Something I don't like about Germans

I learned English at school, that was 7 years in total I think. The most amazing is that most French who can't speak English, or don't want to, all learned it at school! I love English and languages in general, so I was interested in trying to improve it. But my English really became fluent because I worked for 5 years in the Netherlands. As Kokopup has said, most Dutch speak English so it's hard to learn their language. When they realize you are not Dutch they switch to English, so after some time, especially at work, I gave up with Dutch and spoke only English!
Idioms come from PT mainly :D

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Originally Posted by Kirsten

Thank you, Karen! :) Yes, I learnt it at school, I think it must have been 8 years in total, but like Barbara has said, I too didn't start using idioms before I got some practice on the internet. We learnt the British English at school, so it's been somewhat different.

But even before there was the internet, I tried not to get completely out of touch with the English language, 'cause I didn't want to forget what I have learnt in all those years. Couldn't tell you much these days about any grammar rules and the correct use of tenses though... LOL

Kirsten

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Guess I'll have to start watching Telemundo more often.
I had a young landscaper from Nicaragua who learned his PERFECT English by watching American TV!

All I have to say is you all are amazing! I think some people have an "ear" for other languages. There was a girl at my high school reunion, who lived in Europe for over 40 years, travelling from country to country for work and she speak 5 languages fluently!! Picks it up like "that" (*snaps fingers*) One of my bosses took Russian during her summer vacation from college and spoke it fluently. Once a cabdriver tried to get one over on her (he was on the phone speaking Russian) and BOY! did she surprise him when she left the cab! We rolled over laughing!

I think with any language the younger you are the better. When i went to the Netherlands to work there were 5 other families there with children. We had engineers there from 4 different countries other than the USA. None of these kids spoke English as a native language. When we had been there about 6 months we had a party and all the families brought their kids. It was amazing because they were all running around talking a blue streak in Dutch. Dutch had become their common language in just 6 months.

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Originally Posted by K9karen

I had a young landscaper from Nicaragua who learned his PERFECT English by watching American TV!

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I learned most of my Italian by reading Topolino- that's Italian Mickey Mouse:D And I do well when I'm on vacation.:cool:

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Originally Posted by K9karen

Off the subject for a minute..I have to ask...

Kirsten, and Barbara and other Europeans, I have to say..your
English is wonderful! Did you learn it in school? I mean, you use our idioms and everything. I'm dreadfully ashamed to say, that my 4 years of high school Spanish is a disaster. I know a bit (like baby talk), but now that our Hispanic community is growing, I'm thinking of heading to night school for a refresher.

I really admire multi-lingual people!!!

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Thank you Karen!!
I started learning English when I was 13. I had English all the way through high school, at a rate of 4 hours per week. I also went to England on a "language exchange", where I stayed with a very friendly family. I went 3 times; this made my English better enourmously!
Then after I got married, we lived in London for 4 months in 1981, and we lived in the USA (St.Louis, MO) for nearly 2 years!
I just LOVE English!! I also speak French & German, but not very well though (Sonia know ;))

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Originally Posted by Randi

I really wanted to learn English so I could read the pop magazines I bought (Fabulous and Rave I think they were called). I also wanted to understand the text in the songs I liked - so that was an incentive too.

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OMG, I was EXACTLY the same! I always wanted to know what my favorite songs were about, this has been a huge motivation for me and a great way to stay in touch with the language! :)

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Originally Posted by Sonia59

The most amazing is that most French who can't speak English, or don't want to, all learned it at school!

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Sonia, many Germans are like that, too. Many of them speak a horrible English, to say the least, even though they had it at school for years! But I shouldn't judge, I had French for 5 years, but unfortunately I have to say I had absolutely no talent for it. :o

Kirsten

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Originally Posted by Maya & Inka's mommy

I also speak French & German, but not very well though (Sonia know ;))

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Your French and German are probably as good as my Dutch, Lut! ;)

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Originally Posted by Kirsten

I had French for 5 years, but unfortunately I have to say I had absolutely no talent for it

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Exactly the same for me with German! And it's even worse after having spent some time in the Netherlands: when I try to remember about a few words in German, only the Dutch ones comes back :(

I think this is fabulous, all you folks who have people with different languages and cultures almost right next door. You pick up your neighbors' languages just from familiarity, and you're interested in learning about others' languages and customs.

It would be like, say I decide to go 50 miles south to Ohio to visit Phred and Mary, and they speak a whole different language and have different customs from me so we have to figure out how to communicate. (Well, I've met Phred and found that he speaks about the same as I do, but I don't know about Mary.)

Actually, I can go about 50 miles east to a whole different foreign country, and THEY don't even talk much differently from us!

Re. Germans and their bad English...

You just have to look at this, it's one of my all time faves: :D

German Coast Guard trainee

Kirsten

Oh, how funny!

Thank you, Kirsten.

LOL! Good one! (Great ad for Berlitz, too. ;) )

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Originally Posted by Kirsten

Re. Germans and their bad English...

You just have to look at this, it's one of my all time faves: :D

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That was funny.

"What are you thinking about?"


HOW COLD THE WATER IS!:D

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I learned how to speak spanish from my parents and read and spell it from reading the comics from the spanish cartoon strips. The Phantom and Peanuts (Fantasma and Rabanitos)-

Later on I learned that Rabanitos are not Peanuts.......They are radishes!:eek::confused::D

Good one, Kirsten! :D

Yeah, but the sad thing is... Many Germans sound exactly like that! :D They cannot speak the "th", or the "r"...

Kirsten

Yeah- like me ;)