How many languages do you speak?

[titrek]

turkish (which may be the only thing I am better than the guys girls in this forum)

 

english (as you see, not very well. my speech is even worse than my horrible writing.)

 

german (less than none. I try to study several times (even some "Ich bin aykut" ding in the high school, than private courses of approximately 6 months. I may understand simple texts but can not speak more than a few words. if I find sometime I will return to it in the future.)

[ViLo]

Originally posted by Raven:

I speak English and Spanish, but the Spanish is slowly slipping away since I left Miami.....

Practica tu español en NUESTRO FORO @ Musicplayer.com

[ViLo]

Originally posted by Farid:

English, and Spanish (mexican, I live in Chihuahua, Mexico by the way...)

Y porque no nos has visitado en NUESTRO FORO aqui en musicplayer.com somos vecinos y no has entrado???

[ViLo]

Spanish, english, spanglish, tex-mex, mex-tex, cholo , little bit of portuguese, I can understand it and speak a litle bit of it, I'll love to speak Italian...mama miiiiiaaaa!

[Thomas Wilburn]

And I think to myself, if only there were a Spanish forum, and someone who could tell me about the existence of such a thing...

 

[Ninja]

Originally posted by Sweet Willie:

 

Then there's all the Italian (and Latin?) used for music. For example:

largo

andante

allegro

piano, mezzo-piano, pianissimo

forte, mezzo-forte, fortissimo

legato

staccato

 

That's only italian, Willie.

 

I agree there are many Latin words and expressions used in common languages, but that's not enough to say that Latin is a living language.

 

Answering Forceman about Swiss Romanish, it's a language spoken also in Italy, where it's called Ladin. It derives from the Roman influence on the ancient populations living on the Alps. It may be considered as a mixture between Latin, French and German, depending on the areas where it is spoken.

 

[clatteramy]

OK, I'll chime in:

English

French

Russian

Serbo-Croatian (only a little)

 

Like the rest of you, I'm getting rustier by the minute on my non-native languages. I'm trying to learn Spanish (all those hours on the road were good for something!) but now I'm just confusing all the languages I know when I try to speak one.

[Thomas Wilburn]

Originally posted by clatteramy:

now I'm just confusing all the languages I know when I try to speak one.

Isn't that the best part about learning multiple languages? And by best, I mean worst. I used to hate it when I'd be trying to talk about school in Chinese, and the first words out of my mouth would be "esta clase..."

[Andre Lower]

Joining up: Brazilian Portuguese (tough every fellow Brazilian is a natural at imitating Luso-Portuguese accent - fundamental on the standard jokes that feature Portuguese people...), Spanish (lived there for three years) and English. Crude notion of German.

 

If my experience may serve any of you guys, I keep my English and Spanish sharp by doggedly abiding to a simple rule: I hardly ever read anything in Portuguese. The same applies to TV. If I have the choice, I choose versions/editions/web forums in which non-Portuguese languages are mainstream. Works like a charm...

 

Then again it is easy enough for me, because one can find lots of interesting info in either English or Spanish. Perhaps in the near future there will be enough info in Mandarin to drive me to learn this ever-growing language community. Right now, English rules (no political shades in here - just a fact).

[coyote]

Besides English, I've been conversational at one time or another in German, French & Spanish. In addition, I've learned smatterings of Italian, Russian, Portugese, and Japanese for business or travel reasons.

 

I find that not using a language regularly means it decays quickly, unless it's 'native'. And languages are only native if you learn 'em young... starting language courses in 7th grade (or later) is far too late. My stepsister speaks German, French, and English equally well; she grew up with all three and can converse in any of them at any time. Whereas I have to "translate on the fly" when dealing with languages other than English, she thinks in all three of those languages and it makes a huge difference in her abilities.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by Ninja:

I agree there are many Latin words and expressions used in common languages, but that's not enough to say that Latin is a living language.

Sono d'accordo!

 

Do they speak any Latin in the halls of the Vatican these days?

 

Originally posted by Ninja:

Answering Forceman about Swiss Romanish, it's a language spoken also in Italy, where it's called Ladin.

Makes me think of Ladino, which is very different than Ladin. The roots of Ladino are in Romance languages (Spanish/Latin) and ????? (Turkish, Arabic, another Mediterranean/Middle Eastern language? Also Hebrew?).

 

Anyway, part of my wife's ancestry is Sephardic Jewish and her grandfather spoke some Ladino. If I understand correctly Sephardic Jews have Mediterranean roots (Turkey, Spain).

 

Peace.

--SW

[jeremy c]

Yes, Willie, Ladino has a lot of Hebrew in it.

 

I'm going to start a new thread to expand this topic in a musical direction.

[ViLo]

Originally posted by Thomas Wilburn:

And I think to myself, if only there were a Spanish forum, and someone who could tell me about the existence of such a thing...

 

Pues ahi lo tienes y gracias por la visita, no se te olvide visitarnos a diario!

[bassopotamus]

i speak good english, bad english, and italian.

