Ok - that's interesting. Is it related to Chinese? I've heard it, and it doesn't sound the same. I can hear the tones, but they sound very different.
Motivation for learning languages
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Caspian, Thai is not related to Mandarin Chinese but it is related to many southern Chinese dialects. The tones in Thai are much more numerous than Mandarin and used differently. Thai has more melodic sounds IMO. Since Thai utilizes more tones than Mandarin, that's why I found it easier to pick up and say the ones in Mandarin.
I learn languages because I like to be able to communicate with patients and students.
Learning languages helps me to travel more safely and easily.
It bothers me if I can't at least identify a language I hear when I'm out.
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I'm glad that J.C. mentioned language tests. It's a more objective way to demonstrate one's ability in a given language. I don't know how many times I've heard someone say that s/he can speak or knows a given language and after the person shows off for me, it's evident that s/he only has a beginner's command of the language or a few words. If a native speaker verifies that the person has a C2 level in the language, then I have a very good idea what level the person has.
Learning languages helps me to travel more safely and easily.
It bothers me if I can't at least identify a language I hear when I'm out.
____________________________
I'm glad that J.C. mentioned language tests. It's a more objective way to demonstrate one's ability in a given language. I don't know how many times I've heard someone say that s/he can speak or knows a given language and after the person shows off for me, it's evident that s/he only has a beginner's command of the language or a few words. If a native speaker verifies that the person has a C2 level in the language, then I have a very good idea what level the person has.
K.T. me parece que Usted es políglota, pero me gustaría saber hasta qué nivel dominas los idiomas que me parece que hablas. Debes responder a la pregunta que hizo el que creó el topic antes de dejar comentarios que no vengan al caso.
>>If a native speaker verifies that the person has a C2 level in the language, then I have a very good idea what level the person has.
See my recent post. Yep, true, C2 is the highest standard there is. Also as a personal goal, I see C2, or C1+ (a bit too lenient, huh?), as a benchmark of educated fluency. The "level" itself is easy to obtain by studying, no matter how long you learn. It's only with this high level that you get to know what's really going on in that country.
While early immersion, like if your parents are bilingual/of different cultural background, etc, is certainly helpful, I think the requirement of educated fluency IS to be educated, and perhaps, say, at least being a high school graduate. (age may also count) That's simple to tell. Either you are raised bilingually, or you have to acquire it as an adult. "Acquire" takes years.
See my recent post. Yep, true, C2 is the highest standard there is. Also as a personal goal, I see C2, or C1+ (a bit too lenient, huh?), as a benchmark of educated fluency. The "level" itself is easy to obtain by studying, no matter how long you learn. It's only with this high level that you get to know what's really going on in that country.
While early immersion, like if your parents are bilingual/of different cultural background, etc, is certainly helpful, I think the requirement of educated fluency IS to be educated, and perhaps, say, at least being a high school graduate. (age may also count) That's simple to tell. Either you are raised bilingually, or you have to acquire it as an adult. "Acquire" takes years.
"K.T. me parece que Usted es políglota, pero me gustaría saber hasta qué nivel dominas los idiomas que me parece que hablas. Debes responder a la pregunta que hizo el que creó el topic antes de dejar comentarios que no vengan al caso."
Will you also discuss the languages you know? Truthfully, without hearing me, you won't know how well I speak. Is it not the same with you?
I think most people already know my languages, but o-kay.
English: Native
Spanish: Tested this year by native speaker at level 6 (C2), but I want to take the DELE upper level to be sure. I'm not great at writing formal letters because I usually only speak, read, and understand Spanish.
French: Probably C2.
Japanese: About JLPT II.
German: I took a placement test for an intermediate level and didn't miss any questions. I don't know after that. I like to be accurate, so I would say probably an intermediate plus level. Rarely speak it, maybe a few times a year.
Italian: Understand and read it without any major difficulty. I can speak it if necessary, but wish it spoke it better. I could use six months of intense practice.
Portuguese: Probably sounds like a mix of Port/Spanish. Can read and understand it at a high level.
Other languages: I know other languages to varying degrees-a smattering of other languages. It's hard to say how well because I want to be accurate.
Will you also discuss the languages you know? Truthfully, without hearing me, you won't know how well I speak. Is it not the same with you?
I think most people already know my languages, but o-kay.
English: Native
Spanish: Tested this year by native speaker at level 6 (C2), but I want to take the DELE upper level to be sure. I'm not great at writing formal letters because I usually only speak, read, and understand Spanish.
French: Probably C2.
Japanese: About JLPT II.
German: I took a placement test for an intermediate level and didn't miss any questions. I don't know after that. I like to be accurate, so I would say probably an intermediate plus level. Rarely speak it, maybe a few times a year.
Italian: Understand and read it without any major difficulty. I can speak it if necessary, but wish it spoke it better. I could use six months of intense practice.
Portuguese: Probably sounds like a mix of Port/Spanish. Can read and understand it at a high level.
Other languages: I know other languages to varying degrees-a smattering of other languages. It's hard to say how well because I want to be accurate.
"See my recent post. Yep, true, C2 is the highest standard there is. Also as a personal goal, I see C2, or C1+ (a bit too lenient, huh?), as a benchmark of educated fluency. The "level" itself is easy to obtain by studying, no matter how long you learn. It's only with this high level that you get to know what's really going on in that country."
I like tests that test all the skills. There are some things you will only learn by being in the country where the language is commonly spoken or with massive exposure to movies, books and native speakers. At some point you need to have sort of sense about what things are commonly known and held in a culture. If you reach that point, you will be higher than a C2.
I like tests that test all the skills. There are some things you will only learn by being in the country where the language is commonly spoken or with massive exposure to movies, books and native speakers. At some point you need to have sort of sense about what things are commonly known and held in a culture. If you reach that point, you will be higher than a C2.
English: first needed it for and learned through my hobbies, then for studies abroad and work; at some point I started to analyze the language itself and how I'd learned it, which was quite interesting
Spanish: been to Spanish-speaking countries several times, loved it, decided to go again but with some language skills
Russian: native
Spanish: been to Spanish-speaking countries several times, loved it, decided to go again but with some language skills
Russian: native
<<Will you also discuss the languages you know? Truthfully, without hearing me, you won't know how well I speak. Is it not the same with you? >>
Bueno tienes razón. Estoy aprendiendo tres idiomas, inglés, español y alemán. He aprendido inglés y español desde cuando la guerra entre Argentina y Inglaterra, que me interesó tanto que decidí aprender los dos idiomas principales del conflicto para estudiar detalladamente todo lo que tenía que ver con la guerra. Aprendí alemán para que pudiera leer algunos de los fantásticos libros originalmente escritos en alemán de autores de la clase de Kafka y Freud, y también me gusta leer historias, documentos y relatos de los nazis y Hitler, el hombre al que quiero conocer (de manera científica, por supuesto) mejor que mi a propio padre.
Bueno tienes razón. Estoy aprendiendo tres idiomas, inglés, español y alemán. He aprendido inglés y español desde cuando la guerra entre Argentina y Inglaterra, que me interesó tanto que decidí aprender los dos idiomas principales del conflicto para estudiar detalladamente todo lo que tenía que ver con la guerra. Aprendí alemán para que pudiera leer algunos de los fantásticos libros originalmente escritos en alemán de autores de la clase de Kafka y Freud, y también me gusta leer historias, documentos y relatos de los nazis y Hitler, el hombre al que quiero conocer (de manera científica, por supuesto) mejor que mi a propio padre.
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