Language barrier?

[The general]

I can speak several languages in gibberish….

After 6 pints

 

[deleted79651]

This one caused me a little distress once I used google translate ,I was on the Finnish /Russia border . If I remember it translated to , this area is under cctv 24 hrs ! View attachment 527673

I guessed at 'camera' for the last word! The Russian for 'cap' looks like a very rude English word, and that si the extent of my Russian ...

Steve

 

[The general]

a very very sensitive area

 

[maz]

I've learned a little bit of Italian via Duolingo - enough to get by for a few days travelling around and ordering food & drink.

What do you think of Duolingo? I’m doing Italian on it as well.

 

[Barti Ddu]

maz - Duolingo - As I mentioned above, I'm hopeless at languages. I switched off at school during french lessons when I was being taught the future perfect and the past particable - I didn't know what they were in English, so decided I was going to struggle in a foreign language and basically gave up. A shame really.

After a 30+ year gap I started Duolingo (French) last November when I was recovering from surgery and signed off work for a month. Decided I may as well try and do something constructive with my time whilst I was immobile. I've kept up (as of today) a 271 day streak. The game style nature of the app and the competitive elements such as league tables turn me off, but maintaining my daily streak, and completing lessons and checkpoints is motivational. I've not succumbed to any of the persistent offers to upgrade to the paid version, and haven't really understood why I would benefit from it. The free version works fine for me. I don't mind the odd advert. The content is good, but sometimes repetitive, but I guess that is the point. It starts you off on the present tense, and without any fanfare slowly switches to the past and then the future - in a natural way. It's quite subtle. My vocabulary has expanded and I can put together reasonably complex sentences. It can be quite strict - docking points for very minor typos. The speaking and comprehension exercises are also improving my confidence.
The recent introduction of some slightly weird "characters" with odd high pitched, or gruff accents I find a bit annoying. But all told I'm really quite impressed, (with both the app and myself!). It's also handy as using it entirely on a phone means I can grab a 10 minute session anytime.

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[Tea Bag]

In Italy, I was trying to find the station to put the car on the train, I asked a cab driver who had no English, I have no Italian, so I ended up miming a train and saying Cho Cho puff

Hi, We were in France about 28 yrs ago.Daughter and SIL had bought a property just north of Civray. The local estate agent Notaire ? was from Yorkshire and told us of a market where they sold good but old second ahnd furniture. Arrived near where he had said and started...No joy,so. i asked for La Crayon and paper ?...That worked. Went on to draw Table and chairs,sideboard,bed then suddenly " Monsieur,followed by Herdy gurdy herdy gurdy Bon?. I had counted lefts and rights,said Thank you and we set off,we rounded the last corner and..There it was...result..... AN HOTEL !!!! we still fall down laughing at that one. Ex-Gasman is a better linguist than i.
Tea Bag.... Bonnie Tyler...... Lost in france.......? YES PLEASE.

 

[maz]

maz - Duolingo - As I mentioned above, I'm hopeless at languages. I switched off at school during french lessons when I was being taught the future perfect and the past particable - I didn't know what they were in English, so decided I was going to struggle in a foreign language and basically gave up. A shame really.

After a 30+ year gap I started Duolingo (French) last November when I was recovering from surgery and signed off work for a month. Decided I may as well try and do something constructive with my time whilst I was immobile. I've kept up (as of today) a 271 day streak. The game style nature of the app and the competitive elements such as league tables turn me off, but maintaining my daily streak, and completing lessons and checkpoints is motivational. I've not succumbed to any of the persistent offers to upgrade to the paid version, and haven't really understood why I would benefit from it. The free version works fine for me. I don't mind the odd advert. The content is good, but sometimes repetitive, but I guess that is the point. It starts you off on the present tense, and without any fanfare slowly switches to the past and then the future - in a natural way. It's quite subtle. My vocabulary has expanded and I can put together reasonably complex sentences. It can be quite strict - docking points for very minor typos. The speaking and comprehension exercises are also improving my confidence.
The recent introduction of some slightly weird "characters" with odd high pitched, or gruff accents I find a bit annoying. But all told I'm really quite impressed, (with both the app and myself!). It's also handy as using it entirely on a phone means I can grab a 10 minute session anytime.

