How Many Languages Can You Speak?

[jbsoonerfan]

Just as the title says, how many different languages can you speak? And, by speak, I mean actually be able to read, write or hold on a conversation in another language. The reason I ask is because I was watching a show about globalization and understanding cultures (sort of nerdy, I know) but they were talking to a tycoon from Europe and he said " You know what you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Tri-Lingual....You know what they call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bi-Lingual....You know what they call someone who speaks one language? American....) As a Social Studies/US History teacher, I wish I could speak more than one language as I feel it would benefit me in the classroom. That being said, I feel as if a person is multi-lingual, the options for employment are almost unlimited.

 

So, how many here are multi, or bi-lingual?

[CJV]

I speak one language and that's ENGLISH!!!!!!

[Sam]

One. English.

 

Took Spanish in high school and remember some words but not enough to communicate properly.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I speak one language. American English. I am still learning German though.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Just as the title says, how many different languages can you speak? And, by speak, I mean actually be able to read, write or hold on a conversation in another language. The reason I ask is because I was watching a show about globalization and understanding cultures (sort of nerdy, I know) but they were talking to a tycoon from Europe and he said " You know what you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Tri-Lingual....You know what they call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bi-Lingual....You know what they call someone who speaks one language? American....) As a Social Studies/US History teacher, I wish I could speak more than one language as I feel it would benefit me in the classroom. That being said, I feel as if a person is multi-lingual, the options for employment are almost unlimited.

 

So, how many here are multi, or bi-lingual?

What was the show? It sounds interesting.

[Redlinerobert]

Fluent in English and Spanish.  Understand Italian pretty well too.

[SirSnookalot]

Regrettably only English.  Many older Europeans I know speak 3-7 languages, German, Russian, Polish, Yiddish and learned English when they immigrated.  My wife was born in Italy came to the U.S. when she was 3, does ok with Italian and fluent in Yiddish, if I can only teach her English.........she can say PUT THE d**n TOILET SEAT DOWN.

[Chief 2]

Living in this country I only should need to speak English. It seems like many people believe that Spanish should be a required. If you live in our great country then you need to speak our language! I also speak BASS!

[Bankbeater]

Engish, but I know a little German and Spanish.

[Grizzn N Bassin]

English only for me. id like to learn some Germantho.. im talking to this chick that knows 7 languages. outta her dagom mind!!

[Lund Explorer]

Just as the title says, how many different languages can you speak? And, by speak, I mean actually be able to read, write or hold on a conversation in another language. The reason I ask is because I was watching a show about globalization and understanding cultures (sort of nerdy, I know) but they were talking to a tycoon from Europe and he said " You know what you call someone who speaks 3 languages? Tri-Lingual....You know what they call someone who speaks 2 languages? Bi-Lingual....You know what they call someone who speaks one language? American....) As a Social Studies/US History teacher, I wish I could speak more than one language as I feel it would benefit me in the classroom. That being said, I feel as if a person is multi-lingual, the options for employment are almost unlimited.

 

So, how many here are multi, or bi-lingual?

 

By that description, I wonder how many people there are that aren't fluent in ANY language!

[Grizzn N Bassin]

hahahah^^^^^^

[deaknh03]

By that description, I wonder how many people there are that aren't fluent in ANY language!

How dare you refer to Raider like that

[deaknh03]

My wife is fluent in french, spanish and english...me, only english.sometimes.

[BigPharma]

I can read, write, and speak English, Italian, and Spanish. I can read and write in Latin and Ancient Greek.

[00 mod]

Solamente English. LOL.   I know enough Spanish to get me in trouble, and not enough to get me out!

 

Jeff

[A-Jay]

I am for the most part, a one language man - and you're reading it right now.

 

 However for several years now, I've been doing everything I can think of to learn Micropterus.

 

Some days I seem better at it than others.

 

A-Jay

[slonezp]

I know enough Spanish to work my way around any restaurant kitchen. The ol' lady speaks fluent polish but cannot read or write it.

[MCS]

Define speak.....I know enough in Polish to say hi, toast, a few phrases, and get my butt kicked. I also know enough in Arabic to get my head chopped off..."Kiss" (not sure how you spell it) has a whole new meaning over there. I know a little spanglish too. 

[Nice_Bass]

Living in this country I only should need to speak English. It seems like many people believe that Spanish should be a required. If you live in our great country then you need to speak our language! I also speak BASS!

[Nice_Bass]

One big regret I have is I am only able to speak one language. 

took years of Spanish as well as used rosetta stone however fell out of use by not speaking with others in Spanish as much as I use to.

May be time to start refreshing

[Glenn]

Most people I work with are tri-lingual at a minimum.  Many know 7 or more languages well enough to carry on a conversation.  Most of them were not born in America, nor did they come from south of the border.  Most are from Asia or the middle East, but there's a lot from Eastern Europe as well.  They jump in and out of different languages like it was nothing.  Furthermore, most have Masters and PhD degrees.

[Root beer]

I used to be able to read and write some Latin, but I have already forgot 95% of things I learned. I have hearing problems and I can barely understand what half of you all are saying, let alone a foreign language when you factor in accents and different vowels that aren't in the English language. 

[Christian M]

Living in this country I only should need to speak English. It seems like many people believe that Spanish should be a required. If you live in our great country then you need to speak our language! I also speak BASS!

If you read the paragraph, nowhere in his post did keeper mention the United States or Spanish. I don't think he is posing a question about what languages you should or shouldn't speak in order to live in the USA. From what I understood, he is posing a question about which BR members are able to communicate in more than one language. This site is on the World Wide Web, and there are BR members all over the world. Aside from that, I don't think anyone can argue that knowing more than one language, no matter where you are in the world, gives a you an advantage in virtually any situation. I'm fluent in English and Spanish, and can understand and speak a little Italian.

 

  Being bi-lingual helps me out all the time, and I have perfect example for this post. About two years ago I was trying to find the boat launch for a tournament in an area I had never visited before. I was totally lost in the middle of nowhere at 5:30am and hadn't seen another car for miles. I was stopped on the side of the road trying to call members of the club to get directions, but I was so far in the sticks that my phone had absolutely zero reception. A car came up the road and I waved them down. I asked the three guys if they knew where there was a lake with a boat launch in English, but they didn't understand me. I asked in Spanish and not only did they know where the lake was, they gave me directions to the boat ramp where they had seen a bunch of trucks and boats gathered which was in the opposite direction I was going. Had I not been able to communicate with them at that moment I would have missed the tournament, dropped a few spots from 3rd, and spent almost three hours driving for nothing.

[NathanW]

EMERICAN!!