Sprachprofi Nonaglot Senior Member Germany learnlangs.comRegistered users can see my Skype Name Joined 6230 days ago 2608 posts - 4866 votes Speaks: German*, English, French, Esperanto, Greek, Mandarin, Latin, Dutch, Italian Studies: Spanish, Arabic (Written), Swahili, Indonesian, Japanese, Modern Hebrew, Portuguese
| Message 1 of 60 24 November 2010 at 3:35am | IP Logged |
There is a place where polyglots are called 'freaks'. Where you'll be mocked if your interests tend more
towards Persian rather than (or in addition to) Spanish. Where announcing that you want to study hard will
invariably lead to people saying you can't do it. Where people doubt whether the language your foreign
friends speak is actually a language or just a series of grunts. Where black kids are sent away with their
bullies so that they won't ruin the picture.
There is a different place. A place where people admire you for speaking many languages. A place where
you're not alone to be interested in the uncommon. A place where peole encourage you in your endeavours.
A place where people know that every language deserves our respect.
So far, I always thought that the first place was "real life" and the second place was HTLAL.
Turns out I got them mixed up.
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newyorkeric Diglot Moderator Singapore Joined 6139 days ago 1598 posts - 2174 votes Speaks: English*, Italian Studies: Mandarin, Malay Personal Language Map
| Message 2 of 60 24 November 2010 at 3:55am | IP Logged |
Very nicely put Sprachprofi.
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Juаn Senior Member Colombia Joined 5105 days ago 727 posts - 1830 votes Speaks: Spanish*
| Message 3 of 60 24 November 2010 at 4:08am | IP Logged |
If being confronted with competing viewpoints is what you're writing about, then you'll find that in "real life", here, and everywhere else. And from disagreement too one profits and learns.
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thephantomgoat Groupie United States Joined 5231 days ago 52 posts - 103 votes
| Message 4 of 60 24 November 2010 at 4:12am | IP Logged |
Sprachprofi wrote:
There is a place where polyglots are called 'freaks'. Where you'll
be mocked if your interests tend more
towards Persian rather than (or in addition to) Spanish. Where announcing that you want
to study hard will
invariably lead to people saying you can't do it. Where people doubt whether the
language your foreign
friends speak is actually a language or just a series of grunts. Where black kids are
sent away with their
bullies so that they won't ruin the picture.
There is a different place. A place where people admire you for speaking many
languages. A place where
you're not alone to be interested in the uncommon. A place where peole encourage you in
your endeavours.
A place where people know that every language deserves our respect.
So far, I always thought that the first place was "real life" and the second place was
HTLAL.
Turns out I got them mixed up. |
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What prompted this topic?
3 persons have voted this message useful
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ellasevia Super Polyglot Winner TAC 2011 Senior Member Germany Joined 5902 days ago 2150 posts - 3229 votes Speaks: English*, German, Croatian, Greek, French, Spanish, Russian, Swedish, Portuguese, Turkish, Italian Studies: Catalan, Persian, Mandarin, Japanese, Romanian, Ukrainian
| Message 5 of 60 24 November 2010 at 4:32am | IP Logged |
thephantomgoat wrote:
What prompted this topic? |
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Go look around in some of the active topics from the past few days and I think you'll find the answer.
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thephantomgoat Groupie United States Joined 5231 days ago 52 posts - 103 votes
| Message 6 of 60 24 November 2010 at 5:47am | IP Logged |
I've read through most of them in their entirety, and I have my own thoughts about what
prompted the thread. But I don't want to assume why Sprachprofi feels as she does, and
she, an experienced participant on the forum, is bound to have a different take on
matters here than I, a longtime lurker but only recent poster.
While I have encountered negativity on this forum, I've also encountered a higher
volume of people like me--people who love languages--here than I have in real life.
Knowing I am not alone has thus far been comfort enough for me, but I have not been
here long enough to speak to what it's like to encounter frequent negativity (even that
of the intermittent and "minor" variety) in an ostensibly safe space.
That said, you are by no means compelled to elaborate, Sprachprofi. For a number of
readers, your original post speaks for itself.
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Aineko Triglot Senior Member New Zealand Joined 5208 days ago 238 posts - 442 votes Speaks: Serbian*, EnglishC2, Spanish Studies: Russian, Arabic (Written), Mandarin
| Message 7 of 60 24 November 2010 at 6:44am | IP Logged |
Well, since we are already on the topic, I have to say that one thing that surprises me
again and again when I see it here, is this idea of different 'validity' of languages. I
simply don't get it...
Edited by Aineko on 24 November 2010 at 7:04am
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JimC Senior Member United Kingdom tinyurl.com/aberdeen Joined 5307 days ago 199 posts - 317 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Spanish
| Message 8 of 60 24 November 2010 at 10:56am | IP Logged |
Sprachprofi,
I understand that this is a difficult subject. However if there is a possibility that you might elaborate further or provide links to the post or posts which have cuased you to change your opinion, then it would help me to understand your point of view.
Thanks
Jim
3 persons have voted this message useful
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