How Many Languages Do We Speak?

[Morakot]

While thoroughly discussing why (or why not) to learn a language here, it became clear that many members have learned or mastered quite a few languages.

So this poll is about how many languages people speak.

[Kwasaki]

Me only nine.

[Jingthing]

What about those knowing 20 plus languages?

Typical American teenager :

[Morakot]

Me only nine.

Sorry man, I forgot to add this option: "I have learned them all, including the language of love"

[transam]

I speak English and Cockney. Yes I am sought after.

[Morakot]

I speak English and Cockney. Yes I am sought after.

Aah that's the hairy chest.... (the best).

[jonnyscot]

Scottish, english, a little French, a little Portuguese both due to work locations and even less Thai, I put the lack of Thai down to my 5 weeks on, 5 weeks off work rotation as on the couple of occasions I've had 7 or 8 weeks in Thailand I seem to pick up a bit more Thai, the frustrating thing is a lot of what I've learnt in those longer stints at home falls away and it's nearly back to square one when trying to understand the French at work,

[taiwangirl]

Taiwanese, Mandarin, English, and okay Cantonese. I have tried to learn bits and pieces of other languages but have not tried hard enough.

[roamer]

English,Thai, Malay, Swedish. Found Swedish the most difficult to acquire conversational skills in, go out to dinner with people and they would all talk in English out of consideration for me. Stumble over a few words in a shop or a gas station and the assistant would smilingly switch to perfect English . Never even considered trying to learn Dutch for the same reasons.

Currently trying to learn Vietnamese ahead of an upcoming trip just for fun, it seems to occupy the same filing cabinet in my brain as Thai so when I'm searching for a word it's the Thai equivalent that comes out rather than English....sure that's really going to help ! I'm murdering the tones I know but I believe that in a difficult language it's better to gain vocabulary rather than tone accuracy. Having said that my teacher has warned me that if I'm going to order pork in a restaurant I have to do it in English to stop the waitress wetting her pants, apparently it's in her pants where my pronunciation of the Vietnamese word for pork is located

Who said learning languages isn't fun ?

[Eesat]

Lub you teelak velly,velly mutt.Jub,jub,ket tung na ja!
Fluent in Thai as you can see!

[mickjn]

Only 1 English.Thai nod noi but really no good

[gpdjohn]

Vulgarian

Every sentence starts with a word than begins with the letter F.

I find that I'm invited to allot of parties and other functions, but never invited back.

[Om85]

Spanish, English,Russian,Chinese(Mandarin), Japanese, and Thai.

[JDGRUEN]

American English, Southern American English, Texan English, Spanish, TexMex, Thai and Profane.

[lazygourmet]

Parent tongues: French + Bahasa Indonesia

Learned at Belgian boarding schools: Dutch + Ancient Greek & Latin

Learned at Swiss boarding schools: English + German + Italian

Acquired while working and/or residing for extended periods abroad (mid-level conversations only): Spanish +Turkish + Arabic + Thai

[canman]

English,Thai, Malay, Swedish. Found Swedish the most difficult to acquire conversational skills in, go out to dinner with people and they would all talk in English out of consideration for me. Stumble over a few words in a shop or a gas station and the assistant would smilingly switch to perfect English . Never even considered trying to learn Dutch for the same reasons.

Currently trying to learn Vietnamese ahead of an upcoming trip just for fun, it seems to occupy the same filing cabinet in my brain as Thai so when I'm searching for a word it's the Thai equivalent that comes out rather than English....sure that's really going to help ! I'm murdering the tones I know but I believe that in a difficult language it's better to gain vocabulary rather than tone accuracy. Having said that my teacher has warned me that if I'm going to order pork in a restaurant I have to do it in English to stop the waitress wetting her pants, apparently it's in her pants where my pronunciation of the Vietnamese word for pork is located

Who said learning languages isn't fun ?

The Vietnamese are unforgiving when it comes to tones. Wheras the Thai's are used to expats murdering the language and can work out what you are saying from context the Vietnamese will just look at you with a blank expression unless you get the tones spot on

[simon43]

I learned French and Latin at school

Then Italian, German, Spanish and a little Dutch

Came to Asia and learned Thai, Lao, spoken Mandarin and (more recently) Burmese

but I'm only fluent in English - intermediate read/write/speak in French, Italian, Thai and Lao

Simon

[robblok]

Dutch / English / German / French / Thai

French i speak the least and like to forget. Thai is still improving and ok but not on the level that i want to have it at.

Dutch / English fluent / German can read books follow movies but holding conversation is an other story.

[craigt3365]

Some of you are impressive! I struggle with one language.

But, per forum rules, please do not post in a language other than English. The only exception is the Thai Language sub forum. One post has been removed from view.

[testaccio]

English,Thai, Malay, Swedish. Found Swedish the most difficult to acquire conversational skills in, go out to dinner with people and they would all talk in English out of consideration for me. Stumble over a few words in a shop or a gas station and the assistant would smilingly switch to perfect English . Never even considered trying to learn Dutch for the same reasons.

