I'm-a espeaking some spanish. But, like Mayday, I'm somewhere in between "Mi lapiz es grande y amarillo" and "Perdóneme, señor, pero querría preguntar en cuanto a si usted se siente que la inclusión de España en la Unión Europea ha proporcionado un empujo al desarrollo económico del país."

 

 

Lord!  LOL  That sound so "text" book.  lol

I took 4 years of Latin so I could get by at "tourist" or sign-reading level at countries that use Latin and Greek roots in their language (France, Italy, Spain).  I also took a year of Italian in college and self-taught a year of Spanish so I'd be fairly comfortable trying to get around in countries with those languages.  I also took 2 years of sign language, though now that I don't wait tables and haven't been active in theater, I don't use it (a lot of theater people are professional interpreters as side work and thus there's often a connection between the deaf community and the theater community).

I took 4 years of Latin so I could get by at "tourist" or sign-reading level at countries that use Latin and Greek roots in their language (France, Italy, Spain).  I also took a year of Italian in college and self-taught a year of Spanish so I'd be fairly comfortable trying to get around in countries with those languages.  I also took 2 years of sign language, though now that I don't wait tables and haven't been active in theater, I don't use it (a lot of theater people are professional interpreters as side work and thus there's often a connection between the deaf community and the theater community).

 

Don't forget Portugal, Brazil and Latin America.  lol

The Spanish I self-taught was Mexican, I think I'd have a lot of trouble actually anywhere in Catalon-speaking regions or in Portugal.  Not sure how close the root words are in those variations.

I could speak spanish fairly well a decade or so ago, but I doubt I can remember more than a few words now.

 

I can also speak a handful of words of Romanian, Russian, Czeck, Italian, and Arabic. (mostly Hi, and where's the toilet?)

The Spanish I self-taught was Mexican, I think I'd have a lot of trouble actually anywhere in Catalon-speaking regions or in Portugal.  Not sure how close the root words are in those variations.

 

If you know latin then you can get by in Portugal, the Caribbean/latin america and brazil.

Excellent!  I've always wanted to go to Brazil.

I could speak spanish fairly well a decade or so ago, but I doubt I can remember more than a few words now.

 

I can also speak a handful of words of Romanian, Russian, Czeck, Italian, and Arabic. (mostly Hi, and where's the toilet?)

Its like riding a bike, once you get back on you'll be ok.  Stay away from spanglish though.

I speak tourist to moderate Spanish...but I'm working on getting toward fluent for four reasons:

 

1. My Ministry

2. Makes you a more well-rounded person

3. The chicks dig it

4. Helps out your resume...

 

On a sidebar, my mother speaks french (Still) having been a foreign exchange student in Paris in the early 70s.

 

Average African-american family, we are so not.

3. The chicks dig it

4. Helps out your resume...

 

On a sidebar, my mother speaks french (Still) having been a foreign exchange student in Paris in the early 70s.

 

Average African-american family, we are so not.

 

LOL.  Now you sound like my mother.  When she wants something from my father, she talks to him in seductive French.  She says he's like a puppy after that.  Women! 

 

Oh yes, being multi-lingual helps in this hyper competitive job market.  I would say the majority (80%) of my staff speaks at least two languages fluently.

I use to be at a beginner to moderate in French but I've forgotten ALOT of it! Now I'm trying to learn German!

I had Spanish spoken nearly round the clock in my household, though I didn't really pick it up until the later years in grade school. I'm now, for the most part, fluent in the language, however my Spanish vocabulary isn't quite as developed as my English vocabulary.

 

The other 3 romance languages I can usually get by in half-assed. Portuguese comes pretty easy in listening comprehension and reading due to its incredible similarity to Spanish, however I can't speak a lick of it. I've picked up a little bit of French through my job, and can speak and listen to bits and pieces, however reading totally blows my mind (how the heck is croix pronounces "qua"?). I can get the gist of Italian when its spoken or when reading, however I have trouble speaking it since my mind seems to revert immediately back to either Spanish or French.

 

I've tried to teach myself German and Japanese as well; the latter having taken a back seat recently. I know only very basic Japanese, but know enough to order a meal or buy ask for directions. It truly is a fascinating language that I would really like to eventually get to know fluently. However the Japanese caricatures are completely lost on me. I would need someone to instruct me if I were ever to learn how to read or write Japanese or another Asian language.

