Feelings about learners of your language (General discussion) Language Learning Forum

Feelings about learners of your language
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Language Learning Forum : General discussion

31 messages over 4 pages: 1 2 3 4 Next >>

FVerschoor
Bilingual Diglot
Groupie
United States
Joined 6351 days ago
44 posts - 44 votes
Speaks: English*, Dutch*
Studies: Spanish, Russian

Message 9 of 31

21 February 2010 at 8:38pm | IP Logged

Delodephius wrote:

Serbs are usually very happy when someone tries to learn their language, excited even. It is a unique phenomenon I imagine. Serbs even forged a saying: "Speak Serbian so that the whole world could understand you", meaning that on one hand there are Serbs all over the world, and on the other everyone who doesn't speak Serbian should learn it. It is of course just their humour. Serbs many time try to teach foreigners their language even against their will, for example if you come to a green market and you don't know how to say what you want, just pointing to the thing won't cut it with the Serbs. The old lady selling apples will teach you how to say "I would like the apples" before selling them to you. :-D

I would love to live in an area like that where learning the language is so encouraged. :)
1 person has voted this message useful

datsunking1
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5587 days ago
1014 posts - 1533 votes

Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: German, Russian, Dutch, French

Message 10 of 31

21 February 2010 at 10:36pm | IP Logged

I couldn't be more impressed with non-native speakers of English. Even with little learning time under their belt, they always impress me. Some are VERY advanced too. :) Some people I had no idea were foreign until they told me. That's how good some people are.

Edited by datsunking1 on 22 February 2010 at 5:24pm
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^veganboy^
Groupie
United Kingdom
Joined 5921 days ago
51 posts - 51 votes

Message 11 of 31

21 February 2010 at 11:10pm | IP Logged

When I speak to somebody who is learning my language, I have a mixed feeling of sadness and happiness.

Happiness because (Unlike people who learn popular languages) I am fully aware the person in question has a real interest in my culture and literature.

Sadness because, as any colonised country, most of the colonisers seek to destroy any traces of what's left of a country. That's a huge problem for those with sufficient intelligence that understand that different languages can cohabit together...

Edited by ^veganboy^ on 21 February 2010 at 11:22pm
1 person has voted this message useful

Saif
Bilingual Triglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5614 days ago
122 posts - 208 votes

Speaks: English*, Arabic (Levantine)*, French

Message 12 of 31

21 February 2010 at 11:25pm | IP Logged

Enki wrote:

Though I'm an English speaker, I grew up in the Middle East so Arabic is
close to a second native language for me. I have a lot of respect for people who want
to learn Arabic, because 1) there aren't many 2) it isn't easy and 3) while everyone
and their pet dog has an opinion about the situation in that area, very few actually
bother to know about the place. Conversely, I lose all respect for any self-styled
"pundit" who has no functional knowledge of Arabic but wants to talk my ear off about
what's wrong with my country :P

My thoughts too. Arabic is not easy so I have respect for people who genuinely want to
learn about the language, culture and peoples of the region. Many Western reporters
have no knowledge of Arabic (other than a poorly pronounced "shukran"), so I encourage
people to learn Arabic. My personal opinion is that you have to know the language in
order to begin to understand the region. So I'm very receptive to students of Arabic
who want to read the Arabic press, follow Arabic programs, and interact with the locals
or if they're converts to Islam and want to read the Qur'an in Arabic. One caveat: I
would not help anyone who wants to learn Arabic for nefarious purposes, i.e. aspiring
MEMRI translators.
1 person has voted this message useful

psy88
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5593 days ago
469 posts - 882 votes

Studies: Spanish*, Japanese, Latin, French

Message 13 of 31

22 February 2010 at 3:04am | IP Logged

I am not sure if this fits the topic but I think someone once posted that if native Spanish speakers compliment your efforts to speak their language it means (1) they are being polite and(2) you are not doing all that well. If they don't compliment but just keep speaking to you, you are really speaking quite well.
4 persons have voted this message useful

Paskwc
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5679 days ago
450 posts - 624 votes

Speaks: Hindi, Urdu*, Arabic (Levantine), French, English
Studies: Persian, Spanish

Message 14 of 31

22 February 2010 at 4:40am | IP Logged

I'm always surprised to find people who study Urdu as a foreign language. I can
understand why people in the security sector would learn Urdu, but any reason beyond that
perplexes me.
1 person has voted this message useful

Paskwc
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5679 days ago
450 posts - 624 votes

Speaks: Hindi, Urdu*, Arabic (Levantine), French, English
Studies: Persian, Spanish

Message 15 of 31

22 February 2010 at 4:51am | IP Logged

Enki wrote:

I lose all respect for any self-styled "pundit" who has no functional
knowledge of Arabic but wants to talk my ear off about what's wrong with my country
:P

I agree in principle that if you want to be able to have a nuanced understanding of an issue, you have to be able to understand all the different perspectives. However, I'm not
so sure if speaking the languages those perspectives are conveyed through is required.
Bias and ignorance can exist both within a group and outside it. Sometimes, the view is
clearer from the outside. This is especially the case when the message is tightly
controlled.
1 person has voted this message useful

Paskwc
Pentaglot
Senior Member
Canada
Joined 5679 days ago
450 posts - 624 votes

Speaks: Hindi, Urdu*, Arabic (Levantine), French, English
Studies: Persian, Spanish

Message 16 of 31

22 February 2010 at 4:52am | IP Logged

psy88 wrote:

I am not sure if this fits the topic but I think someone once posted that
if native Spanish speakers compliment your efforts to speak their language it means (1)
they are being polite and(2) you are not doing all that well. If they don't compliment
but just keep speaking to you, you are really speaking quite well.

This made me smile.

As a native speaker, is it true?

1 person has voted this message useful

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