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Ugliest language | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : General discussion | ( Topic Closed) |  |
| Cisa Super Polyglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6424 days ago 312 posts - 309 votes  2 sounds Speaks: Hungarian*, Slovak, FrenchC1, EnglishC2, Mandarin, SpanishB2, RussianB2, GermanB2, Korean, Czech, Latin Studies: Italian, Cantonese, Japanese, Portuguese, Polish, Hindi, Mongolian, Tibetan, Kazakh, Vietnamese, Modern Hebrew | Message 50 of 80 17 May 2008 at 2:04pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Of course, nobody feels very well when you call his/her language ugle, so I can understand. On the other hand, my phylosophy is that every language has its own beauty, but it may not attract you. I have met people who could scream when hearing Italian or French but go crazy in the case of German. As to Hungarian, most people don´t like it, it doesn´t sound so soft or open like e.g. Italian.
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| jeigo again Groupie United States Joined 6138 days ago 43 posts - 41 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Indonesian, Irish | Message 51 of 80 17 May 2008 at 2:36pm | IP Logged | |||||
Lol, I hear you on the western Penn thing ;D 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| monkeyintown Triglot Newbie ThailandRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6092 days ago 10 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Thai*, English, Japanese Studies: Spanish | Message 52 of 80 17 May 2008 at 2:36pm | IP Logged | |||||
Couldn't agree more. For a country like Thailand which has always been proud of its history, culture, literature, language, etc., would look at its own pride as a whole, not individually. So for the Thais if you told them that you think their language sounds "ugly" they would take it so personally and spread your words to the other Thais.And if you live in a Thai community or even Thailand, you would have less than 24 hours to move out and go back to where you came from. Thais are utterly sensitive and can't tolerate any criticism toward their national identity, seriously. Even though Thai is on the top of the rank so far, I'm not much offended since I've exposed to the very 'liberal' West for a quite while now. I even met an American who said to me that 'Thai is a garbage language and is useless'. I don't think there is anything I can't handle now lol. Personally, I think everyone could live without having this kind of nonconstructive conversation. Also we could be more considerate about different cultures and customs when express ourselves on the internet, since the internet is for everyone and we all have things we respect, revere, and are proud of. For example what do you think a Chinese would feel when he/she encountered this topic. Well, unless this board is only for Europeans or Americans :) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Maximus Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6754 days ago 417 posts - 427 votes Studies: Spanish, Japanese, Thai | Message 53 of 80 17 May 2008 at 6:56pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Many people go on about taking offence because someone has violated their culture and history just by saying that their language is "ugly" or even "not appealing". People have their preferences. Their preference or "lack of preference" shouldn't be taken as offensive. It doesn't mean that they disrespect one countries history just for not liking the sound of the language. Speaking of national identity, how do you think native Anglophones feel with everyone worldwide learning their language and in a way removing from them their sense of individuality? I am sure that the monolinguals without motivation or care to learn a foreign language don't see it as a big deal, but I for one feel like I no longer can have a true cultural identity because English has been designated as the international language. This makes me ashamed of having English as my mothertongue knowing that everyone else also takes it.
I wouldn't be angry if someone disliked the sound of English and made it apparent that the language is perceived as ugly. I for one dislike the sound of most varieties of spoken English including many from my home country. It sounds so heartless and lacking emotion, at least according to my ears. It also seems to have a droning sound and often mumbled unclearly, and in addition sounds weak and monotonal. Some dialects even effeminate to the extent that my ears can't take it anymore. Even though this would be treason in my country, I think that I prefer the sound of American English than to most British varieties, just because the sound of American English seems more high spirited, happy and clearer. Yep, I think my mother tongue is pretty ugly, at least when spoken normally (as opposed to sung for example). Some languages sound great when sung but terrible when spoken. However, according to my "preferences and lack of preferences" which I feel that, just like anyone else, I have the right to express so long as it is done in a respectable manner, I personally think that there are worst sounding language than English. Dutch is amost intolerable for my ears. Also the sound of French fails to captivate me like it does so many. Contrary to what most people express, I don't like the "soft" languages like Italian for example. They just sound too feminine for me. In contrast I find the Slavic languages pleasant regarding the way they sound. I also love languages with the flat, even sound like Japanese for example. That just sounds awesome. Tonal languages are difficult to listen to and even painful to listen to. However, regarding Thai, an language that has received mention in this thread, I adore the voices of thai ladies. That is just so sweet and so cute. However, the voices of Thai men doesn't really bear the same beauty, though I don't think it sounds that bad. Other languages are definitely worse regarding pleasantness for the ears. I think that this thread does have value so long as it doesn't get too much like a brawl. My reason is that it could reveal if the widespread notions of which language is ugly hold up. In my country, German is seen as the ugly language (at least between the 3 common languages at school). However, I don't share that opinion. Alao nowdays Polish is shunned in my community, just because many people show hostility to the Polish immigrant community. I personally like the sound of Polish. Edited by Maximus on 17 May 2008 at 7:00pm 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| monkeyintown Triglot Newbie ThailandRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6092 days ago 10 posts - 10 votes Speaks: Thai*, English, Japanese Studies: Spanish | Message 54 of 80 18 May 2008 at 9:48am | IP Logged | |||||
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I do not take offence by this thread because I know that people think they should have the right to voice their opinions in everything and no matter what that's the way they think. But my point is, not everyone would think that it's alright to do so. Ridiculous as it may seem, but pretty much this is what the East would think. I, as one insignificant individual on earth living with 6 billion others, don't have the authority to decide that it is okay or not. However, a little consideration would make a discussion like this continue smoothly without anyone feeling undermined or upset. In my extremely arrogant opinion I think it's ok to speak out your 'preferences' like 'I don't like the sound of this language because...' but this is rather strong 'I absolutely hate the sound of Chinese. I hate it when a Chinese person speaks English with his accent'. Since no one would mind, I might have an opinion here :D I dislike the rolled R in American English, it sounds like the speaker got something stuck in his throat. Also when the [a:] becomes a hybrid of [air] as in hair and [ear] as in hear. I think they always open their mouths so wide when pronouncing the sound :) and it's quite an unpleasant sight. ^^ 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Sloan Newbie United States myspace.com/moo Joined 6130 days ago 8 posts - 8 votes Speaks: English* | Message 55 of 80 18 May 2008 at 5:17pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Ain't no such thing as ugly :)
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| ChristopherB Triglot Senior Member New Zealand Joined 6321 days ago 851 posts - 1074 votes 2 sounds Speaks: English*, German, French | Message 56 of 80 19 May 2008 at 8:36am | IP Logged | |||||
Definitely. Personally, I think being proud of your country is irrational and quite silly. On the topic, it's interesting how out of place NZ or Australian English can sound in an American environment. I actually don't find it particularly pleasant to listen to, which is rather strange. If I listen to a podcast where the speaker(s) are American, or Canadian and then a New Zealander or Australian comes on, it's initially quite jarring. Makes me realise how such accents sound to someone who speaks with a different regional accent. Edited by Fränzi on 19 May 2008 at 8:42am 1 person has voted this message useful |
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