How Many Languages Can You Speak?

[ccummins]

I am completely bilingual in English and Spanish (speak, listen, read and write at a professional level).  Use both languages all the time in my job.

I can read and understand some Portuguese (such as getting the main idea from a newspaper story) due to the similarity to Spanish.  I can understand some (main ideas only) of oral Portuguese if the speaker speaks VERY slowly.  Do not even ask me to try either speaking or writing it!

I have also studied French, Italian, Latin and Swahili.  If I had stuck with studying Italian I am sure that I could have become trilingual but due to time constraints in grad school I could not continue studying it.

I picked up a little conversational Bri-Bri during my 3 years in the Peace Corps in Costa Rica but have forgotten everything except how to greet people.

[MCS]

Does minion count? Compi!

[Mike L]

English, but I know all of the Italian cuss words and hand signs.

Mike

[*Hootie]

I am fluent in English and pig latin.

Hootie

[whitwolf]

I speak Southern and a little bit of English.

[Teal]

I speak North Carolina and am fluent in Spanish. Once I was standing near some Italians from up north and I could understand alot of what they were saying, the two languages have some similarities. I took Spanish in High school, but I really picked it up and learned it from working with Hispanics both in roofing and in resturants when i was a teenager.

[jbsoonerfan]

No offense, but I live and was raised in the USA and speak only English.  Shouldn't need to speak any thing else unless your in the tourist trade.

Ron

 

 

No offense taken, but since you are in the retail business, I would think it would benefit you greatly if you were able to communicate in more than one language. As a teacher, I know that I could make more money if I were bi-lingual, and I would think that you might also benefit from speaking more than one language.

 

For example, let's say you had a customer call you and he was ready to make an order worth a few thousand dollars. He spoke Spanish and you couldn't understand him, you got upset (cause this is the USA) and hung up on him. No big deal???? You only do business with Americans who speak English? BTW, you do realize that the US is a melting pot of many cultures right?

[doyle8218]

English and Spanish.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

No offense taken, but since you are in the retail business, I would think it would benefit you greatly if you were able to communicate in more than one language. As a teacher, I know that I could make more money if I were bi-lingual, and I would think that you might also benefit from speaking more than one language.

 

For example, let's say you had a customer call you and he was ready to make an order worth a few thousand dollars. He spoke Spanish and you couldn't understand him, you got upset (cause this is the USA) and hung up on him. No big deal???? You only do business with Americans who speak English? BTW, you do realize that the US is a melting pot of many cultures right?

Correct me if I'm wrong I'm just guessing here. Being a bilingual teacher would increase pay scale. That is understandable. However, would it only increase pay scale if you were fluent in Spanish? What if you spoke German or Russian?

[jbsoonerfan]

Prob just Spanish. Most ESL students speak Spanish. I would imagine a Russian or German would have a personal translator.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

I speak North Carolina and am fluent in Spanish. Once I was standing near some Italians from up north and I could understand alot of what they were saying, the two languages have some similarities. I took Spanish in High school, but I really picked it up and learned it from working with Hispanics both in roofing and in resturants when i was a teenager.

I never bothered to learn the laborers language. Its a simple concept. If I'm working on something and tell you not to touch it. Cause I'm turning the juice on to trouble shoot it. You either understand me or you don't. Its not my responsibility to accommodate you, by learning your language. If you grab said wire or device, then that's your fault, not mine. Im sorry if you can't understand the predominantly spoken language, then you don't need to be working or residing here. Nobody went out of there way to accommodate my Great Grandparents when they immigrated from the Ukraine. There was no option to press 2 for Ukrainian. They had to learn the language or starve. We as a country have become to politically correct and accommodating. Either learn English or get out. I have nothing against someone who actually wants to learn our language. Its the ones who don't and post everything around town in Spanish.

I had six Spanish teachers over a two year stretch while in highschool. So that was kind of a bust.

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Prob just Spanish. Most ESL students speak Spanish. I would imagine a Russian or German would have a personal translator.

Would you be teaching history to ESL students too then? It actually sounds kind of interesting.

I just got a mental image of Gunther sitting in class with Greta translating for him to take notes. LOL

[jbsoonerfan]

Yes, its actually kind of crazy. Students in 8th and 11th grade in OK take a US History EOI (end if year exam). There is actually a bill that has passed the OK senate that would do away with such test.

[Teal]

I never bothered to learn the laborers language. Its a simple concept. If I'm working on something and tell you not to touch it. Cause I'm turning the juice on to trouble shoot it. You either understand me or you don't. Its not my responsibility to accommodate you, by learning your language. If you grab said wire or device, then that's your fault, not mine. Im sorry if you can't understand the predominantly spoken language, then you don't need to be working or residing here. Nobody went out of there way to accommodate my Great Grandparents when they immigrated from the Ukraine. There was no option to press 2 for Ukrainian. They had to learn the language or starve. We as a country have become to politically correct and accommodating. Either learn English or get out. I have nothing against someone who actually wants to learn our language. Its the ones who don't and post everything around town in Spanish.

I had six Spanish teachers over a two year stretch while in highschool. So that was kind of a bust.

Haha I understand that, but when I was 15 I worked on tobacco farms and then on roofs for a while...and to be honest, I was "the help" and I really enjoyed working with them. I thought it was fun to pick up on their language and to learn it. By the time I graduated high school I could speak it effortlessly.

I agree with most and that people here in the USA shoulld speak American English

[Root beer]

English is NOT the official language of America. Enjoy this knowledge and carry on. 

[Raider Nation Fisher]

Haha I understand that, but when I was 15 I worked on tobacco farms and then on roofs for a while...and to be honest, I was "the help" and I really enjoyed working with them. I thought it was fun to pick up on their language and to learn it. By the time I graduated high school I could speak it effortlessly.

I agree with most and that people here in the USA shoulld speak American English

They were fun to work around. With the exception of the dang Polka music.

However, the migrants are all generous beyond belief. 5dollars on Monday, and they would feed you lunch for the week.

[plumworm]

English is NOT the official language of America. Enjoy this knowledge and carry on. 

In that case, what would you suggest we speak?

[plumworm]

No offense taken, but since you are in the retail business, I would think it would benefit you greatly if you were able to communicate in more than one language. As a teacher, I know that I could make more money if I were bi-lingual, and I would think that you might also benefit from speaking more than one language.

 

For example, let's say you had a customer call you and he was ready to make an order worth a few thousand dollars. He spoke Spanish and you couldn't understand him, you got upset (cause this is the USA) and hung up on him. No big deal???? You only do business with Americans who speak English? BTW, you do realize that the US is a melting pot of many cultures right?

[plumworm]

"you get upset with him and hang up because this is America" That has got to be the, Nah, I'm not going to go there. I hope you understand what I did not say>

[Long Mike]

I lived overseas for eleven years, and have visited over thirty countries.  I speak only one language, but always got by.  English is the default language for commerce on this planet.

[Root beer]

In that case, what would you suggest we speak?

 

What ever the **** we want. 

[Raider Nation Fisher]

What ever the **** we want.

This is America. We speak American damnit!

[plumworm]

Easy man, your loosing it.  If you want to speak owl, go right ahead, but whoo,whoo, is going to understand you. 

[Root beer]

Easy man, your loosing it.  If you want to speak owl, go right ahead, but whoo,whoo, is going to understand you. 

 

Comical. 

[deaknh03]

Easy man, your loosing it. If you want to speak owl, go right ahead, but whoo,whoo, is going to understand you.

Losing is the correct spelling. If we're gonna defend something, at least be correct in your use of it.