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Your earliest foreign language memory | ||
Tags: Children | Foreign Languages | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : General discussion | ( Topic Closed) |  |
| datsunking1 Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5589 days ago 1014 posts - 1533 votes  Speaks: English*, Spanish Studies: German, Russian, Dutch, French | Message 57 of 98 17 March 2010 at 4:26pm | IP Logged | |||||
I can back you up on that. When I went to disney world (florida) in the 7th grade, I knew other languages existed but I was NEVER exposed to them. I could count and say the alphabet in Spanish, (Where I learned that from I have NO idea) but beyond that, nothing. Supposedly it was an international type day there, and there were people from ALL OVER THE WORLD. Russia, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, Korea, France, everywhere. I remember being in line behind a Spanish speaking family with a boy my age. They didn't speak English, so I sat there with my mouth hanging open, wondering how people understand one another with that language because it wasn't English. I noticed the boy's name was Jesús, and I asked my mom quitely if it was legal to name your kid Jesus, and would God be angry. She was hysterical and I didn't understand it was pronounced "hey-sus" instead of Jesus. On the train/tram thing to go from park to park, there were announcements in Mandarin, French, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Japanese, and German. It was funny to see everyone click their seatbelts when the announcement said "Please fasten your seatbelt" when they heard their language. I was in love there, It was like being sucker punched by everything I didn't understand...but I WANTED to understand it all. I was more interested in the people than I ever was with the park. When I heard Spanish It was almost like the best Christmas present ever (it was july actually) but you know what I mean. I sat there with my mouth open. I couldn't help it. They were telling jokes and laughing, I didn't understand one word but I knew I wanted to. It's hard to believe 5 years ago I understood nothing, and now I can read Harry potter and the paper quite fluently, but I'm no where near where I want to be in Spanish. I want to be like Hencke. :) Edited by datsunking1 on 17 March 2010 at 4:29pm 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| darkwhispersdal Senior Member Wales Joined 6044 days ago 294 posts - 363 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Ancient Greek, French, Italian, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Japanese, Latin | Message 58 of 98 17 March 2010 at 8:39pm | IP Logged | |||||
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My next door neighbour's family stayed for six weeks when I was a kid and they only spoke Greek. Both my sister and I played with my neighbour's nephew during that summer by the end of their holiday my sister and I knew the important Greek words for ice cream, sweets, drink, crisps, etc :-)
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| ManicGenius Senior Member United States Joined 5485 days ago 288 posts - 420 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Esperanto, French, Japanese | Message 59 of 98 17 March 2010 at 8:52pm | IP Logged | |||||
I've had multiple "realization's" that there are multiple languages other than English. The first with was with the Quebecois kids. To me that just made 2 languages and even then I wanted to learn it. (No idea how at 5-6 years old). Then the realization that there are multiple languages, which just exacerbated my want to learn. Then the realization there are EXTINCT languages (Catholic religion school & Latin), which subsequently made me hate languages and angry nuns (I still despise Latin. And angry nuns). Then falling in love with languages again at a later age, but only to learn that there are thousands in the world and not enough time in life to learn them all. That last bit is wholly depressing. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Johntm Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5426 days ago 616 posts - 725 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 60 of 98 18 March 2010 at 5:02am | IP Logged | |||||
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| kyssäkaali Diglot Senior Member United States Joined 5557 days ago 203 posts - 376 votes Speaks: English*, Finnish | Message 61 of 98 18 March 2010 at 5:17am | IP Logged | |||||
This is the exact reason why I will most likely never learn Spanish. After having it shoved down my throat all throughout middle and high school, even though half of my family is monolingually Spanish-speaking, the language will be forever tainted for me. Although to be honest, European languages in general bore me. Bring on the African and Indigenous tongues! 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| IronFist Senior Member United States Joined 6441 days ago 663 posts - 941 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Japanese, Korean | Message 62 of 98 18 March 2010 at 5:13pm | IP Logged | |||||
She was hysterical (angry?) or she was hysterical (laughing uncontrollably?)? 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Johntm Senior Member United StatesRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 5426 days ago 616 posts - 725 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish | Message 64 of 98 18 March 2010 at 11:16pm | IP Logged | |||||
Edit: @IronFist He meant laughing hysterically. Edited by Johntm on 18 March 2010 at 11:16pm 1 person has voted this message useful |
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