Have you played Kancho?

[Provost Harrison]

Whatever

[Ecthy]

Being an ignorant rosbif again?

[Provost Harrison]

I'm with OTBOT on this one

[Ecthy]

Are you so desperate for authority that you're even sucking up even to machines now?

[Timexwatch]

It's been all the rage for years.

[-Jrabbit]

If you're native German, Ecthy, I gotta say I'm impressed with your English skillz. How'd you come by that?

Some of my German friends speak great English because they grew up in towns near NATO bases (basically US outposts). Or are you someone like my wife, who just has an innate ability to pick up on languages? (It's a real struggle for me.)

[Ecthy]

Thanks :

I think I'm good at picking up languages in general. I've liked French at school, tried some Chinese at uni (alas they only offer courses for 2 consecutive seemsters, so I can't progress unless I try at a different college), did the compulsory Latin at uni that I need for History, now learning Spanish because I want to go to Spain for a year in september.

English is usually a very easy to pick up language as far as colloquialisms go. This is mostly because you get English slang and similar stuff in the media every day. Most movies we watch are from the US (though dubbed), same for computer games. This helps mostly with words though. As far as phrasing, formal language and colloquial conversation goes, I'd say it comes mostly from Apolyton, which is good and sad at once

[Tiamat]

Quite sad, 'cause most of us round here ain't got no learn'in to speak of.