English (The Language)

[Thin White Duke]

I like that there is an English speaking world, and it's not just England. The world doesn't speak English, but there is an 'English speaking world'.

There is the Welsh speaking world, but according to Wiki, most Welsh speaking people in Wales also speak English and most Welsh speaking people in Chubut, Argentina also speak Spanish. - The Welsh Speaking World.

Don't forget the Scots speaking world. They also speak English according to Wiki, and most Scots speaking people in... Braveheart, Gibsonland, also speak when drunk. Well, that's a redundancy. But there is a Scots speaking world. The Scots. Who speak English most of the time. God bless English, the language.

Edited June 17, 2014 by Thin White Duke

[sturginho]

This thread has taken a strange turn

[SoulMonster]

The Norwegian speaking world is comprised of Norway

[Redhead74]

The Norwegian speaking world is comprised of Norway

Yes, lets clarify that as 'speaking', it doesn't include singing.

A-ha don't even bother singing in Norwegian.

[sturginho]

The Norwegian speaking world is comprised of Norway

Yes, lets clarify that as 'speaking', it doesn't include singing.

A-ha don't even bother singing in Norwegian.

Something sung in Norwegian for you

[CheapJon]

American English where they use a faucet instead of a tap

Yeah I always belly up to the bar and order Budweiser on faucet.

BTW - English is one of the hardest to learn, what other language has words that are spelled the same but have two entirely different meanings depending on context.

Dutch, for instance. There are countless words with different meanings, some examples:

stam: tribe or trunk (of a tree)

haar: her or hair

heet: hot or is called

erg: awful or very

Swedish as well.Nothing special about it.

[DieselDaisy]

I still maintain English is hard. Case in point, the ITV World Cup pundits. Juniniho cannot string a sentence together and Viera is not much better.

[Thin White Duke]

I still maintain English is hard. Case in point, the ITV World Cup pundits. Juniniho cannot string a sentence together and Viera is not much better.

Cannavaro?

[Redhead74]

The Norwegian speaking world is comprised of Norway

Yes, lets clarify that as 'speaking', it doesn't include singing.

A-ha don't even bother singing in Norwegian.

Something sung in Norwegian for you

Not as good as a-ha (not a lot is) but its OK.

I still maintain English is hard. Case in point, the ITV World Cup pundits. Juniniho cannot string a sentence together and Viera is not much better.

They're athletes. They probably can't string a sentence together in their own language either.

[YOUCOULDBEMINE.]

I still maintain English is hard. Case in point, the ITV World Cup pundits. Juniniho cannot string a sentence together and Viera is not much better.

French people can't speak anything but French, or simply can't be bothered to speak any other language. Same goes for a lot of Portuguese / Spanish people.

[Thin White Duke]

Ah...the old good clichés. If they were just accurate.

[YOUCOULDBEMINE.]

Ah...the old good clichés. If they were just accurate.

I've been both to Spain and France several times, there weren't many people who spoke English. And if they did it was mostly broken English.

[sturginho]

Ah...the old good clichés. If they were just accurate.

I've been both to Spain and France several times, there weren't many people who spoke English. And if they did it was mostly broken English.

[Lio]

Ah...the old good clichés. If they were just accurate.

I've been both to Spain and France several times, there weren't many people who spoke English. And if they did it was mostly broken English.

Did you speak French though ?

[YOUCOULDBEMINE.]

Ah...the old good clichés. If they were just accurate.

I've been both to Spain and France several times, there weren't many people who spoke English. And if they did it was mostly broken English.

Haha I know that one, but ye. It's often those who live in places that are heavily crowded with tourists that can't really speak English.

Ah...the old good clichés. If they were just accurate.

I've been both to Spain and France several times, there weren't many people who spoke English. And if they did it was mostly broken English.

Did you speak French though ?

A little, enough to get by.

Edited June 19, 2014 by UcudBmine

[Thin White Duke]

So, what about Portugal?

I am aware of what you are saying and I know it's general opinion but it's normally old people the ones who don't speak English because it wasn't even taught at school. French was taught instead. And it's more difficult to speak it properly for us because we are used to other pronunciations. I guess it must be easier for people from places of German speaking languages. But it's just my guess.

However, among youngsters (people under 40 or 35) speaking English is more and more common. And all kids are now taught on school since they are very little.

