Languages to be taught in UK primary schools

[Mark]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/6435885.stm

Modern foreign language lessons could become compulsory for the first time in England's primary schools.

A government-commissioned review led by Lord Dearing is expected to recommend that all children should have to learn a language from the age of seven. At present the target is to provide an entitlement to do so by 2010.

It's about time! I certainly wish I was taught a forieng language at an earlier age, in fact I think it shouldn't even be left as late as 7 years old.

I only started learning French when I was 11 years old, by then I was too old for any of it to sink in properly, so even though I spent 5 years studying it, it's pretty much been a waste of time for me. :(

[Ian McC]

forieng language

Err, a what? :p :

I thought they already taught two languages, English and Text Speak

[BDunnell]

It's about time! I certainly wish I was taught a forieng language at an earlier age, in fact I think it shouldn't even be left as late as 7 years old.

I only started learning French when I was 11 years old, by then I was too old for any of it to sink in properly, so even though I spent 5 years studying it, it's pretty much been a waste of time for me. :(

That's probably just you, though. Some people have a gift for learning languages and are able to get them to sink in after beginning to learn them aged 11; some find it harder or impossible.

Of course it's good news that language learning is going to start earlier. Our lack of competence in this regard compared to our European neighbours is embarrassing. However, where will the properly-qualified primary school language teachers come from?

[jim mcglinchey]

I think primary school teachers have enough on their plates just getting the kids up to a half decent level of numeracy and literacy.

[Mark]

That's probably just you, though. Some people have a gift for learning languages and are able to get them to sink in after beginning to learn them aged 11; some find it harder or impossible.



I certainly don't 'blame' anyone but myself for the fact that I can't speak much French. But I certainly think if I'd started learning it 5 years earlier then I would have a far better grasp of it now.

There are certain things which are best learned when you are older and certain things best learned as young as possible, and language is one of those.

Whenever I've been to continental Europe, multilingualism is the norm, it does put us (and myself) to shame.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

je suis un poisson

[Garry Walker]

I certainly don't 'blame' anyone but myself for the fact that I can't speak much French. But I certainly think if I'd started learning it 5 years earlier then I would have a far better grasp of it now.

There are certain things which are best learned when you are older and certain things best learned as young as possible, and language is one of those.

Whenever I've been to continental Europe, multilingualism is the norm, it does put us (and myself) to shame.

I agree that it is much better to start teaching kids languages from ages like 7-8 already. I know it first-hand.

[Iain]

I think they should probably concentrate more on getting them to speak proper English first.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Seriously though I think it can only be a good thing.

I remember learning french in year 6 at primary school. Hence I can parler in beucoup de languages :erm:

[Mark]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?

[Eki]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?
In Finland, kids begin to study their first foreign language on third grade (9 year old). Most choose English, but Swedish and other languages are also available. Some parents also put their kids in a foreign language kindergarten in order to teach them another language before they go to school.

[jim mcglinchey]

French at 11

I'm surprised to hear that Finnish kids arent studying English from an earlier age.

[janneppi]

In Finland, kids begin to study their first foreign language on third grade (9 year old). Most choose English, but Swedish and other languages are also available.
I remember having a choice between English and Germany for the first foreign language.
Swedish was grade 7 and onwards, i feel it should have been taught earlier, altough it's much easier language to learn than English.
Hell, I learned last week that I need to use I instead of i when referring to myself, the teacher on course I'm on threw a huge fit about it. :p :

[Mark]

Hell, I learned last week that I need to use I instead of i when referring to myself, the teacher on course I'm on threw a huge fit about it. :p :

Many in England seem to have skipped that lesson too ;)

[Eki]

I remember having a choice between English and Germany for the first foreign language.
Swedish was grade 7 and onwards, i feel it should have been taught earlier, altough it's much easier language to learn than English.
Hell, I learned last week that I need to use I instead of i when referring to myself, the teacher on course I'm on threw a huge fit about it. :p :
U may have to use a capital I when referring to yourself but u can use a lowercase u when referring to someone else.

[imull]

the lads who came to my boarding school from prep school had already been doing French and some Spanish as well for a few years. Maybe started when they were 7 or 8.