The other 3 romance languages I can usually get by in half-assed. Portuguese comes pretty easy in listening comprehension and reading due to its incredible similarity to Spanish, however I can't speak a lick of it. I've picked up a little bit of French through my job, and can speak and listen to bits and pieces, however reading totally blows my mind (how the heck is croix pronounces "qua"?). I can get the gist of Italian when its spoken or when reading, however I have trouble speaking it since my mind seems to revert immediately back to either Spanish or French.

 

There's an "r" that's pronounced, too.

 

But to answer your question, it's a historic spelling.  Latin had no syllabic stress, so in words like "crucis" (from crux, "cross") and "pirum" ("pear") there was no accent on either syllable.  Modern-day northern France was invaded by a Germanic-speaking people, the Franks, who dutifully adopted Latin as their primary language (for a variety of reasons.)  However, being foreigners, they spoke Latin with an accent, and they introduced syllabic stress into words that previously did not have any (germanic languages have heavy stress.)

 

So to use an example from above, "pirum" became "pira," and then "PIR-a."  Over time, this evolved into a one-syllable word, "pire," then "poire."  Both contain silent "e"s that represent the historic "a" in "pira."  Many French words underwent similar evolutions, hence the large number of "silent" letters that are mostly orthographic reminders of etymology.

 

An interesting side note-  this evolution only occurred under Frankish occupation in the north of the country.  The south retained more Latinate pronunciations, for example, the Provençal "pera" for "pear."  Modern Occitan is very similar to Catalan Spanish for this reason.  Unfortunately, royal and imperial efforts, and (in more modern times) standardized schooling in French (the language of Paris) have crushed many of the regional languages of France.

I had Spanish spoken nearly round the clock in my household, though I didn't really pick it up until the later years in grade school. I'm now, for the most part, fluent in the language, however my Spanish vocabulary isn't quite as developed as my English vocabulary.

 

The other 3 romance languages I can usually get by in half-assed. Portuguese comes pretty easy in listening comprehension and reading due to its incredible similarity to Spanish, however I can't speak a lick of it. I've picked up a little bit of French through my job, and can speak and listen to bits and pieces, however reading totally blows my mind (how the heck is croix pronounces "qua"?). I can get the gist of Italian when its spoken or when reading, however I have trouble speaking it since my mind seems to revert immediately back to either Spanish or French.

 

I've tried to teach myself German and Japanese as well; the latter having taken a back seat recently. I know only very basic Japanese, but know enough to order a meal or buy ask for directions. It truly is a fascinating language that I would really like to eventually get to know fluently. However the Japanese caricatures are completely lost on me. I would need someone to instruct me if I were ever to learn how to read or write Japanese or another Asian language.

What took you so long to "catch on"?  Did you just not care?

 

In my house, my mother spoke to us in Spanish.  And if my mom and dad had an argument, she could go daaaaaaaays without speaking english.  LOL  My brother would interpret for my father.  Those days were so terrifying but now they are hilarious.

 

She always spoke in Spanish then repeated in English.  Ironically, I did the same thing to my nephews and niece when they lived with me.  "hot" / "caliente"  "stop"/" parada"  "ear"/ "oido".  Now whenever I go to my brothers house I just speak to the kids in Spanish.

 

What amazes me is my brother has a very faint accent and several cousins have accents.  I'm like, where did those come from, we were born in Cleveland?

 

The one thing about being from a bilingual family, taking classes in your family language was an easy "A"!

My dear friend was visiting from Uruguay for Thanksgiving and did I take a beating over my Spanish.  He was horrified!  Told me I sounded Mexican and forbad me to speak another word of it.  South Americans are rather fussy about their Spanish.  But after a couple weeks around him, my Mexican friends here were equally horrified by my new rioplantense slang and "vos" and the LL  and Y becoming a zh or sh.  Now I'm reallly confused.  Am planning a trip to Uruguay this spring so I will be a total wreck when I get back.  Probably will stick to Spanglish when I get there, or just drink mate and say nothing.

My dear friend was visiting from Uruguay for Thanksgiving and did I take a beating over my Spanish.  He was horrified!  Told me I sounded Mexican and forbad me to speak another word of it.  South Americans are rather fussy about their Spanish.  But after a couple weeks around him, my Mexican friends here were equally horrified by my new rioplantense slang and "vos" and the LL  and Y becoming a zh or sh.  Now I'm reallly confused.  Am planning a trip to Uruguay this spring so I will be a total wreck when I get back.  Probably will stick to Spanglish when I get there, or just drink mate and say nothing.