Currently trying to learn Vietnamese ahead of an upcoming trip just for fun, it seems to occupy the same filing cabinet in my brain as Thai so when I'm searching for a word it's the Thai equivalent that comes out rather than English....sure that's really going to help ! I'm murdering the tones I know but I believe that in a difficult language it's better to gain vocabulary rather than tone accuracy. Having said that my teacher has warned me that if I'm going to order pork in a restaurant I have to do it in English to stop the waitress wetting her pants, apparently it's in her pants where my pronunciation of the Vietnamese word for pork is located

Who said learning languages isn't fun ?

What made you learn Swedish?

[yermanee]

Dutch (Belgian), French, German and English in that order.

Fluent in all 4 to a certain degree.

Used to know a fair bit of Greek, Italian and Spanish but largely forgotten now because of not using or hearing for a very long time now.

I can hold my own in Thai conversation but can't read or write, the Thai alfabet beats all my efforts.

Yermanee

[transam]

We do try.

[pattayadingo]

I can speak with Geordies, Yorkshiremen and English speaking folk. Add to that Scots, Oirish Irish, Americans, Aussies and Canadians. But I suppose that does not count

Oddly, Aussies, Americans, Canadians and English folk cannot understand me and my English accent very well, yet Scots and Irish can

[dean999]

Sobber, i only speak English. Get me drunk and my language skills improve no end.

[slapout]

20 year old daughter speaks Spanish, Arabic,Thai, Chinese, German. Latin, Greek English, and does sign language. Reads and writes most, with the exception of Thai. She says its not readable to a logical mind..

[doggie888888]

I have worked in Malaysia, Singapore, China, hk. Now living in Thailand.

I can speak passable Bahasa Malaysia, basic Mandarin and Cantonese and very simple Thai. Starting to read Thai too, but I daresay it has too many letters in their alphabet Can recognise some Chinese characters too.

Oh a smattering of French from some guide book.

[roamer]

English,Thai, Malay, Swedish. Found Swedish the most difficult to acquire conversational skills in, go out to dinner with people and they would all talk in English out of consideration for me. Stumble over a few words in a shop or a gas station and the assistant would smilingly switch to perfect English . Never even considered trying to learn Dutch for the same reasons.

Currently trying to learn Vietnamese ahead of an upcoming trip just for fun, it seems to occupy the same filing cabinet in my brain as Thai so when I'm searching for a word it's the Thai equivalent that comes out rather than English....sure that's really going to help ! I'm murdering the tones I know but I believe that in a difficult language it's better to gain vocabulary rather than tone accuracy. Having said that my teacher has warned me that if I'm going to order pork in a restaurant I have to do it in English to stop the waitress wetting her pants, apparently it's in her pants where my pronunciation of the Vietnamese word for pork is located

Who said learning languages isn't fun ?

What made you learn Swedish?

It was years ago before the EU and wanted to live there with my then girlfriend(later wife) and needed a work permit, for which I needed a job and needed to be able to speak Swedish. Also wanted to be able to communicate with her parents who like many of the older population at that time had limited English.

[roamer]

English,Thai, Malay, Swedish. Found Swedish the most difficult to acquire conversational skills in, go out to dinner with people and they would all talk in English out of consideration for me. Stumble over a few words in a shop or a gas station and the assistant would smilingly switch to perfect English . Never even considered trying to learn Dutch for the same reasons.

Currently trying to learn Vietnamese ahead of an upcoming trip just for fun, it seems to occupy the same filing cabinet in my brain as Thai so when I'm searching for a word it's the Thai equivalent that comes out rather than English....sure that's really going to help ! I'm murdering the tones I know but I believe that in a difficult language it's better to gain vocabulary rather than tone accuracy. Having said that my teacher has warned me that if I'm going to order pork in a restaurant I have to do it in English to stop the waitress wetting her pants, apparently it's in her pants where my pronunciation of the Vietnamese word for pork is located

Who said learning languages isn't fun ?

The Vietnamese are unforgiving when it comes to tones. Wheras the Thai's are used to expats murdering the language and can work out what you are saying from context the Vietnamese will just look at you with a blank expression unless you get the tones spot on

So I hear. Also seem to be much less pitch reliant compared to Thai. It's just a spot of fun for me, not crucial, don't intend to live there. Anyway I'm used to being stared at with a blank expression as I have a teenage daughter

[onthemoon]

Parent tongues: French + Bahasa Indonesia

Learned at Belgian boarding schools: Dutch + Ancient Greek & Latin

Learned at Swiss boarding schools: English + German + Italian

Acquired while working and/or residing for extended periods abroad (mid-level conversations only): Spanish +Turkish + Arabic + Thai

Quite impressive.

[onthemoon]

I conduct business in German, English, Spanish and Thai.

I know enough French, Dutch, Italian and Portuguese to get by with most of the time, but not always.

I know survival Chinese (Mandarin), which has helped me in Taiwan, Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen (i.e. places where the people wouldn't speak English).