We all had to do French and Latin from the first year of boarding school so that was 10/11. After 2 years we picked a second language (German or Spanish), though some took other private lessons (one mate did classic Greek :o ) After 2 years we made the GCSE choices and only had to continue 1 language forwards.

Then after GCSE's you could continue or drop them depending on A Level/Higher choices. I dropped French to do German for GCSE, then dropped it and took up Japanese in my upper sixth before goign there on my gap year.

[Daniel]

I think they should probably concentrate more on getting them to speak proper English first.

So true :p

At my skool in Australia I learnt Italian from the age of 6 till I was 12. I think it was a good thing too :)

[BDunnell]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?

French at 11, German at 12.

[Erki]

Deutsch um 8. Oder...egal. :\
English at 12.

[oily oaf]

I learned Portuguese at 20. Foda se! (don't look that up ;) )

[Eki]

I learned Portuguese at 20. Foda se! (don't look that up ;) )
And became what they call a Portugeezer.

[Captain VXR]

je suis un poisson

Suis je bovvered? :p
Tu dissing moi famille?
Das ist lauter Quatsch
Mein vater hast zwei Kettensäge

[Alexamateo]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?

I had taken Spanish in high school, but I didn't really learn it then. I met my future wife in early 1998 and was motivated to learn then and was fluent by the time we married in October of 1999. All it takes is desire. Also, at some point it clicks, and you stop "translating" It just becomes other words for what you want to say, so you "think" in that language.

For me it's fascinating, It makes you look at English in a whole new light too. You really see the architecture of the language and how it's put together. Also (I'm reaching here) I think it helps explain some differences in culture.

[acorn]

being taught a second language from an early age is fine but the question is who is going to dictate which language you will be taught( because you're unlikely to get a choice) and why will they choose that particular language? do you learn polish so that you can talk to your builder or albanian so that you can swear at the pick pockets on the tube? hell, i have difficulty understanding half the dialogue on "the wire" and the accent of the irish techie that i keep getting on sky broadband.

i was taught french and latin from the age of 11 but would have preferred german or spanish(never been or wanted to go to france but have been to germany and austria and have a spanish nephew who tends to correct the spanish language teacher at his english school). as it is, a language from the northern area of the indian sub continent would probably been more useful going by the ethnically diverse area in which i live.

let's concentrate on getting our kids to speak english properly and learning life skills before progressing to subjects that they may not need to use.

just out of interest, does anybody know which is the most common language BY COUNTRY(not by individuals who speak it because chinese would be high up on the individual list but low on the country list)?

[Caroline]

The Primary Curriculum is overloaded and in England teachers will be questioning this latest great idea. In Wales we already have to squeeze in an hour and a half of a second language and it's tough to fit all subjects into a week as it is.

I agree that languages should be taught as early as possible (most research points at this being the very best time to absorb a language) but not at the expense of other subjects and getting children to acquire basic literacy and numeracy skills. But I'm sure the government will come up with the extra funding for the training and employment of language teachers :p

As for languages, I started learning Welsh when I was five and French when I was eleven. I started German when I was 25. My 7 year old nephew has been learning French since he was 4. He's great!

[Caroline]

Double post

[Caroline]

Triple post :p

[Eki]

This is no place to practice your math skills, Caroline.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

math

S :p

[Captain VXR]

Depends if you speak the origional English or American/Canadian English

[EuroTroll]

Depends if you speak the origional English or American/Canadian English

What's "original English" and what depends on it?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

What's "original English" and what depends on it?

Math or Maths

I thought the term 'American English' was invented by Microsoft Word :\

[Brown, Jon Brow]

just out of interest, does anybody know which is the most common language BY COUNTRY(not by individuals who speak it because chinese would be high up on the individual list but low on the country list)?

I'd guess at English, Spanish, French or maybe even Arabic.

[EuroTroll]

Math or Maths

I thought the term 'American English' was invented by Microsoft Word :\

I see. Well, I generally favour the use of English English, but it undoubtedly contains some linguistic perversities that, I think, you should just let go. "Maths" is one of them. ;) :p :

[donKey jote]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?

Spanish at 6, German at 29 :)

Spanish took me ~6 months to be fluent in, German etwas länger :p

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

[BrentJackson]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?