 

my italian, like sweet willie's, is fading as I dont use it other than to talk to my mother on the phone and the occasional email. but I plan on going back to Perugia as soon as I finish my enlistment, in september of next year. YAY!

 

ei, voi altri che potete parlare l'italiano, da dove venite? mi sorprende che ci sono cosi tanti sul forum che parlano!

 

ciao

[ViLo]

Originally posted by bassopotamus:

i speak good english, bad english, ....

bas english me too... just kidding, uh...who speakes good english??

[ihategarybettman]

I speak English, took German in high school and college, and am fluent in Gibberish and Drunkenese. Also, I used to know more curse words in Puerto Rican Spanish than many people know in English.

[Steve Force]

Originally posted by ihategarybettman:

I speak English, took German in high school and college, and am fluent in Gibberish and Drunkenese. Also, I used to know more curse words in Puerto Rican Spanish than many people know in English.

Taking a wild stab here-- ihategarybettman, are you an NHL hockey fan?

 

My first "clue" was that you know many useful "languages" (or was it your display name??)

 

Regards from Hooptown--the town formally known as Hockey Town.

[ihategarybettman]

quote:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Originally posted by forceman:

Taking a wild stab here-- ihategarybettman, are you an NHL hockey fan?

 

My first "clue" was that you know many useful "languages" (or was it your display name??)

 

Regards from Hooptown--the town formally known as Hockey Town.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Yes, I love hockey and follow primarily the Canadiens and my hometown Sabres (which further explains my display name). However, I also like the Red Wings and the Pistons have been my NBA team since the early 80s, so thanks for the regards from Hooptown.

 

--------------------

Steve from Chicken Wing Town.

[abaguer]

English, Spanish

[dmt]

English, some Korean, some Spanish. A few words and phrases in French and Japanese, and a few choice curses in Arabic.

 

I've lived in Korea for eight years and am married to a Korean woman, but I've never really studied the language. I know lots of words and some phrases and a little bit of the sentence structure. Basically, I can completely get along (Obviously, what with living and working here for eight years, and marrying into a Korean family!) but I can't really hold a conversation. It's more like using broken Korean to get my point across. The language is just so different.

 

In contrast, I just took a few years of Spanish in middle and high school (with mediocre grades), but at a ceremony I just attended with speakers in a multitude of languages, the one that I followed by far the best (besides English!) was a Korean speaking in a very rapid Spanish! Though almost all the words are different, compared to Korean, Spanish is practically the same as English.

[davebrownbass]

I speak Texan English...

 

Actually, living in Michigan and Kentucky have enabled me to pick up certain regional dialects.

 

I also "speak" sign language (although not much anymore!) In a previous career I had a deaf employee, and had to take classes.

[coyote]

When you go, could you stop in Spoleto and pick up some truffles for me?

 

Originally posted by bassopotamus:

but I plan on going back to Perugia as soon as I finish my enlistment, in september of next year. YAY!

ei, voi altri che potete parlare l'italiano, da dove venite? mi sorprende che ci sono cosi tanti sul forum che parlano!

ciao

[wraub]

Originally posted by dmt:

I've lived in Korea for eight years and am married to a Korean woman, but I've never really studied the language. I know lots of words and some phrases and a little bit of the sentence structure. Basically, I can completely get along (Obviously, what with living and working here for eight years, and marrying into a Korean family!) but I can't really hold a conversation. It's more like using broken Korean to get my point across. The language is just so different...

...Though almost all the words are different, compared to Korean, Spanish is practically the same as English.

That's been my experience as well. You pretty much have to pick up some Korean, just to converse with the in-laws. But coming from an English speaking South-Western American background, knowing some Spanish as well, Korean at first left me somewhat confused, to say the least.

Now, while not fully conversant by any stretch, I can get along ok. I understand it when spoken better than I can speak it myself. Oh well.

At least the TV shows are fun to watch...

 

What's it like for you as a bass player there?

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[Merlin Zener]

I speak English [Australian, to be pedantic ], and some Thai. I've forgotten most of my Japanese, since I left Australia...

[dmt]

Originally posted by wraub:

That's been my experience as well. You pretty much have to pick up some Korean, just to converse with the in-laws. But coming from an English speaking South-Western American background, knowing some Spanish as well, Korean at first left me somewhat confused, to say the least.

Now, while not fully conversant by any stretch, I can get along ok. I understand it when spoken better than I can speak it myself. Oh well.

At least the TV shows are fun to watch...

 

What's it like for you as a bass player there?

 

Peace,

 

wraub

Wraub,

Hmmm... I never really thought of myself as "a bass player" before - interesting question! Basically, the reality is that I'm an English teacher -- I work split shifts a few times a week at the very demanding language institute of a university. I am also studying for my masters, plus I'm married and have other interests, so I don't really feel like I'm "doing Korea" as a bass player. (Not to mention that I'm primarily a guitarist, and also play some drums). Still, I am playing bass half the time (the other half, guitar) in a "ajashi" band. We're still at the set list-building stage, and things seem to be breaking down a bit with summer vacation, but we've already played one party and will probably do a local bar pretty soon. We still suck (esp. me!).

