| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: What I like most about my second language is / are its Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
|
|---|
This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What I like most about my acquired language is / are its".
This poll was originally submitted by John Cutler
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more ... See more This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "What I like most about my acquired language is / are its".
This poll was originally submitted by John Cutler
View the poll here
A forum topic will appear each time a new poll is run. For more information, see: http://proz.com/topic/33629
[Subject edited by staff or moderator 2007-10-24 12:22] ▲ Collapse
| | | | Beatriz Galiano (X)
Argentina
Local time: 09:37
English to Spanish
+ ...
| It's useful but I also love it. | Oct 23, 2007 |
English is my 1st Foreign Language and when I started studying it, long ago, only my mother knew how useful it would be. She wanted me to study the language of her ancestors and so I did. Italian should be my 2nd, but somehow it is German.
Anyway, I like them all, only that my knowledge of them varies and the ease with which I can speak and translate. My only professional pairs so far range between Spanish and English.
What I love most about languages is that they ope... See more English is my 1st Foreign Language and when I started studying it, long ago, only my mother knew how useful it would be. She wanted me to study the language of her ancestors and so I did. Italian should be my 2nd, but somehow it is German.
Anyway, I like them all, only that my knowledge of them varies and the ease with which I can speak and translate. My only professional pairs so far range between Spanish and English.
What I love most about languages is that they open doors to different cultures and also to be able to understand original books, songs or plays.
[Edited at 2007-10-23 17:32] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Second language | Oct 23, 2007 |
My second language is very useful, I use it every time and everywhere I go.
| | | | Lisa Roberts 
France
Local time: 14:37
Spanish to English
+ ...
| Pronunciation | Oct 23, 2007 |
I'm guessing quite a large proportion of those who voted 'usefulness' have English as their second language...the idea of liking a language for its usefulness being completely alien to me. It goes without saying that all languages are useful, but in terms of what I love most about my second language, it is not that. Initially seduced by the pronunciation or 'aesthetic', this remains one of the most attractive features of Spanish for me ... See more I'm guessing quite a large proportion of those who voted 'usefulness' have English as their second language...the idea of liking a language for its usefulness being completely alien to me. It goes without saying that all languages are useful, but in terms of what I love most about my second language, it is not that. Initially seduced by the pronunciation or 'aesthetic', this remains one of the most attractive features of Spanish for me ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
German has its good points: literature, vocabulary (although I could live without Umlauts), but its my husband that makes it alive for me!
| | | | Aline Canino
France
Local time: 14:37
Chinese to French
+ ...
My 2nd and 3rd languages are chinese and japanese. What I liked the most about these two languages when I started to learn them is their writing (and I still do!)
How ideograms (coming from drawings) can become a system of writing which can be read and understood by people was the reason why I wanted to be able to speak and write chinese and japanese.
| | | | mediamatrix (X)
Local time: 08:37
Spanish to English
+ ...
I don't actually like any language. Including my mother tongue, English!
Languages aren't there to be "liked". They're there to be used - goodly or badly - as a conveyor of information.
I hated all languages at school (they rammed English, Latin, French and German down my throat for years, to litle or no avail...), and I hate them just as much now as I did then. Since then, out of sh/mere necessity (again, noth... See more I don't actually like any language. Including my mother tongue, English!
Languages aren't there to be "liked". They're there to be used - goodly or badly - as a conveyor of information.
I hated all languages at school (they rammed English, Latin, French and German down my throat for years, to litle or no avail...), and I hate them just as much now as I did then. Since then, out of sh/mere necessity (again, nothing to do with "like") I've got to grips (more or less) with Spanish, Italian and Portuguese.
Their only saving grace (grace? - huh!) is that I've earnt lots of money exploiting them, either in my mainstream professional activities or as tools to get other things done - like getting my lawn-mower fixed 15,000 km from the place I bought it.
'nuf zed?
MediaMatrix ▲ Collapse
| | | | | all of the above? | Oct 23, 2007 |
My second language is obviously English.
Useful - yes of course, above all.
Great literature - of course, and a lot cheaper in the original version - I hope the translators were well paid
Idioms and expressions - no other language I understand in the slightest comes close - but that has no statistical significance. I only have a slight knowledge of German, French and Italian in addition to English, and the latter ... See more My second language is obviously English.
Useful - yes of course, above all.