I speak Dutch and can have a conversation in it, and I know some Afrikaans. Both are bloody tricky to learn, though learning one helps the other. I started learning dutch when I was ten, thanks to an Aunt who is a dual citizen. Her two youngest daughters also also dual citizens.

Ik ben het ermee eens dat leren van andere talen in onze zeer ingewikkelde wereld nuttig kan zijn, maar het Engels schijnt het gemeenschappelijkst te zijn, kunt u overvloed van mensen vinden die het Engels op elk continent, werkelijk spreken. :D

Translation: I do agree that learning other languages can be helpful in our very complicated world, but English seems to be the most common, you can find plenty of people who speak English on every continent, really. :D

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Dutch seems to look like a combination between German and Welsh :\

[jso1985]

I think it's a great idea but it has to be done well, otherwise is a waste of time, here in Bolivia we start learning English when we are 6 years old(in schools in urban areas)and Quechua(other schools have other choices like French or German) when we are 11, yet the teaching way or something else is wrong as aproximately 90% of bolivians can't speak English at all, the other 10% has learned it from special English schools.
Maybe it has to be done at those special schools and not in "normal" school, I have a friend who went there since he was 5 and he speaks perfect English, I started going there when I was 12 and as seen here my English is far from perfect.
or maybe not... as AlexMateo pointed maybe you just need to be motivated to learn, no matter the age, I only got interested at English when I wanted to know what the lyrics of my favourite somgs were about.

[fandango]

The first thing native English speakers should know is their own language. Many wouldn't know how to form the present continuous tense or what a phrasal verb is, so how can they get their heads around other stuff? (I only learned it from teaching btw)

I agree with AlexMateo too, it's not so much about how early you learn a language, but rather how much and how often you need to use it. I learned Irish all through school but I can't speak it now (I could when I was 13).

I learned Spanish and French in secondary school (13 to 18 years old), but I couldn't speak either. Now after eight years living in Barcelona my Spanish is good and my Catalan's passable. That's mainly because I work with people who speak Catalan as their first language. If not I could survive in Barcelona without it.

There are three main barriers to cross in learning any language.
1) Confidence. Just letting go, then buying bread.
2) Winning an argument with a taxi driver who's taken you on the "scenic route".
3) Slagging off the natives in their own tongue.
After that it's plain sailing...

[speedy king]

Totally against it being compulsary :down: It will not suit all children. I certainly when i was younger and in year 6 started French struggled hugely as i was already on special needs for english and my parents agreed witht he teacher that English was to be my main priority, rather than learning another language i think it's more important to get the native language right. There's a shocking amount of people with appalling English my age :s

[Donney]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?


English and French when I was twelve. Nowadays the study of languages in Spain starts at 5 (I think) and I think it is a wonderful idea.

BTW I think that learning a new language is a good way to better learn yours, as you usually compare the ways of both.



All it takes is desire. Also, at some point it clicks, and you stop "translating" It just becomes other words for what you want to say, so you "think" in that language.

For me it's fascinating, It makes you look at English in a whole new light too. You really see the architecture of the language and how it's put together. Also (I'm reaching here) I think it helps explain some differences in culture.


I agree 100% with that :up:

[PuddleJumper]

I think they should probably concentrate more on getting them to speak proper English first.
I couldn't agree more. I thought the exact same thing after seeing this reported on BBC Breakfast yesterday.

[tony_yeboah]

i think they should also be taught to respect their elders, and respect for our environment.

Discipline, thats what kids need. Thats more important than being able to speak french.

[BDunnell]

i think they should also be taught to respect their elders, and respect for our environment.

Discipline, thats what kids need. Thats more important than being able to speak french.

It is possible for schools to teach children more than one thing at once.

[EuroTroll]

BTW I think that learning a new language is a good way to better learn yours, as you usually compare the ways of both.

Yes, I think that's true. Personally, the more I learn English, the better I understand and use Estonian. And English and Estonian are completely unrelated languages. About as similar as an apple and a fish, in fact.

[pino]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?

