?)...I went to a Scottish school...My father was British...I learned French when I was 15 but since I started speaking just in French with my mother, who was French...I've been living here for more than 27 years, speaking in the three languages constantly...Tell me...which one is my mother tongue?
Best
I have to run!
Martin