Something I don't like about Germans

[phesina]

Along this line (as far as Americans go, anyway), a video from the Onion News Network: "Mexico Builds Border Wall to Keep Out US As*h*les" ... reported in Spanish with English subtitles!
http://www.theonion.com/content/vide...r_wall_to_keep

[aTailOf2Kitties]

I think the German attitude is contagious. My boyfriend has an aunt and cousin living in Germany. They are American civilians working for the US military in either Bitburg or Heidelburg (can't remember). Anyway, any time they come to the US to visit the rest of the family they are always going on and on how wonderful Germany is and how it's soooooo much nicer than America. After about a week of this we are usually more than ready for them to go back, LOL

[Sonia59]

I don't belong to French forums. They are very impolite, always make bad jokes, answer completely out of topic and tell you that you are stupid posting such questions, that you should better not spend your time there, etc.

[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!!!

[DJFyrewolf36]

I can honestly say that this is the only forum that I haven't gotten into a major flame war on (I say major because I did step on a few toes when I was new lol). Usually I get into some sort of arguement within days of joining a forum. The anonimity (sp?) of the internet makes people a lot more bold with words than they would be speaking to your face...

I think its a phenomenon that crosses all countries and cultures with access to the internet lol.

[blue]

On some forums grammer and spelling nazis are part of the fun of the forums, but that is the lighter side of those forums as it gets much worse from there.

Of course every forum will have members who enjoy talking down to others, thankfully on PT its just a few.

[Barbara]

Kirsten, and Barbara and other Europeans, I have to say..your
English is wonderful! Did you learn it in school?

Thank you very much Karen I only learnt English in school for 3 years- and that was in the 60s. But I had (and have) to use it quite a bit at work and that improved it very much. The last finish however, especially in idioms, came with Pet Talk But I'm still afraid I mix British and American as it comes.

[Kirsten]

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.

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

[kokopup]

Kirsten , Barbara

Your English skill background is given away by your use of one word.
Learnt is the English version for the American word Learned.

All of our European PT friends do amazingly well with their post. If i had to post in German, French, Flemish, Spanish or Swedish I would be lost. I refer to various language dictionaries from time to time and am able to construct maybe a simple phrase if it doesn't contain more than 2 or 3 words.

I envy people that are Multlingual. When I lived in the Netherlands about 70% of the population spoke English. I went to Dutch lessons for a while but every time I spoke to someone in Dutch, when they heard my accent, they switched to listening in English. If I told them I am going to try to speak Dutch they would undestand me then. The only time I found an audience was when i spoke Dutch to someone that didn't speak English. I finally gave up because everyone I had dealings with spoke excellent English. Most of them thought they spoke Queens English but because they watched so many American movies it had taken on more of an American flavor.

[Kirsten]

Learnt is the English version for the American word Learned.

See, this must be one of the remnants of what we have learned in school. I will try to keep that in mind! LOL

The Dutch, as far as I know, speak an excellent English, like the Danes, or people from the other Scandinavian countries. Much better than the Germans do, btw. I guess it's because they - unlike the Germans - see American or English movies or tv shows in undubbed versions.

Kirsten

[K9karen]

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

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!

[kokopup]

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.

[Barbara]

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

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

[Maya & Inka's mommy]

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!!!

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 )

[Kirsten]

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.

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!

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

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.

Kirsten