I learned French at school when I was about 10, english, spanish and danish in a Disco when I was 18 :p :

[Eki]

I learned French at school when I was about 10, english, spanish and danish in a Disco when I was 18 :p :
Those of you who have met Pino, does he speak English like this? I've always wondered:

http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9606d&L=poland-l&T=0&P=8275

The Italian Who Went To New York

One day I'ma go to New York to a bigga hotel. I go down to eat soma
breakfast. I tella the waitress I wanna two piss toast. She branga
me only wona piss. I tella her I wanna two piss, she say go to the
toilet. I say you no understand. I wanna two piss on my plate. She
say you better not piss on the plate you Sonna Ma Bitch! I don't even
know the lady ana she calla me Sonna Ma Bitch. Later, I go to eat soma
lunch at Emma's Restaurant, the waitress bringa me a spoon, ana knife,
but no fock. I tella her I wanna fock. She tellsa me everybody wanna
fock. I tella her, you no understand, I wanna fock on the table, she
say you better not fock on the table. You Sonna Ma Bitch. I don't
even know the lady and she call me s Sonna Ma Bitch. So I go back to
my room inna hotel, an there's no sheet on my bed. I calla the
manager ana tell him I wanna sheet. He tells me to go to the toilet.
So I say you no understand, I wanna sheet on the bed. He say you
better not sheet on the bed, you Sonna Ma Bitch. I don't even know
the man ana he call me Sonna Ma Bitch. I go to the checkout and the
man at the desk, he say peace to you. I say piss onna you too, you
Sonna Ma Bitch. I go back to Italy!!

[maxu05]

I started learning Chinese (Mandarin) at age 35. After 5 years of it I am beginning to get the hang of it.

[PuddleJumper]

All Pino ever says to me is "Stupido" and "Roobish". :p :

[Mark]

I started learning Chinese (Mandarin) at age 35. After 5 years of it I am beginning to get the hang of it.

You live in China don't you? I'd say it's infinitely easier learning a language when you are actually in the country where the language is spoken.

Couple of years ago I went to France for a few days and I probably picked up more French then than during 5 years at school.

[race aficionado]

I first went to Europe when I was about 18 - and as a side note to make you ponder - I took with me a book called "Europe on $10 a Day" - It was a wonderfully usefull book and it was for real - :p :

Any way, I went there knowing my English and Spanish and a bit of french. The song "Vulevu coucher a vec moi" (sp?) had just come out so I knew those french words could hopefully come handy.

So with those languages I ventured into couuntries like Belgium, France, Germany, Holand and I was impressed of how so many locals could speak english to help us tourists out.

I didn't find this so in Spain because I had no need to so I wonder how it would have been there.

And Italy . . . . ahhhhh . . . . Italy . . . . I thought I could get away by adding a final "e" to my spanish and how wrong I was: I have never found my self using my hands and facial expressions so much to try to communicate over there. Not much english was spoken (then) but all in all, I realized how valuable it is to know as many languages as you can.

I do hope they implement a good language program in all schools in our planet. Also, more and more it is clear that english - not esperanto :dozey: - in the most used language. Of course don't tell that to the Chinese. :)

any how,
hasta la vista babies.

:s mokin:

[oily oaf]

Those of you who have met Pino, does he speak English like this? I've always wondered:

http://listserv.buffalo.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind9606d&L=poland-l&T=0&P=8275

The Italian Who Went To New York

One day I'ma go to New York to a bigga hotel. I go down to eat soma
breakfast. I tella the waitress I wanna two piss toast. She branga
me only wona piss. I tella her I wanna two piss, she say go to the
toilet. I say you no understand. I wanna two piss on my plate. She
say you better not piss on the plate you Sonna Ma Bitch! I don't even
know the lady ana she calla me Sonna Ma Bitch. Later, I go to eat soma
lunch at Emma's Restaurant, the waitress bringa me a spoon, ana knife,
but no fock. I tella her I wanna fock. She tellsa me everybody wanna
fock. I tella her, you no understand, I wanna fock on the table, she
say you better not fock on the table. You Sonna Ma Bitch. I don't
even know the lady and she call me s Sonna Ma Bitch. So I go back to
my room inna hotel, an there's no sheet on my bed. I calla the
manager ana tell him I wanna sheet. He tells me to go to the toilet.
So I say you no understand, I wanna sheet on the bed. He say you
better not sheet on the bed, you Sonna Ma Bitch. I don't even know
the man ana he call me Sonna Ma Bitch. I go to the checkout and the
man at the desk, he say peace to you. I say piss onna you too, you
Sonna Ma Bitch. I go back to Italy!!