 

I think as a [rock] bass player, it's relatively easy to get in with a group of foreign musicians, as there's always people looking to hook up. Besides foreigners, Korean audiences can respond well to this sort of thing, sensing the "real deal" They probably only want it in small doses, however, as the general culture favors different music. One problem can be one of getting the right band and the right audience together. Most foreigners have little idea about how to get a Korean audience, and as for really going big-time, the local industry wouldn't push it (that I could imagine). More interesting are mixed foreigner-and-Korean bands playing to mixed audiences near a university -- this is a cool scene, imo.

 

As a foreigner, it could (depending on your personality and inclination) be relatively easy to get in (at least initially) with a group of Korean musicians (some would be strongly resistant, but many others would be very excited to have you) -- but, in a rock music context, there's a pretty big gap between Westerners and Koreans as to their concept of what is "rock-and-roll". It, frankly, wouldn't be for me, and I imagine the Korean bandmates would likely end up feeling the same way. (I'm talking about one foreigner in a Korean band playing for Koreans, as oppossed to the "mixed scene" I referred to earlier).

 

One thing I will say, though, is that the level of musicianship here is generally very, very high. Much higher than they average level of musicianship back home. People who consider themselves musicians have put in long, long hours studying technique. There is a big attraction to bass in particular (second only to the ubiquitous interest in vocals, imo), and the guys here are generally big into slapping and popping, and for equipment are partial to the Fender Jazz. The Precision is just starting to make some inroads the last year or two, as are Ampeg amps. Before that, it was just the Jazz or Jazz copies, (some Stingrays etc., and lots of cheaper stuff) along with Warwick, SWR and EBS amps, plus lots of cheaper stuff.

 

Foreigners tend to play Itaewon, at international hotel clubs, and in university areas of smaller cities. Filipino cover bands can be found at smaller hotel clubs. Russian musicians can sometimes be found playing the "Live Clubs". Koreans tend to play in a wider variety of settings, possibly most noteably in the Hongdae area. There's also a live music area east of Seoul, mostly for middle-age people. There's all sorts of weird little situations that have live music, besides that (for example, there's a kind of prostitution-like hole-in-the-wall type thing where the mood is set by live blues guitarists. Here, many non-musicians think of blues as "the porno soundtrack music"! Aughh!). On TV, you mostly see bass players as (if you see them at all) as kind of props for singer-dancers when they want to create a "rock mood" for a particular song or section of a dance routine.

 

In a lot of ways, there really isn't a great live music scene, though -- DJ and techno are much, much more popular (and of course, singer-dancers and vocal groups). Korea, for example, only had its first ever outdoor rock festival two summers ago. The first time ever! The musicians are ready, but the audience isn't (nor venues). There's seems to be a lot of production work for local TV, movies and commercials.

 

I'm not a jazz musician, but from what I've seen there's a much easier blending between Korean and Western jazz musicians (not to mention Classical). The Jazz guys seem to easily sit in with one another, and have a similar feeling musically.

 

The best bass player I've ever seen was a Korean guy (leading a funk-fusion trio that night) who had previously spent two years living and jamming in Harlem. I wish I could remember his name. Phenomenal.

 

Sorry for the long post -- you got me thinking! These observations are, of course, only from my personal perspective -- various people [with relevant experience] reading this might view things quite differently.

 

Cheers!,

-David

[Someone]

Originally posted by TShakazBlackRoots:

How many languages do you bredren/sistren speak?

2,5

[Ninja]

Originally posted by Sweet Willie:

Sono d'accordo!

 

Do they speak any Latin in the halls of the Vatican these days?

Yes, perhaps. But as far as I know it's used for official documents only.

 

Makes me think of Ladino, which is very different than Ladin. The roots of Ladino are in Romance languages (Spanish/Latin) and ????? (Turkish, Arabic, another Mediterranean/Middle Eastern language? Also Hebrew?).

 

Peace.

--SW[/QB]

I think we are speaking of the same; I didn't know whether Ladino had a different name in english.

[alexclaber]

English, American (I'm almost fluent now!), French (v rusty, but I was once decent though not fluent), German (was always hopeless but I can ask where the railway station is) and Latin (that wasn't speaking though, that was all written).

 

Alex

[wraub]

DMT,

thanks for the enlightening info! Most interesting.

 

There's nothing wrong with being a rock bass player. Many rock bands would be lost without them.

Don't be intimidated by those with more technique. Just play, baby!

I guess being "in a band" is probably not your first priority, so it's best to just have fun, regardless.

 

Take care, and be well. Keep playing (even if it's just guitar... )

 

Peace,

 

wraub

[Pernax]

I speak:

-Finnish,

-English,

-Swedish (although I'm really rusty),

-French (just some really basic stuff)

-German (some basic phrases, and I can use the other languages to get an idea of what is being said)