37 messages over 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5
JasonBourne Groupie United States Joined 5834 days ago 65 posts - 111 votes  Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish, Japanese, Arabic (Written), Turkish
| Message 33 of 37 12 April 2009 at 7:38am | IP Logged |
Vai wrote:
in this conversation of westerners who already speak English (and therefore dont 'need' anything) usefulness is not subjective. indeed the very fact that i have listed finnish, with its 5 million speakers, as a language i study undermines your entire accusation.
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Umm, so how does your learning Finnish illustrate that usefulness is an objective measure? You've lost me
1 person has voted this message useful
| Marc Frisch Heptaglot Senior Member Germany Joined 6747 days ago 1001 posts - 1169 votes     Speaks: German*, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian Studies: Persian, Tamil
| Message 35 of 37 12 April 2009 at 12:40pm | IP Logged |
Vai wrote:
in this conversation of westerners who already speak English (and therefore dont 'need' anything) usefulness is not subjective. |
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Your assumption that people who speak English don't need to know any other language is wrong in most parts of the world. Sure, I could survive here in Germany, ask for directions etc., but without German I couldn't do the work I do and I'd be socially isolated. And of course, usefulness is subjective.
Edited by Marc Frisch on 12 April 2009 at 6:07pm
1 person has voted this message useful
| Marc Frisch Heptaglot Senior Member Germany Joined 6747 days ago 1001 posts - 1169 votes     Speaks: German*, French, English, Spanish, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian Studies: Persian, Tamil
| Message 37 of 37 12 April 2009 at 6:10pm | IP Logged |
Vai wrote:
'conversation of westerners [people who live in the west]'
have we been hiding the world's first illiterate pentaglot among our humble forumites? |
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Yes, I know what "westerner" means. What's your point?
1 person has voted this message useful
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