I think I just pieced myself :rotflmao:

[Josti]

I speak Dutch and can have a conversation in it, and I know some Afrikaans. Both are bloody tricky to learn, though learning one helps the other. I started learning dutch when I was ten, thanks to an Aunt who is a dual citizen. Her two youngest daughters also also dual citizens.

Ik ben het ermee eens dat leren van andere talen in onze zeer ingewikkelde wereld nuttig kan zijn, maar het Engels schijnt het gemeenschappelijkst te zijn, kunt u overvloed van mensen vinden die het Engels op elk continent, werkelijk spreken. :D

Translation: I do agree that learning other languages can be helpful in our very complicated world, but English seems to be the most common, you can find plenty of people who speak English on every continent, really. :D

Jou Nederlands is aardig in orde. Petje af, het is een lastig taaltje om te leren ;)

I agree, BJB, Dutch sounds a bit like a mix between German and English (Welsh), but all in all it´s totally different. Like BrentJackson said, most people around the world know English quite well. At least, in a understandeble way.

[schmenke]

... American/Canadian English

They are not the same :mark:

[schmenke]

Btw, French at age 5.

[Josti]

Jou Nederlands is aardig in orde. Petje af, het is een lastig taaltje om te leren ;)



I ment "jouw" not "jou" :dozey: :p :

[jso1985]

You live in China don't you? I'd say it's infinitely easier learning a language when you are actually in the country where the language is spoken.

Couple of years ago I went to France for a few days and I probably picked up more French then than during 5 years at school.


absolutely! :up:
when I lived in Sweden I knew nothing of Swedish, even if I took intessive lessons, I know living there helped me a lot to be able to speak fluently after 6 months

[Quattroporte]

I'm thinking of learning Spanish as I would love to go there soon. Anyone got tips on a best technique to learn so I can at least get around over there?

[jarrambide]

Can I ask, for those who speak more than one language on here. At what age did you first start to learn?

3 languages have always been spoken in my parents home, Spanish, English and Euskara (Basque).

When I was 18, I decided to learn German, what a huge difference. It was very difficult to learn the correct pronuntiation (I have an awful pronuntiation), it was very difficult to recognise the sounds and the words (I have to ask everyone to speak slower), and obviously I have bad grammar and a very limited vocabulary.

When it comes to languages, the sooner you start learning them, the better.

[janneppi]

Jou Nederlands is aardig in orde. Petje af, het is een lastig taaltje om te leren ;)

Does that translate roughtly into:
Your dutch is in good shape, blaab blalaab, it's a long taskt to learn
And that's from my Swedish studies. :)
I think Dutch almost sounds Danish, which is almost like Norvegian, but with more grunts and Norvegian is almost like Swedish, with most consonants replaced by ng combinations. :)

[Storm]

I started learning English when I was 4 yrs old in KG..Started Hindi when I was 9 and learnt Sanskrit when I was 12 (of course since its not used anywhere I have forgotten all of it).

Started with German in std XI (age 16) for a couple of years so that knowledge has now gone kaput as well.

I have since then started learning spanish at the ripe old age of 28 (been close to 2 years) and although I can read and write quite a bit, its not the same while speaking (reason being I can't practise it anywhere else apart from my class) but I hope to improve that one day when I spend a few days in a spanish speaking country :cool:

[harsha]

English,Hindi for me and Telegu is my mother tongue although i can't read/write in Telugu.....i can speak the language

[Eki]

although i can't read/write in Telugu.....i can speak the language
Why is that? Does Telugu have its own writing system?

[Donney]

I started learning English when I was 4 yrs old in KG..Started Hindi when I was 9 and learnt Sanskrit when I was 12 (of course since its not used anywhere I have forgotten all of it).

Started with German in std XI (age 16) for a couple of years so that knowledge has now gone kaput as well.

