In the last post by Marcel he posted using two languages. The top half in English
and the bottom half in French. I have no problem with individuals communicating in
this style if that is their preference to communicate with others.
PM can be used for personal communication or instruction.
I can communicate in 30 languages using sign language...just cut me off on the highway
and you'll see.
First light please back off a bit instead of misreading minor points that you believe are insults directed at you or any other party and for the sake of reading enjoymeant please moderate your tone. Debates are really only fun if no-one takes the hump.
Now as you rightly pointed out what's the point of trying to communicate if you don't try to be understood, so if you struggle with English, perhaps writing the part you have trouble with in say...Spanish would allow you to have a wider range of vocabulary and in the long run make yourself better understood, while languages may not be everyone's cup of tea, and you've clearly shown that some have more trouble with it than others.
Clarification with using Online translators, yes they're inept, that's why it's never a good idea to consult them for actually writing and replying in another language, but if I run a part of a word or a part of a phrase through it, I can get the gist of the sentence and at least work out the rest, as after all, understanding a language is a lot easier than writing and replying in it because something like "Ich will Deutsch sprechen" seems the same as "Ich will sprechen Deutsch" if you don't know the ins and outs of it. And everyone on this forum can read English, just when it comes to replying, if a certain phrase is difficult, hop on over to your native language for the phrase you find hard, I have no doubt that someone will be able to reply to it.
Heck, it might even be just for a bit of fun that you write a phrase in French or italian just for artistic flair. Although what I drive at is more along the lines of, not being adamant about either writing solely in English, and also not being adamant about allowing total useage of other languages and more just take it more in our stride, if someone writes in German then fair enough, likewise if they attempt english but struggle along, it's also fair enough, likewise if they speak perfect english. Or even like what Marcel has done in his last post, that's fair enough right?
Of course, if you don't understand a phrase in another language, maybe like Stenie says pm systems can work wonders, I understand there is great potential for this sort of thing to turn crazy if not moderated, that's why like I said I'm willing to simply say as a testbed, if no-one has any objections, any threads I create/have created can be written in more than just English. Also that said, my idea will NOT work if we have to start laying down rules as to when and where to post in English and should that ever come about I'll bow out and "admit defeat" to you, what I drive at is to allow each poster's descression as to which language they post in should they find something difficult
I like hot thread
60 percent of English words come from the old french and a lot of french world comes from the Arabic. The most fun: their meaning are different than the current meaning. Most french use English words without knowing it is french words. Most languages in the world are the result of successive incorrect traduction and that ultimately become news official languages. But progress can also come from the addition of knowledge: the numbers from 1 to 9 were born in India. Zero was invented by the Arabs. thanks to this association, the man has a common language: mathematics. I think Internet is accelerating this process and the younger generations already speak differently. Abbreviated messages on the mobil phone is an example of change. what is wrong today may be in the school books tomorrow.
Steinie wrote, "In the last post by Marcel he posted using two languages. The top half in English and the bottom half in French."
What Marcel did is exactly what I meant in my post. Post in whatever languages you want to but include an English version so we all get something from the post.
I don't think there should be a rule. It should just be considered the courteous thing to do.
The more laws, the less justice. -- Marcus Tullius Cicero
Personally, I use English on this forum to learn this language. not only to traduce. I realize that the meaning of english words from the old french no longer have the same meaning. I think a different mentality through the centuries has changed the meaning of words that had a common origin. It is interesting to understand how language is created.
Sometimes when we dont know how to write it well on English, I think its not problem to write it on others language as long as we also try to include the English version.
And members who answer the question also need to answer 2 languanges (that language and English).
Try on English first, if other can not understand what you mean, feel free to ask on your languange and please also try to include English version for respect other readers.
weevil wrote:First light please back off a bit instead of misreading minor points that you believe are insults directed at you or any other party and for the sake of reading enjoymeant please moderate your tone. Debates are really only fun if no-one takes the hump. ...
Please explain how my tone has not been moderate. Please also explain how your comments cited below have been "misread":
weevil wrote:... heck, maybe formalising something like this would help all us lazy native English speakers get offa our lazy arses and learn another language!
weevil wrote:... Being so strict about one particular language I doubt would be the way forwards ...
I think Marcel and Steinie have both shown that we are not trying to make this place monolinquistic and if that's what you thought then you misunderstood. But the purpose of communication is to communicate and you can't do that when you use a language others don't understand. Creating separate places at this website for different languages will not promote communication. It will promote segregation.
Who do you want to communicate with here? What subject do you want to communicate about? What do you think is the best way to do that?
I wasn't actually talking about seperate forums, I was talking about "language X" to be spoken in the current forums we have, in a similar fashion to what Marcel did, perhaps that was not made clear enough.
First phrase: Simply put was banter, do not read into it so seriously, do not assume i am making attacks on you, you've attempted over 4 languages, that's more than I've tried, so maybe the statement could even have been directed at myself, perhaps it was directed at those who would never want to learn another language ever.
"Being so strict about one particular language" indicates only using English, no other Language and as our discussion shows, if there's such a debate about posting a couple of phrases in German or French it shows that maybe allowing these things without such a fuss would be better than us saying "in English please?"
I'm more than likely feeling aggressive today, so let's go with that, to save further argument and further derailment of the thread I accept your point and make an apology for being so abbrasive, it's not like I didn't make my opinion heard. Heck maybe tommorow I'll have a problem with the sky being blue and it's difficult to understand tone in text sometimes when you'd rather the world had a red backdrop rather than blue
Hi, I like to read different languages - for me it's an easy way to learn about it, especially 'cause of the interesting context 3D. In common learning context I'd probably fall back to laziness - my second name.
On the other hand with technical terms and explanations I'm more used to read and understand in english than in my native language, because worldwide used computer terminology is english and guessed almost 95% of my library came in that flavour.
Marcel, please pardon me taking up your etymological essay. I think unwittingly you gave a geniously set example of a "false friend*", which sustains your 1st sentence here:
... The most fun: their meaning are different than the current meaning. Most french use English words without knowing it is french words. Most languages in the world are the result of successive incorrect traduction and that ultimately become news official languages...
This is also an example to second what weevil said. If you know other languages (here french-english), also if only rudimentarily, you will have less difficulties to understand the "none mothertongues" like me.
*Our english teacher always told us to pay attention to those "false friends" (a word or a word stem existing in two languages, usually same spelling, but different meanings), which is kind of a trap to easily stumble in, if you're a none native speaker. Believe me, I've got some experience ... still learning
BooxieMalone wrote:
Marcel, please pardon me taking up your etymological essay. I think unwittingly you gave a geniously set example of a "false friend*", which sustains your 1st sentence here:
... The most fun: their meaning are different than the current meaning. Most french use English words without knowing it is french words. Most languages in the world are the result of successive incorrect traduction and that ultimately become news official languages...
"incorrect traduction": I mean mistranslation ! (i hope it is the good word now) Yes it is unwittingly! It was not humor. Just my poor english (and Google translation).
"False friends" is often the cause of a misunderstanding. This is not a problem to discuss about Truespace. As I avoid criticism against a person if I do not know the language very well.
Yes it is unwittingly! It was not humor. Just my poor english (and Google translation).