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Negative aspects of being a Polygot? | ||
Tags: Polyglot bashing | Polyglot | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Polyglots |  | |
| LilleOSC Senior Member United States lille.theoffside.comRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6540 days ago 545 posts - 546 votes  4 sounds Speaks: English* Studies: French, Arabic (Written) | Message 49 of 94 08 April 2007 at 1:19pm | IP Logged | |||||
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I think one negative aspect is having difficulty speaking your native language.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| furrykef Senior Member United States furrykef.com/ Joined 6321 days ago 681 posts - 862 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Japanese, Latin, Italian | Message 50 of 94 10 April 2007 at 6:16am | IP Logged | |||||
Well, thweetie, that'th thuch a thpuriouth thing to thay... I atthure you, there ith no correlathion!
i d0nt no wat u r tlaking abuot!!!1 (Absolutely not a jab at Roger... mostly at idiots who type like that on purpose) But seriously... I don't think there are any downsides to being a polyglot that outweigh the benefits, and that's what really matters, isn't it? - Kef Edited by furrykef on 10 April 2007 at 6:17am 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| gogglehead Triglot Senior Member Argentina Joined 5924 days ago 248 posts - 320 votes Speaks: English*, Spanish, Portuguese Studies: Russian, Italian | Message 51 of 94 30 June 2009 at 10:33am | IP Logged | |||||
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I couldn't find a more appropriate thread, so I will use this one, as it deals with the negative reactions of others.
Some time ago, in my workplace (in northern England) a colleague of mine (who spoke native Urdu, with English as a second language) asked me why I learn languages. The conversation went something like this; Colleague:Why do you bother to learn Italian Me:Because I want to. And I enjoy it, I love languages, I always have. C:Well are you going to live in Italy? M: I haven't really thought about it, I like visiting, but I haven't got any plans to move there. I just started studying Russian too, just out of enjoyment, and an interest in the culture... C.Well are you going to live in Russia one day? M.No, I have no plans to do that. C:Well what's the point in learning Russian then. M.I enjoy it... C: If you ask me it's a complete waste of time. M.Well think of it as kind of hobby. It's just something I enjoy doing, and how can the acquisition of knowledge ever be a waste of time...? C:It IS a waste of time if you're never going to go and live in Russia M.Well do you not have any hobbies? I mean what do YOU do in your spare time? C:I watch TV... M: And you think that that ISN'T a waste of time?? At least I'm getting something out of the time I spend studying! C:Yes but TV is entertainment isn't it! M:But how can you possibly claim that studying languages is a waste of time, when it has a goal, an end achievement. Watching TV everyday leads you nowhere in the end. I am doing something I enjoy, AND I will acquire a valuable skill at the end of it, regardless of whether or not I go to live in Russia! C:I can see where you are coming from, you sort of have a point, but really I know I'm right. Infuriated, I walked away... Has anyone ever experienced gross ignorance on such an incredible level? 3 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| theallstar Groupie United Kingdom Joined 5651 days ago 81 posts - 85 votes Studies: Japanese, Esperanto | Message 52 of 94 30 June 2009 at 10:46am | IP Logged | |||||
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I couldn't agree more. People are always assuming that you have nothing better to do with your free time than waste it. They find it very hard to understand when you don't want to do things because you'd rather be at home studying. I think a lot of the problem comes from the fact that you're not going somewhere to do something as part of a structured class, they see it as that you'd rather stay at home than socialise with them. I have friends who do a lot of sport related activities and they never get the same treatment when it comes to discussing thier hobbies. It's also think it's hard for people to see the point when, as you say, you have no plans to live in the country or you don't have a real use for the language.
On a side note, I find it very depressing to think of the amount of time people waste watching TV and what they could be achieving. I personally don't watch TV (outside of films or series on DVD) and have never understood how people can think of it as a good way to spend time. 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| William Camden Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6121 days ago 1936 posts - 2333 votes Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, French | Message 53 of 94 30 June 2009 at 4:48pm | IP Logged | |||||
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I don't think there is a downside to being a polyglot (I consider myself to be in only the foothills of it). I hardly regard it as evidence of genius. Sometimes you encounter idiots, as noted in some of the posts above, but resentment of "tall poppies" is widespread and a fact of life.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| tricoteuse Pentaglot Senior Member Norway littlang.blogspot.co Joined 6527 days ago 745 posts - 845 votes Speaks: Swedish*, Norwegian, EnglishC1, Russian, French Studies: Ukrainian, Bulgarian | Message 54 of 94 30 June 2009 at 5:06pm | IP Logged | |||||
Hah, this actually applies to me! :) 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| William Camden Hexaglot Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 6121 days ago 1936 posts - 2333 votes Speaks: English*, German, Spanish, Russian, Turkish, French | Message 55 of 94 30 June 2009 at 5:12pm | IP Logged | |||||
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I have noted before that, if I spend a lot of time on L2s, my spelling of English tends to erode a little bit.
1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| zerothinking Senior Member Australia Joined 6221 days ago 528 posts - 772 votes Speaks: English* | Message 56 of 94 30 June 2009 at 6:05pm | IP Logged | |||||
That would have been a problem... during the cold war. 1 person has voted this message useful |
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