I have since then started learning spanish at the ripe old age of 28 (been close to 2 years) and although I can read and write quite a bit, its not the same while speaking (reason being I can't practise it anywhere else apart from my class) but I hope to improve that one day when I spend a few days in a spanish speaking country :cool:


You could try Skype there are spanish speaking groups where you could listen and give it a try when you feel confident. The only problem (which is a good thing at the same time) is that you'd find so many different accents that it would be a little discouraging at first.

[harsha]

Why is that? Does Telugu have its own writing system?

yea,learnt reading/writing Hindi at school

[oily oaf]

I'm thinking of learning Spanish as I would love to go there soon. Anyone got tips on a best technique to learn so I can at least get around over there?

I learned Portuguese by listening to tapes which were accompanied by a good text book with various exercises in coping with everyday situations, common vernacular and of course the dreaded grammar. Linguaphone are pretty good albeit horrendously overpriced.
Try to devote half an hour a day to your studies, no more as the brain can only deal with a limited amount of info at once. (especially mine) ;)
The important thing is to persevere and you'll find that gradually things begin to fall into place.
Don't be afraid to speak clearly and loudly along with the tapes even though you'll feel a right numpty at first.
Try to "surround yourself" with the language ie listen to a Spanish radio station online while you're doing other things and most importantly when you visit the country of choice don't be shy and have a crack at chatting to the locals. Sure you'll make mistakes but the look of delight on their faces as you give it your best shot will more than make up for it.
Another little trick I employ to keep myself in good bi lingual shape is to translate TV or radio programmes into Portuguese as I listen to the broadcasts.
I'm afraid it doesn't make Dale Winton's Supermarket Sweep any more entertaining though :(

Good luck and well done for trying. I always think that it's rather ignorant to visit another country without learning at least a few basic pleasantries such as hello, how are you?, goodbye and can I tickle your bottom with a feather and call you Doris?

Personally I don't know how I'd manage without being able to walk up to a swarthy Portuguese fisherman and demand "O pa qual e o previsao do tempo para a navigacao? :mad: "
(What's the shipping forecast for today mate? :D )

[Iain]

I don't see the point in all the time and energy being put into this, when an awful lot of these kids will forget it all by the time they hit 20. I know I did. :p :

[BDunnell]

I learned Portuguese by listening to tapes which were accompanied by a good text book with various exercises in coping with everyday situations, common vernacular and of course the dreaded grammar. Linguaphone are pretty good albeit horrendously overpriced.
Try to devote half an hour a day to your studies, no more as the brain can only deal with a limited amount of info at once. (especially mine) ;)
The important thing is to persevere and you'll find that gradually things begin to fall into place.
Don't be afraid to speak clearly and loudly along with the tapes even though you'll feel a right numpty at first.
Try to "surround yourself" with the language ie listen to a Spanish radio station online while you're doing other things and most importantly when you visit the country of choice don't be shy and have a crack at chatting to the locals. Sure you'll make mistakes but the look of delight on their faces as you give it your best shot will more than make up for it.
Another little trick I employ to keep myself in good bi lingual shape is to translate TV or radio programmes into Portuguese as I listen to the broadcasts.
I'm afraid it doesn't make Dale Winton's Supermarket Sweep any more entertaining though :(

Good luck and well done for trying. I always think that it's rather ignorant to visit another country without learning at least a few basic pleasantries such as hello, how are you?, goodbye and can I tickle your bottom with a feather and call you Doris?

Personally I don't know how I'd manage without being able to walk up to a swarthy Portuguese fisherman and demand "O pa qual e o previsao do tempo para a navigacao? :mad: "
(What's the shipping forecast for today mate? :D )

All brilliant advice. I couldn't agree more. :up:

[BDunnell]

I don't see the point in all the time and energy being put into this, when an awful lot of these kids will forget it all by the time they hit 20. I know I did. :p :

I would say the same of everything to do with maths once I'd learnt the basics of counting, multiplying, adding, subtracting, dividing and calculating percentages.

[Eki]

can I tickle your bottom with a feather and call you Doris?

In Finnish that is "Voinko kutitella takapuoltasi höyhenellä ja kutsua sinua Doorikseksi?"

[BrentJackson]

Jou Nederlands is aardig in orde. Petje af, het is een lastig taaltje om te leren ;)

Yeah, it's not easy to learn Dutch. Thank you for the compliment. :)

English is more challenging when you consider the various forms of it. There is various pronunciations, words, spelling and phrases, plus in some cases words liberally taken from other languages. (South African/Zimbabwean English is the toughest because of the words from other languages - mostly Afrikaans.)