Great literature - of course, and a lot cheaper in the original version - I hope the translators were well paid
Idioms and expressions - no other language I understand in the slightest comes close - but that has no statistical significance. I only have a slight knowledge of German, French and Italian in addition to English, and the latter strictly tourist level or below... nothing I would consider for professional assignments.
And wealth of vocabulary - I think English has a lot more words than Norwegian. For better or worse... ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
...not just history, the whole world(s) behind it. And the fact that it makes them tangible. (I am reffering to Spanish)...
| | | | | ... different perspective on life. | Oct 24, 2007 |
From the grammar up.
| | | | | Idioms and expressions | Oct 24, 2007 |
In the past 15 years I have swapped my 2nd and 3rd languages - having had English at school back in Sweden for 10 yrs, it was before my German (5 yrs), but now I have a better command of German.
In this poll, I first thought about usefulness, but anyhow I changed my mind. Logically seen, any language is useful in any country where it's spoken, ie. English is of course the world's language but nothing I can use on the countryside here ... See more In the past 15 years I have swapped my 2nd and 3rd languages - having had English at school back in Sweden for 10 yrs, it was before my German (5 yrs), but now I have a better command of German.
In this poll, I first thought about usefulness, but anyhow I changed my mind. Logically seen, any language is useful in any country where it's spoken, ie. English is of course the world's language but nothing I can use on the countryside here I voted for idioms and expressions because I think they are the salt in the language soup, making a language far more interesting.
Erik ▲ Collapse
| | | | Williamson
United Kingdom
Local time: 13:37
Flemish to English
+ ...
What is my second language? If I go back in time, the first phrase in a foreign language I learnt back in 1973 was: This Rip, Rip Van Winkle and that is an American short story written in England. English has a very rich vocabulary, a lot of idioms and a connotation in speech which depends upon its user. A word uttered by an upper-lip speaker may have a different meaning than a word by a working man. Series like "Are you being served, yes, minister, et.al. express that difference all too well.... See more What is my second language? If I go back in time, the first phrase in a foreign language I learnt back in 1973 was: This Rip, Rip Van Winkle and that is an American short story written in England. English has a very rich vocabulary, a lot of idioms and a connotation in speech which depends upon its user. A word uttered by an upper-lip speaker may have a different meaning than a word by a working man. Series like "Are you being served, yes, minister, et.al. express that difference all too well.
[Edited at 2007-10-24 07:39] ▲ Collapse
| | |
|
|
|
| What I like most.. | Oct 24, 2007 |
in all the languages, what I really like is to learn them, to study the words, to understand the language.
| | | | | My first foreign language is English | Oct 24, 2007 |
It is very useful yes, of course, but what I like more is its rythm, the sound of the words, I would like to be native in English I really love it.
It has an incomparable rythm, it is music.
| | | | | the grammar, its limitlessness and orderliness and the spirit of the language | Oct 24, 2007 |
My second language are both English and German, so for English I guess it's the culture and literature...
Linda Bolzern wrote:
German has its good points: literature, vocabulary (although I could live without Umlauts), but its my husband that makes it alive for me!
As for German, I foremost agree with Linda here (grins)
But then, what I am absolutely fascinated by in the German language is its grammar, just the orderliness in the sentence earns the deepest respect (especially when compared to the frivolity in my mother tongue...). Also the vast possibility of extending the vocabulary beyond limits, building new words, compounds, without actually having to borrow "foreign words"... It's the spirit of the language as a whole, the state of mind, its "Grenzenlosigkeit" yet with a defined pattern it has to follow... I just love it.
| | | | | Pages in topic: [1 2] > | To report site rules violations or get help, contact a site moderator: You can also contact site staff by submitting a support request » Poll: What I like most about my second language is / are its | Trados Business Manager Lite | Create customer quotes and invoices from within Trados Studio
Trados Business Manager Lite helps to simplify and speed up some of the daily tasks, such as invoicing and reporting, associated with running your freelance translation business.
More info » |
| | TM-Town | Manage your TMs and Terms ... and boost your translation business
Are you ready for something fresh in the industry? TM-Town is a unique new site for you -- the freelance translator -- to store, manage and share translation memories (TMs) and glossaries...and potentially meet new clients on the basis of your prior work.
More info » |
|
| | | | X Sign in to your ProZ.com account... | | | | | |
Login to reply/comment 