 

My grandfather is like that.  Spanglish is a big "no-no".  On occasion I've said things and he just raises and eyebrown. 

 

Spaniards are worse than S. American's when it comes to the and "vos".  As soon as I open my mouth they are like, you're Puerto Rican or Dominican, since I don't speak with the "thh" like they do.  and I speak Spanish really fast.

 

Mexican's "sing" speak Spanish.  When I'm on the West Coast I can tell the difference quite easily.

I use to be at a beginner to moderate in French but I've forgotten ALOT of it! Now I'm trying to learn German!

.. na dann wollen wir mal anfangen ..

Guten Tag ?

heißt  was ?

 

I use to be at a beginner to moderate in French but I've forgotten ALOT of it! Now I'm trying to learn German!

.. na dann wollen wir mal anfangen ..

Guten Tag ?

heißt  was ?

 

I think you just said

 

We'll begin now?

Good morning.

Which is it?

 

 

 

I'll admit I was being somewhat facetious when I made that comment. I meant to add that I also took 2 years of Latin in high school. Sadly, the most I really remember is puella est pulchra...;-)

 

 

What took you so long to "catch on"?  Did you just not care?

 

Not at all. Unlike your family, both my parents spoke Spanish. However, I entered preschool as at around age 4, so the majority of the time during my formative years I was spoken to in English, including with my parents. Spanish was really only spoken between the two of them and with other grownup relatives. During my grade school years, I most certainly picked up on words and phrases, however since only seldom was I ever directly spoken to in Spanish (when I was in trouble, the Spanish definitely came out), my proficiency didn't develop like someone to whom Spanish was spoken all the time. When Spanish language courses began in my grade school, my proficiency improved as I learned basic grammar and syntax.

 

Interestingly, since I heard my parents and relatives speaking Spanish, I have only a slight English accent. It usually takes people in PR a little while before they figure out that I was not born and raised there. Interestinly enough as well, since as a child I listened to my parents speak English, I used to speak English with their Spanish accent as a kid. That didn't leave until around the 5th grade.

 

Not at all. Unlike your family, both my parents spoke Spanish. However, I entered preschool as at around age 4, so the majority of the time during my formative years I was spoken to in English, including with my parents. Spanish was really only spoken between the two of them and with other grownup relatives. During my grade school years, I most certainly picked up on words and phrases, however since only seldom was I ever directly spoken to in Spanish (when I was in trouble, the Spanish definitely came out), my proficiency didn't develop like someone to whom Spanish was spoken all the time. When Spanish language courses began in my grade school, my proficiency improved as I learned basic grammar and syntax.

 

Interestingly, since I heard my parents and relatives speaking Spanish, I have only a slight English accent. It usually takes people in PR a little while before they figure out that I was not born and raised there. Interestinly enough as well, since as a child I listened to my parents speak English, I used to speak English with their Spanish accent as a kid. That didn't leave until around the 5th grade.

 

I thank goodness I have an american/anglo last name as I wouldn't have been able to take spanish. 

 

When we were in trouble, my mother would switch from english to spanish in 1 second.  I think thats universal in any spanish speaking household.  lol

Interestinly enough as well, since as a child I listened to my parents speak English, I used to speak English with their Spanish accent as a kid. That didn't leave until around the 5th grade.

 

Yeah, when you speak, you barely have an accent at all.

 

The way people develop accents is so weird to me. My aunt grew up with a really proper English sounding mother that enunciates like crazy and a Japanese father. She grew up in Georgia then moved to Wisconsin and even though she sounds Midwestern around me, as soon as she's on the phone with one of her southern friends she starts talking with a spot-on thick soft sounding southern Georgian accent. Growing up around different kinds of people definitely makes you more versatile, even if it's just dialect and mannerism.

I use to be at a beginner to moderate in French but I've forgotten ALOT of it! Now I'm trying to learn German!

.. na dann wollen wir mal anfangen ..

Guten Tag ?

heißt  was ?