[oily oaf]

In Finnish that is "Voinko kutitella takapuoltasi höyhenellä ja kutsua sinua Doorikseksi?"

Thank you for sharing that with me old chap :)

I have already committed it to memory and look forward with great eagerness to posing the question to some weary old tugboat in the Helsinki red light district when I next find myself in that delightful neck of the woods.

(lights pipe and starts to thumb through "Finnish For The Contemporary Pervert by Ari Pusskinen III)

[donKey jote]

I'm thinking of learning Spanish as I would love to go there soon. Anyone got tips on a best technique to learn so I can at least get around over there?

get yourself a live dictionary :)

[Quattroporte]

I learned Portuguese by listening to tapes which were accompanied by a good text book with various exercises in coping with everyday situations, common vernacular and of course the dreaded grammar. Linguaphone are pretty good albeit horrendously overpriced.
Try to devote half an hour a day to your studies, no more as the brain can only deal with a limited amount of info at once. (especially mine) ;)
The important thing is to persevere and you'll find that gradually things begin to fall into place.
Don't be afraid to speak clearly and loudly along with the tapes even though you'll feel a right numpty at first.
Try to "surround yourself" with the language ie listen to a Spanish radio station online while you're doing other things and most importantly when you visit the country of choice don't be shy and have a crack at chatting to the locals. Sure you'll make mistakes but the look of delight on their faces as you give it your best shot will more than make up for it.
Another little trick I employ to keep myself in good bi lingual shape is to translate TV or radio programmes into Portuguese as I listen to the broadcasts.
I'm afraid it doesn't make Dale Winton's Supermarket Sweep any more entertaining though :(

Good luck and well done for trying. I always think that it's rather ignorant to visit another country without learning at least a few basic pleasantries such as hello, how are you?, goodbye and can I tickle your bottom with a feather and call you Doris?

Personally I don't know how I'd manage without being able to walk up to a swarthy Portuguese fisherman and demand "O pa qual e o previsao do tempo para a navigacao? :mad: "
(What's the shipping forecast for today mate? :D )

Thanks oily all good advice.

I've got the most important Spanish line figured out now tho.

"Sera usted la madre de mis ninos?" ;)

[Iain]

I would say the same of everything to do with maths once I'd learnt the basics of counting, multiplying, adding, subtracting, dividing and calculating percentages.

Good point. Does anyone still remember Algebra and actually use it in everyday life?

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Good point. Does anyone still remember Algebra and actually use it in everyday life?

Well if you use spreadsheets and databases you do. Or if you work for NASA.

The thing about maths is that if you have good mathematical qualifications it shows that you have good problem solving abilities.

[oily oaf]

Thanks oily all good advice.

I've got the most important Spanish line figured out now tho.

"Sera usted la madre de mis ninos?" ;)

You're more than welcome my friend.

But hey! It looks to me as if you are already making huge strides in mastering essential Spanish with absolutely no help from me ;)

Filthy swine :mad:

[Donney]

Thanks oily all good advice.

I've got the most important Spanish line figured out now tho.

"Sera usted la madre de mis ninos?" ;)


Your Spanish skills look good, what about your boxing ones? :arrows: Some chicks might not consider the joys of motherhood as a real option. :p

[jso1985]

still the slap will hurt him less compared to one he will get if he uses the phrases that Pulidor used to teach here :p :

[Drew]

Your Spanish skills look good, what about your boxing ones? :arrows: Some chicks might not consider the joys of motherhood as a real option. :p

Follame puta!

is that a better option, then?

:p :

[Captain VXR]

Good point. Does anyone still remember Algebra and actually use it in everyday life?

3x to the power of 9y=21 to the power of xy. What is x's values and what is y's?

[donKey jote]

.

[race aficionado]

..

[Eki]

... (I got the last point)

[donKey jote]

oh all right then:
Y=0, X= whatever VXR wants :dozey:

:p :

[Captain VXR]

x=200 to the power of n squared :p

[donKey jote]

or X~0.37892 and Y= whatever VXR wants :dozey: