Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy American Sign Language, ASL. I was fascinated by watching deaf Linda Bove speak through it on "Sesame Street". That always stuck with me and I checked out some books on it in school, and then the college I went to had a great program in it so I chose that for my minor. It was quite an awakening in college. It was the first time in my life I couldn't wait to get to class, would get there early every day, and was sad when class was over, lol. I spent a lot of time in the "Sign Lab" and took part in some Deaf Ministry stuff at the BSU. I took 2 years of Spanish in high school, but don't remember a lot. I still remember so much of my sign language though because 1) I had the yearn for it and 2) I think it's so much easier to learn a visual language than a spoken one (at least for men anyway, haha). I don't get to use it often and miss it. I did get to use it several weeks ago at my other job when a deaf man came in, and then I met his wife. If I'm ever out in public and see someone deaf or signing though I'd love to go up and start "speaking" to them. Sometimes in middle school I'd only speak to my sister in sign language...bugged the heck outta her, heh. Good times.
Originally Posted By irishfan Apart from English, I can speak German and Gaeilge (Irish). Oh and I'm a dab hand at Aussie lingo.
Originally Posted By Liberty Belle I learnt French in high school for 3 years and my teacher said I was a natural at languages, but I forget almost all of it now... I also learnt Italian for 7 years in primary school and I still count in Italian all the time, but only up to about 20!
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Hmmm interesting one. I speak English - American (where I was born) and English English (where I have lived for the last 20 years. Believe you me, they are like two very foreign languages. I love language and have tried many. My list below is based on fluency: German - I used to speak fluently, having studied at school and college, including conducting History Research with Nazi paperwork. I took part on 20 school trips to Germany having a number of friends in the Frankfurt area. Sadly I do not use it much now. French - studied at High School, but learnt even more on all the trips to DLP. I would say we get by, but I am not very good. BSL (British Sign Language) and Makaton - a special sign language for learning difficulties people e.g. Downs Syndrome. I have about a 200-300 word vocab, but it allows me to communicate. Italian - I come from an American Italian/Scicilian family. I cannot really speak it, but I do understand it. The elders used to use it when they did not want the kids to understand. Funny how you can pick up some languages that way. Languages of the level of Ursula - ordering food, asking for the restroom etc: Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Russian,Portuguese. Know some phrases in Arabic, Hindi, Punjabi, Polish and Manderin. I went to Hebrew School for 2 years to learn more about the Jewish faith (born Roman Catholic, now agnostic humanist or jedi), but I have forgotten. got a cub badge in ASL, but have forgoten and get confused with BSL. SQL, some Java Script, Basic and Logo - do they count ;-) And It's a Small World is one of my favorite attractions for numerous reasons.
Originally Posted By mickeymeg wow. There is a lot of LPers that use, at least a small amount of, sign language. That is really awesome. I don't offten come across to many that do. Like TDG pointed out its so wonderful to be able to engage a deaf or sign language using person in conversation when they don't expect you should be able to speak with them. I also starting leaning Braille yesterday. Just to make sure I was taking on enough projects. =) Thanks for the congrats ChickenDumpling.
Originally Posted By JazzCat I can communicate okay in sign language and speak a little Spanish. I took two quarters of French in high school so I know a few phrases but that's it.
Originally Posted By avromark <<Non-techies tell me that I'm speaking a different language when I start talking to them about computers. >> Jargon eh? In that case medical and IT <<SQL, some Java Script, Basic and Logo - do they count ;-)>> No Perl? So are you a mySQL type of guy or does your company like paying for Microsoft SQL server, or your own? or? In terms of languages I know about as much French as any student who took it in elementary/high school and lives within a 10 hour border of Quebec does I know selected phrases of Spanish, and some Asian languages. I can spell Canadian/British/American English.
Originally Posted By MissCandice I can decipher simple Spanish, and I am fluent in English. I read spanish better than understanding it if it is spoken to me. and LOL to post #2.
Originally Posted By disney pete es protu runat latviski mazliet i speak a little latvian as my girlfriend is latvian im learning the lingo and it is very hard but she says im doing very well (loti labi) pick up bits when i go abroad spanish italian czech republic
Originally Posted By cmpaley I speak English and Spanish fluently. I took French in high school and only retained un peut (a little). Through exposure at church, I am picking up ecclesial Latin (that's Church Latin) as the parish I go to is somewhat traditional. For example, I know almost all the prayers of the Rosary in Latin.
Originally Posted By debtee I learnt French all through my school years in England and was fluent back then and felt I could converse while in France but I have forgotten most of it now. Does AUST...ra...lian count as another language? LOL
Originally Posted By irishfan >>Does AUST...ra...lian count as another language? LOL<< I reckon thats fair dinkum!
Originally Posted By TALL Disney Guy Fair Dinkum! He was the ringmaster on The Disney Channel's "Dumbo's Circus", heh.
Originally Posted By u k fan I studied French for 5 years at school and can read and comprehend it quite well. I've never struggled at DLP, but I'm not very good at speaking it, not because I don't know the words, but because my pronunciation is so terrible. At DLP if I speak in French to a CM they reply in English anyway, lol! I took Spanish for just under a year and in that time went from being a year behind my class to being the top of my class. I really enjoyed Spanish and took to it really well, though I can't roll my R's. I haven't used it since school though and have pretty much forgotten it now. I also took some German, but I didn't take to it, it wasn't hard as a lot of the words sound like their English counterparts, but it just seemed a bit severe for me! I can finger spell and know some very basic sign language. My mother studied it for years and is quite good. She also knows Makaton. I grew up with a friend with Down's and used to know some basics as well, but not anymore. I'd love to learn Hawaiian as I've always been interested in Hawaii and I think it's a beautiful language. Overall, I love learning languages and don't find them hard to learn, but if you don't use it you lose it and most of it I've lost. I do also speak Whale!!!