 

 

@ 3:25 a.m. Guten Morgen

^^I have the same issue. My father was from Akron and my mother from Northern Ireland, and as a kid we moved back and forth a couple times. So when I'm talking to someone from the area for the most part they can't really hear an accent, or not much of one. But when I talk to someone from Ireland or the UK (or even watch a movie sometimes) I revert to my Irish accent for the rest of the day. Its completely subconcious, and as an adolecent I tried not to, but couldn't stop it.

I have studied Japanese for about 10 years, and visit Japan at least once or twice a year.

I had a girlfriend who was originally from the back hills of Kentucky but grew up in Cleveland.  She didn't have any accent around Northerners, but when she was with her family or other Southerners, it was very thick.  Also when she was mad, which was often.  She'd go from Northern sounding to Jerry Springer Show on a dime.

Interestinly enough as well, since as a child I listened to my parents speak English, I used to speak English with their Spanish accent as a kid. That didn't leave until around the 5th grade.

 

Yeah, when you speak, you barely have an accent at all.

 

The way people develop accents is so weird to me. My aunt grew up with a really proper English sounding mother that enunciates like crazy and a Japanese father. She grew up in Georgia then moved to Wisconsin and even though she sounds Midwestern around me, as soon as she's on the phone with one of her southern friends she starts talking with a spot-on thick soft sounding southern Georgian accent. Growing up around different kinds of people definitely makes you more versatile, even if it's just dialect and mannerism.

^^I have the same issue. My father was from Akron and my mother from Northern Ireland, and as a kid we moved back and forth a couple times. So when I'm talking to someone from the area for the most part they can't really hear an accent, or not much of one. But when I talk to someone from Ireland or the UK (or even watch a movie sometimes) I revert to my Irish accent for the rest of the day. Its completely subconcious, and as an adolecent I tried not to, but couldn't stop it.

^^I have the same issue. My father was from Akron and my mother from Northern Ireland, and as a kid we moved back and forth a couple times. So when I'm talking to someone from the area for the most part they can't really hear an accent, or not much of one. But when I talk to someone from Ireland or the UK (or even watch a movie sometimes) I revert to my Irish accent for the rest of the day. Its completely subconcious, and as an adolecent I tried not to, but couldn't stop it.

 

That happens to me.  My assistants and several members on my staff are "latin" and we we speak to one another in Spanish you can hear the various dialects.

 

My mother tries to hide her accent, my uncles all sound like Anderson Varejao when they speak in english.

 

Whenever I go to LA, Miami or PR for an extended period and return home, I notice an accent.

I have studied Japanese for about 10 years, and visit Japan at least once or twice a year.

.. perfect ..

Japan is a very nice  country ..

^ im very jealous max...ive been fooling around with japanese lately as we're going in the summer.

 

i like the language a lot but cant bring myself to get serious with it yet, i'm trying tho -- i bring cheat sheets and speak it in japanese restaurants and stuff. guess i'll have to find out the hard way come summer, heh.

 

 

^ im very jealous max...ive been fooling around with japanese lately as we're going in the summer.

 

i like the language a lot but cant bring myself to get serious with it yet, i'm trying tho -- i bring cheat sheets and speak it in japanese restaurants and stuff. guess i'll have to find out the hard way come summer, heh.

 

 

 

Your just going to have to throw yourself into it.  Before going to China I learned many phrases and when I got there, I just had to do it.  You'll be fine.

bumps for someone special.  he he he

hey good bump. i have an update.

 

i've been taking japanese classes at a nearby institute ever since i posted here last. my third level class is coming up in a couple weeks and remarkably it's going pretty well. in fact, subarashi! ha...whoops, i mean hai!

 

Nice! My update is that after a year in Germany, I've picked up an intermediate level of German (between B1 and B2) but have lost almost all of the sh*tty French I had. I've also developed the attitude that the lack of foreign language proficiency in the U.S. is pretty alarming. Several Germans told me that many Europeans believe Americans are incapable of speaking a foreign language ... literally incapable. While it's great to speak English and be able to use it almost anywhere you travel to, it feels almost shameful when you do. Ah, American guilt ... it's a beautiful thing.

Nice! My update is that after a year in Germany, I've picked up an intermediate level of German (between B1 and B2) but have lost almost all of the sh*tty French I had. I've also developed the attitude that the lack of foreign language proficiency in the U.S. is pretty alarming. Several Germans told me that many Europeans believe Americans are incapable of speaking a foreign language ... literally incapable. While it's great to speak English and be able to use it almost anywhere you travel to, it feels almost shameful when you do. Ah, American guilt ... it's a beautiful thing.

 

I think its due to Americans trying to learn, instead of absorbing a language.  Growing up my non puerto rican family would try to speak, read, write spanish.  My mom would always tell them to just "listen", and not try to remember words or beat yourself up as it has to come natural.  In addition, you need to start your kids off speaking the "foreign" language first.  That how my family did it, the majority of us kids spoke Spanish before English.  I know I spoke Spanish first as my mom would have to translate what I would say.  However, being related to us and having family members on both sides of the family that attended the same schools, made it easier for my non spanish speaking family members to learn Spanish. 

 

When my brother and the kids, lived with me I would only speak to them in Spanish inside the house.  I put labels on things so they could see the English and Spanish word.  The maid only speaks spanish and my mom just normally speaks Spanish so it just came natural.  Sometimes it made it difficult when the kids went to daycare as my nephew would ask for "jugo", "leche" and "pan" and they would have to ask what that meant.  Even now, when I go to my brothers house I only speak in Spanish, but thats really just to piss of my skank-in-law.  :evil:  :evil:  :evil:  It's sad that she's been married to my brother for damn near 20 years and her five children speak spanish and she knows/understand about 5 words.

 

When I was a kid and my parents would get into an argument and my mother would get, as my father would day, "all Chita Rivera" my father would just stand there with his mouth open, then say to me, my brother or the maid, "tell you mother I said......".  That would crack me up. My mother could go days or weeks without speaking to my father in English and it would  just wear him down.  He could never win an argument.  When we were older and the three of us would speak in spanish, my father would always say, "I know you three are talking about me!  I know you all are up to something!  This is my house, and you people will speak in English!!"  We would just burst out laughing.  Now, my mother and I just speak to each other in Portuguese, so my brother or the kids can't fully understand.  lol

I've also developed the attitude that the lack of foreign language proficiency in the U.S. is pretty alarming. Several Germans told me that many Europeans believe Americans are incapable of speaking a foreign language ... literally incapable.

 

I think its due to Americans trying to learn, instead of absorbing a language.

 

I think it's just a matter of how practical it is to use and maintain your skill set (i.e., knowledge of language).  Imagine if people in Pennsylvania or Michigan spoke a completely different language...I bet people in Ohio would know how to communicate with their neighbors.  That's effectively how it is in Europe.

 

I used to know Spanish pretty well.  My dad lived in Spain for a time and while we were in middle/high school taking Spanish classes, he used to make us speak Spanish at the dinner table.  Between classes, home dinner conversations, and the occasional trip to Mexico, and I could get by pretty well in Spanish.

 

Then I went to college, stop taking Spanish, and didn't have anyone to talk to in Spanish.  So slowly I started to slip a little.  When I went abroad my Junior year, I could still understand it well but my ability to speak had slipped.  Today I can get out the basic phrases but that's about it.

 

I'd like to pick it back up, but I have to make a conceited effort at it - take classes, find someone to converse with, etc.  And with no need for it, other than "it's something I'd like to know" it's hard to motivate myself to make that effort.

I've also developed the attitude that the lack of foreign language proficiency in the U.S. is pretty alarming. Several Germans told me that many Europeans believe Americans are incapable of speaking a foreign language ... literally incapable.

 

I think its due to Americans trying to learn, instead of absorbing a language. 

 

I think it's just a matter of how practical it is to use and maintain your skill set (i.e., knowledge of language).  Imagine if people in Pennsylvania or Michigan spoke a completely different language...I bet people in Ohio would know how to communicate with their neighbors.  That's effectively how it is in Europe.

 

I used to know Spanish pretty well.  My dad lived in Spain for a time and while we were in middle/high school taking Spanish classes, he used to make us speak Spanish at the dinner table.  Between classes, home dinner conversations, and the occasional trip to Mexico, and I could get by pretty well in Spanish.

 

Then I went to college, stop taking Spanish, and didn't have anyone to talk to in Spanish.  So slowly I started to slip a little.  When I went abroad my Junior year, I could still understand it well but my ability to speak had slipped.  Today I can get out the basic phrases but that's about it.

 

I'd like to pick it back up, but I have to make a conceited effort at it - take classes, find someone to converse with, etc.  And with no need for it, other than "it's something I'd like to know" it's hard to motivate myself to make that effort.

 

Yeah, like this say, "use it or lose it".  Luckily I speak Spanish everyday.  The majority of my staff is minority there is a cross pollination of languages being used in the various offices.  It's mostly Spanish since the largest number of my employees (in NYC & LA) are Latino.  Sometimes my assistants (one is PR and the other is Dominican) and I forget we're in the office and will carry on conversations and when my old boss would walk in, he would say something like "don't switch to English because I'm here"  God I miss that man  :'( :'( :'(

 

When I was in High School, my Aunt and Uncle accidently "outed" my cousins at Heights.  They were at a PSTC and started speaking in Spanish, then teacher asked "where are you from?"  So when it was found out that my uncle is Panamaian and my aunt PR,  my cousins had to drop Spanish and the two younger kids were formally forbidden to enroll in a Spanish class.  When my brother and I found out we switched from Spanish to French, because we didn't want to be busted (or look back at past years grades), even though Shaker wasn't as strick as Heights.

 

When ever my mom came to school I would tell her to "watch" her accent so they wouldn't know were were Latino. 

 

I think learning a second language should be a requirement in elementary schools.  In the early ages, learning a second language has the most impact.

 

If you want to socialize with other Spanish speakers, I have relatives that often attend Cafe Bellas Artes at the Cleveland Museum of Art.  Also, there are networking groups that you can join.  I think one is called "cleveland latino (or spanish) meet up".

When I was in High School in Ravenna, they didn't forbid kids from taking a foriegn language just because they already knew it. The catch is, the teachers had higher standards for pronounciation, grammer and spelling for the spanish speaking kids in my spanish classes. There was a guy whose family was from Guatamala that failed Spanish our sophomore year because he didn't study at all.

When I was in High School in Ravenna, they didn't forbid kids from taking a foriegn language just because they already knew it. The catch is, the teachers had higher standards for pronounciation, grammer and spelling for the spanish speaking kids in my spanish classes. There was a guy whose family was from Guatamala that failed Spanish our sophomore year because he didn't study at all.

 

When I was in high school (early 80's) they forbid people who's parents where from another country or those who just moved to the heights from another country from taking that native language.  They felt you had a leg up and would be an easy grade.  I know at Heights, because they had the international language center ( IIRC, they had 15 different language's you could take), if you, for example, were chinese, Russian or Italian, you could not take that native language. This is why my cousin's couldn't take Spanish.  There was no way to hide it, they have Latino names and my aunt and uncle have accents.  We all just switched to Italian or French.  and those were no brainers considering they are both latin languages, so it was still an easy "A".  LOL

 

The dude flunked Spanish?  Was he born in Gautamala?  I never studied Spanish, I just had to remember not to use "familar" but text book answers.

 

I remember I once I almost blew my own cover by correcting my teacher about conjugation and pronouns.  My cousin kicked the back of my chair and just rolled his eyes.  lol

i've got pretty much the same story as shs96.  I've devolved to the point that I can pick up on bits of conversation here and there, and if someone gave me an article in spanish i could tell you the gist of what it's about.  If I tried to speak or write at this point it would come off like a kindergartner.  sad, there was a point at the end of highschool i was quite comfortable with spanish.

i've got pretty much the same story as shs96.  I've devolved to the point that I can pick up on bits of conversation here and there, and if someone gave me an article in spanish i could tell you the gist of what it's about.  If I tried to speak or write at this point it would come off like a kindergartner.  sad, there was a point at the end of highschool i was quite comfortable with spanish.

 

Tome una clase. Espanol es la lengua del futuro! Tu gente blanco necesitara aprenderlo mas pronto or adelante!  he he he he

i've got pretty much the same story as shs96. I've devolved to the point that I can pick up on bits of conversation here and there, and if someone gave me an article in spanish i could tell you the gist of what it's about. If I tried to speak or write at this point it would come off like a kindergartner. sad, there was a point at the end of highschool i was quite comfortable with spanish.

 

Tome una clase. Espanol es la lengua del futuro! Tu gente blanco necesitara aprenderlo mas pronto or adelante! he he he he

 

As soon as I figured out what that last sentence said, I laughed.  What's really sad is I reverted to replaying some old Cypress Hill lyrics in my head to piece together what some words meant...geez...

My parents taught me Russian first. I was told, but I don't remember, I went to school with limited English skills even though I came to the US as a baby.

 

Now its tought to formulate a sentence in Russian, but I can understand it fine and I can spot Russian (well, and Ukrainian, since I am one myself) people from a mile away. Just something about them...

see... i had to look up the last half of the last sentence... but i got the gist of it.  :lol:

My parents taught me Russian first. I was told, but I don't remember, I went to school with limited English skills even though I came to the US as a baby.

 

Now its tought to formulate a sentence in Russian, but I can understand it fine and I can spot Russian (well, and Ukrainian, since I am one myself) people from a mile away. Just something about them...

 

I know the feeling, I can spot a PR a mile away!

 

i've got pretty much the same story as shs96.  I've devolved to the point that I can pick up on bits of conversation here and there, and if someone gave me an article in spanish i could tell you the gist of what it's about.  If I tried to speak or write at this point it would come off like a kindergartner.  sad, there was a point at the end of highschool i was quite comfortable with spanish.

 

Tome una clase. Espanol es la lengua del futuro! Tu gente blanco necesitara aprenderlo mas pronto or adelante!  he he he he

 

As soon as I figured out what that last sentence said, I laughed.  What's really sad is I reverted to replaying some old Cypress Hill lyrics in my head to piece together what some words meant...geez...

see... i had to look up the last half of the last sentence... but i got the gist of it.  :D

 

Laaaaaaaaaaaaawd, you kids!

Non parlo benissimo, pero riesco da parlare italiano abbastanza bene.  Ho fatto due anni di corsi all'universita' di Ohio, e poi ho vissuto e ho lavorato in Italia per un anno e mezza.  Anche, a liceo, avevo una ragazza chi era una studentessa straniera da Milano.  Lei mi ha insegnato bene.  :-D

Non parlo benissimo, pero riesco da parlare italiano abbastanza bene.  Ho fatto due anni di corsi all'universita' di Ohio, e poi ho vissuto e ho lavorato in Italia per un anno e mezza.  Anche, a liceo, avevo una ragazza chi era una studentessa straniera da Milano.  Lei mi ha insegnato bene.  :-D

Parlo piiu meglio di scrivo l'italiano.  Scrivete molto bene.  Che parte dell'Italia avete vissuto?  Amica da Milano deve essere favoloso!  Amo Milano!!!

 

Forse scrivo meglio di parlo.  Ho vissuto a Genova per un anno, e a Milano per un'estate, e a roma per un'altra estate.  Milano e' veramente magnifico.  Secondo me, la vita di Milano e' in il mezzo della vita americano e la vita italiana.  Piu' rapido della vita italiana, pero piu' tranquilo della vita americana.  Io ho una foto che tu addoreresti.  E una foto di me in Montenapoleone con una camicia, pantoloncini, e' infradito.  Ho provato di dimostrare gli italiani la mia moda. 

Forse scrivo meglio di parlo.  Ho vissuto a Genova per un anno, e a Milano per un'estate, e a roma per un'altra estate.  Milano e' veramente magnifico.  Secondo me, la vita di Milano e' in il mezzo della vita americano e la vita italiana.  Piu' rapido della vita italiana, pero piu' tranquilo della vita americana.  Io ho una foto che tu addoreresti.  E una foto di me in Montenapoleone con una camicia, pantoloncini, e' infradito.  Ho provato di dimostrare gli italiani la mia moda. 

 

Wow, you really got around.  I was just in Milan and didn't want to leave.  Its a shopaholics playground.  I like Milan much better than Rome.

I preferred Rome to Milan, but I'm more of a history geek than a shopaholic.  Since I only caught about 3/4 of what piljandro posted, I guess I can't really claim to understand Italian, though I knew enough to get by when I was there.

I preferred Rome to Milan, but I'm more of a history geek than a shopaholic.  Since I only caught about 3/4 of what piljandro posted, I guess I can't really claim to understand Italian, though I knew enough to get by when I was there.

 

I like Rome, but there is just something about Milan.  It pretty hard to beat Galleria Vittorio Emanuele.  I got all happy just typing those three words.  I should probably have my ashes scattered there than Harvey Nic's.  decisions, decisions.... :|

I didn't care for Milan.  Dirty, trashy subways, felt small, and the only good thing about it was the pizza.