I'd been given the opportunity to learn a second language as a child, perhaps having bilingual parents or a recent immigrant neighbour with children around my age.
Native English speakers tend to arrogance, we think everyone should learn English. We also expect our "foreign" entertainment to be subtitled or even dubbed. People who start out with something else seem to be better served. My father was Greek-born but as a teenage civil war refugee he turned on everything Greek and refused to talk Greek to us kids. If we'd learned Greek then it might have been easier to pick up other languages, that's all I'm saying.
Originally posted by Kewpie Native English speakers tend to arrogance, we think everyone should learn English. We also expect our "foreign" entertainment to be subtitled or even dubbed. People who start out with something else seem to be better served. My father was Greek-born but as a teenage civil war refugee he turned on everything Greek and refused to talk Greek to us kids. If we ...[text shortened]... ned Greek then it might have been easier to pick up other languages, that's all I'm saying.
Not quite. I struggled through French and Italian and German but never really got a grip on any of them. With Greek I don't even understand the alphabet! That's why I wish I'd started earlier.
Native English speakers tend to arrogance, we think everyone should learn English. We also expect our "foreign" entertainment to be subtitled or even dubbed. People who start out with something else seem to be better served. My father was Greek-born but as a teenage civil war refugee he turned on everything Greek and refused to talk Greek to us kids. If ...[text shortened]... ned Greek then it might have been easier to pick up other languages, that's all I'm saying.
"It is estimated that almost 30% of humans can speak English (over two billion).
English is the most spoken language on the planet, counting first, second, third, etc.
language speakers... " http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_percentage_of_world...
Originally posted by Kewpie I'd been given the opportunity to learn a second language as a child, perhaps having bilingual parents or a recent immigrant neighbour with children around my age.
My mother was bilingual English/Lithuanian. Her parents emigrated to the US in the late 1800's. She adamantly refused to teach any of us Lithuanian. She was afraid it would negatively affect our English.
Trivia: What is the oldest living language ?
Answer: Lithuanian
Wikipedia doesn't agree with your mother at all, they list a large number of languages older than Lithuanian. A lot depends on your definition of a living language; if you're including only spoken languages the Australian aboriginals would have to predate any European language. They have a solid continuous historical record which uses only drawings, so there are no old texts.
My only regret is I that never learnt French. After my 6th grade at school, I had to choose German as my third language and at my 9th grade I was allowed French. But that was too late for me and I never really tried again. English I love, it's so useful and so charming!
Originally posted by Kewpie I'd been given the opportunity to learn a second language as a child, perhaps having bilingual parents or a recent immigrant neighbour with children around my age.
It's never too late. Pick a language, and go for it. I learned a second language ( although barely) when i was 33.
My tip. Pick a language, then book a holiday to somewhere where they speak it. You now have motivation.
Originally posted by huckleberryhound It's never too late. Pick a language, and go for it. I learned a second language ( although barely) when i was 33.
My tip. Pick a language, then book a holiday to somewhere where they speak it. You now have motivation.
31 Jul '13 00:10
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