Language Poll

[bandgeek]

I need to collect some very loose, unscientific data about how others feel about their language abilities (or lack thereof) for a linguistics course I'm taking this semester. I'd really appreciate it if you'd take the time to fill out this short poll:

ETA: By "speak" a language, I mean to be able to hold a simple conversation with someone in that

Comments

[simoon]

My husband speaks five different languages; and as such, I have pulled two of them (in addition to my first language) into my daily usage. It has been absolutely fabulous! I love speaking and being able to speak multiple languages on a daily basis. While I find that I am able to connect more with other cultures do to my language ability, what I also find is that knowing these different languages gives me a broader world view.

This is difficult to explain, to tell you the truth. But, I find the languages themselves to be conduits of this kind of knowledge. In order to *know* another language, one needs to wrap oneself around the meanings of the words. Translation is not really a simple and barbaric thing. So very many words in the various different languages do not have direct translations, and so you must understand how those words work in order to convey, or capture, a true meaning.

I hope this makes some sense. If you have any questions, feel free to email via my LJ address.

[bandgeek]

This has been my experience with German, as well. I have trouble translating for people sometimes, not because I don't understand what I'm reading/hearing, but because I can't take those words and make them sound right (and mean the right thing) in English.

Thanks!

[falls2climb]

I'm a second-year high school teacher, and my parents encouraged me to take Spanish (instead of German or Italian, which I preferred) in college. I didn't take my year-long Spanish classes very seriously, and now I'm definitely regretting it. My high school is 35% Hispanic, and more than half of those are ESL students. It's very frustrating to not be able to communicate with some of my students.
(linked here from mactavish, btw)

[bandgeek]

Interesting.

Out of curiosity, what is your school system's policy on teaching in Spanish? Is the classroom setting strictly English-speaking, or are teachers who know Spanish allowed to speak it to their students? Is the school required to provide a translator for tests, etc.?

Thanks!

[falls2climb]

I'm not absolutely certain, but I know that the kids who speak almost no English are in a separate ESL-only class. Some who have stronger English skills are in ESL part of the day and regular classes for the rest. I'm assuming that the ESL teachers speak some amount of Spanish to the kids, but I've never asked. Their testing is separate from the rest of the school's tests, and theirs are made with a built-in provision to allow translators.

[bandgeek]

Hmm ... sounds like a pretty compassionate system.

Thanks. :)

[pippins_babies]

Currently on gap year in Austria, and though I can see that one could survive here without German, the working knowledge of it (to A-level standard in my case) makes a huge difference - you feel less intimidated, more confident and I think more able to enjoy the experience.

Lucy

[bandgeek]

Oh wow, definitely. I can only imagine how I would have felt during my month in Germany this summer had I not been fluent. ::shudders::

Thanks!

[bandgeek]

Wow ... that sounds like such a fascinating place to live!

Thanks!

[happyjenn97]

Learning about other cultures and experiencing other cultures are two different things. I can learn about other cultures in English just fine, but to experience the culture I'd need a working grasp of the language.