[Guest Len B'stard]

The Norwegian speaking world is comprised of Norway

Yes, lets clarify that as 'speaking', it doesn't include singing.

A-ha don't even bother singing in Norwegian.

Something sung in Norwegian for you

Not as good as a-ha (not a lot is) but its OK.

I still maintain English is hard. Case in point, the ITV World Cup pundits. Juniniho cannot string a sentence together and Viera is not much better.

They're athletes. They probably can't string a sentence together in their own language either.

Oi, careful, thats Pat Viera you're talking about!

[SoulMonster]

A friend of mine took a few university courses in France. The introduction meeting for foreign students was in French.

Edited June 19, 2014 by SoulMonster

[sturginho]

A friend of mine took a few university courses in France. The introduction meeting for foreign students was in French.

hmm and what language were you expecting it to be?

[Lio]

So, what about Portugal?

I am aware of what you are saying and I know it's general opinion but it's normally old people the ones who don't speak English because it wasn't even taught at school. French was taught instead. And it's more difficult to speak it properly for us because we are used to other pronunciations. I guess it must be easier for people from places of German speaking languages. But it's just my guess.

However, among youngsters (people under 40 or 35) speaking English is more and more common. And all kids are now taught on school since they are very little.

I think Portugal is a bit different from Spain in that regard. Portuguese is a small language too, while Spanish is a world language. The more people speak your language, the less you'll be inclined to learn foreign languages. As Dutch speaking people, we have to have at least basic knowledge of French and English. While Spanish speaking immigrants in Belgium get by in Spanish (at least in the cities).

[Thin White Duke]

So, what about Portugal?

I am aware of what you are saying and I know it's general opinion but it's normally old people the ones who don't speak English because it wasn't even taught at school. French was taught instead. And it's more difficult to speak it properly for us because we are used to other pronunciations. I guess it must be easier for people from places of German speaking languages. But it's just my guess.

However, among youngsters (people under 40 or 35) speaking English is more and more common. And all kids are now taught on school since they are very little.

I think Portugal is a bit different from Spain in that regard. Portuguese is a small language too, while Spanish is a world language. The more people speak your language, the less you'll be inclined to learn foreign languages. As Dutch speaking people, we have to have at least basic knowledge of French and English. While Spanish speaking immigrants in Belgium get by in Spanish (at least in the cities).

I totally agree with that. I almost added it to my post actually.

You can travel half the world speaking Spanish, including the US. And there are people who have studied French in many countries. So I guess it's sometimes the same reason why English people dont bother learning other languages, while people from countries with less spoken or less relevant languages tend to learn the most spoken ones. Especially English.

[DieselDaisy]

I still maintain English is hard. Case in point, the ITV World Cup pundits. Juniniho cannot string a sentence together and Viera is not much better.

Cannavaro?

Yes, him too. ITV seem obsessed with choosing pundits with poor English skills.

Now where is Alan Hanson for the beeb?

[SoulMonster]

A friend of mine took a few university courses in France. The introduction meeting for foreign students was in French.

hmm and what language were you expecting it to be?

We both expected the introductory course to be in English.

[November_rain]

Ah...the old good clichés. If they were just accurate.

I've been both to Spain and France several times, there weren't many people who spoke English. And if they did it was mostly broken English.

I hate to admit it but at least in the case of Spain it is true. And the problem is mainly that the teachers themselves don´t speak a good English so you can´t expect their kids to learn. There are a lot of exceptions but that is the main reason. Another problem is that we watch all the films in Spanish instead of watching them in their original language like they do, for exemple, in the nordic countries. And another problem is that they focus too much on teaching the grammar (most people find it difficult and never get to learn it properly) and don´t pay any attention to the rest of skills like listening or speaking. Then, after spending half their lives learning English they are unable to speak nor understand a single word.

In my case I find it easy to learn. Don´t know why but I always had the ability to learn it without too much effort and it was my favourite subjet since I was a kid. I even chose to study English Philology at university although I abandoned in the last academic year. I know I make a lot of mistakes but I love learning more and more of this language and I try to read in English as much as I can and I try to watch a lot of films in their original language because that is the only way I have to practice and learn right now.

[Lio]

That's certainly true. We are immersed in English every day, music, tv, films... That makes a lot of difference, subtitling or dubbing. Here only cartoons are dubbed, for children who can't read yet