How many languages do we speak?

[Zoid]

kass, from what I hear, Finnish grammar is even worse...

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison
Well OK, I checked again, it should be Croeso i Gymru. I was close, anyway

Confusing your "y"s and "i"s.

[Lars-E]

English, German, and Scandinavian (Norwegian, Swedish, and Danish).

[Ari Rahikkala]

Of course Finnish grammar is even worse. One of the main reasons why the Suomithreadi has lived for so long is that we have fun with all the discrepancies, oddities and great chances of the Finnish grammar (and the Finnish dialects, and other delicacies). It's really one of the threads with the richest expression here... I'm really sorry you guys can't read it ...

[Dauphin]

a dweud y gwir mi parablu ychydigyn Cymraeg (a cwla)

[Meticulous Man]

Originally posted by LightEning
Of course Finnish grammar is even worse. One of the main reasons why the Suomithreadi has lived for so long is that we have fun with all the discrepancies, oddities and great chances of the Finnish grammar (and the Finnish dialects, and other delicacies). It's really one of the threads with the richest expression here... I'm really sorry you guys can't read it ...

[Dr.Oogkloot]

Does anyone here speak Lojban?

[Natan]

Originally posted by Roland
Natan:

"... but the double negative phrase "ni(sh)t kein" is almost universally used - it's the equivlent of "ain't got no" in American slang. This has gotten me into trouble a few times when I got German and Yiddish confused."

Standard german is quite picky about this, but in our dialect, you could create monstrums like "I bin no nia net in koam Puff net gwen", which would be "I have not never to no brothel not been". Supposed to say, "really, really not, trust me, no, really not".

We Polish Jews are poor - we can only afford two negatives.

"Yakh libe tzu redn yiddish, ober es iz nisht mein mame-loshn."

Would be: "I red gern Jiddisch oba es is net mei muattasproch"

Is the "I" the i of "Insane" or of "fine?" And is "is" pronounced list ist without the T or like the English is?

"Wirt, no a Runde bittschee" - "Waiter/Chef, another round of beers please" (btw, yiddish "bitt(e)scheen" ?)

wirt=waiter
Runde = round of beers
bittschee = please? (bitte schön)
Not sure how to express that it Yiddish. We don't really drink beer.

"Du narrischa Hund du" - "You crazy dog", meaning an acknowledgement of courage

Heh, narrischa just means foolish in Yiddish. Except in the expression Narischkeit, which means humor.

"Gestan bin I mit an feschn Medl essn gwen

Yesterday I ate with a pretty girl

hod ois passt und auf amoi wandlt's me ane mim Schrim drüwa.

For all I can tell, this might as well be Swedish. Sorry.

I moan I dram, wos soi des nua haasn ?

I wondered what this should be called?

I hob do nix to.

I didn't do it?

Oda wei I nix to hoab ? Ah, Weiwa. Oiwei dessöbe."

Again, no clue.
nix=nicht?

[Kassiopeia]

Originally posted by Kamrat X
kass, from what I hear, Finnish grammar is even worse...

I admit that, but I would say that it's more easy to learn a language that you have heard since the cradle rather then a language you are taught when you are fourteen years old.

Bah, what LaitE said.

[Zoid]

Originally posted by kassiopeia


I admit that, but I would say that it's more easy to learn a language that you have heard since the cradle rather then a language you are taught when you are fourteen years old.

You have a point there, that´s why swedish people are so good in english I guess

[Kassiopeia]

Originally posted by Kamrat X
You have a point there, that´s why swedish people are so good in english I guess

And since Finnish is universally unspoken , we have a tendency to learn at least the Swedish and English languages. Not to mention the fact that the fascist school system forces poor students to do so.

[Roland]

Natan:

"Is the "I" the i of "Insane" or of "fine?""

More like the ee in feel. A bit longer than the i in in-. Same for the i in "is".

"Not sure how to express that it Yiddish. We don't really drink beer."

Jo wos drink'ts es sunst, nochats ? (So what do you drink, then?)

"Heh, narrischa just means foolish in Yiddish."

Well, "närrisch" (with Umlaut) means foolish. "Narrisch" (only in dialect) means crazy, nuts, daring. But the are all rooted in "Narr" (fool).

"For all I can tell, this might as well be Swedish. Sorry."

hod ois passt = hat alles gepasst = everything was ok

auf amoi = auf einmal = suddenly

wandlt's me ane... drüwa = ?? ~ hit me

mim Schirm = mit dem Schirm = with the umbrella

* note: not really, but almost.

"I moan I dram, wos soi des nua haasn ?"

I moan = I think (same root as "I mean)
haasn =heißen/bedeuten = mean

nix=nichts=nothing

"Ah, Weiwa. Oiwei dessöbe."

Well that's not really difficult to imagine...

[Drake Tungsten]

Originally posted by Sagacious Dolphin
a dweud y gwir mi parablu ychydigyn Cymraeg (a cwla)

I'll learn to speak Welsh someday, when I have the time. Just have to get this damnable Japanese out of the way. Nihongo wa totemo muzukashi desu ne.

[MrWhereItsAt]

So... is there anywhere in Europe (except perhaps the UK - but correct me if I'm wrong) that learning at least two languages ISN"T compulsory for a time?

In NZ we all learn a little Maori in primary school, but very few keep it up. I have studied both Spanish and French (meaning I really have a degree in Spanglish and Franglais )in NZ, but it was an uphill battle and I am in a distinct minority, even amongst Uni students. I wish it were the case that we all had to learn at least two languages through school, but the Government seems to be run as the Universities are - only the money-making schemes get encouraged.

[Chowlett]

Originally posted by MrWhereItsAt
So... is there anywhere in Europe (except perhaps the UK - but correct me if I'm wrong) that learning at least two languages ISN"T compulsory for a time?

I don't know about England, but in Scotland we have to learn a modern language at least to Standard Grade (GCSE level, age 15-ish)