Interesting to read your assessment - thank you. Initially I found Duolingo quite absorbing. I took out the 2-weeks free trial and rattled through a fair bit of content. However by the end of the 2 weeks I had already decided that I didn’t like it enough to pay for it. So I am now just doing a bit each day on the free version. I’m only at a 48-day streak, so much kudos to you for your 271 days.

My progress has reduced considerably since I reverted to the free version - only too easy to lose your daily allocation of hearts for no good reason. Apart from a few ‘tips’ at the beginning of each section, they don’t explain things at all - and I end up wading through the ‘discussions’ to see if someone else has come up with the answer. Overall, frustration is setting in. However, it is free …..

Before I started Duolingo I had already enrolled on an online course with Italy Made Easy - From Zero to Italian. This is a paid course but I’m finding it much more interesting and enjoyable. I’ll probably keep doing the Duolingo (for a while anyway) but only as an adjunct to my main course.

 

[DangerMousy]

What do you think of Duolingo? I’m doing Italian on it as well.

I find its ok, a bit annoying at times so I can't do it for too long (not sure why I find it annoying, but I just do ) But hey, its free so I'm not complaining!

 

[EuroTrotters]

70-95% of language is non verbal.

English is my first language, I can get by in a couple of others.

French is easy, it’s 40 % English and just spoken the other way around like Latin languages.

Boit a vitesse - box of speeds - (gearbox)
Station service - service station
Pnues hiver - tyres winter
Toit Ouvrant - roof opening (sunroof)
Vin rouge - ?

I always learn hello, please, thank you and goodbye in the language of any country I visit.

 

[phase3begins]

Once got friendly with a Swedish couple while holidaying in Tunisia.
They and the hotel manager both spoke reasonable English.
I went for a walk and spotted some amazingly large ant like creatures.
I found out:
1. ant is not typically a word that non native English speakers learn.
2. trying to draw an ant on a napkin is harder that you think.
3. when they make a guess in their native languages it doesn’t help.

eventually we, the swedes and the manager all walked down to have a look.

a great way to make friends

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[deleted79651]

Once got friendly with a Swedish couple while holidaying in Tunisia.
They and the hotel manager both spoke reasonable English.
I went for a walk and spotted some amazingly large ant like creatures.
I found out:
1. ant is not typically a word that non native English speakers learn.
2. trying to draw an ant on a napkin is harder that you think.
3. when they make a guess in their native languages it doesn’t help.

eventually we, the swedes and the manager all walked down to have a look.

a great way to make friends

Over 50 years I've been trying to work 'The postillion of my aunt has been struck by lightning' into my rudimentary French conversations, but I remain undaunted ... Perhaps the return to France after COVID will give me a chance to catch someone in the village unawares, and then I shall pounce, chat comme, into action ...

Steve [dans ses reves]

 

[GarryP]

We've always tried to learn a few key phrases wherever we travel. It doesn't take a lot of effort and is greatly appreciated. When more is required, we use google translate in conversation mode. You speak in English and it speaks back in whatever language you have selected and also provides a print out on the screen. I just went through a complicated theatre installation for which my Spanish was totally inadequate using this method and it was just great.

 

[POH]

Both the wife and I are now fluent in Spanish electrical terms.

Would that be ballcocks ballcocks ballcocks

 

[Brains]

Some years ago I amazed two of my Cantonese speaking colleagues, where after a ten minute technical discussion in Cantonese, I came up with a solution (in English).

As the discussion had been highly technical enough technical words had been used that meant I had followed the discussion, I had seen the issue before, so I knew the answer.

I never let on that the most I could do in Cantonese was order beer.
They were all a lot more polite around me thereafter!

 

[ChrisL]

I've found Duoling (the free version) quite enjoyable for French, but the Spanish is "American Spanish" Memrise do an online Spanish, Spanish course which also has a free version to get you started which is worth a try.

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[Ridgeway]

A couple to make you smile from our early French learning days:

Buying some winter boots for one of the children and store lady was offering various sizes and my wife mentioned that it would be better if she put some thicker socks on, perhaps the lady has some.... i asked and got a very strange look, i asked again and the lady went a got her colleague. Seems i had mixed up socks (chaussettes) with kittens (chatons) and hence why the first lady was confused, still we had a good laugh about it...

Few years later when looking for some horse stables (écuries) i stopped and asked someone for directions to the écureuil. Now in mind mind at that stage those 2 words were the same thing (it's still hard at times to hear the difference) and i was pretty sure i was asking for directions to the stables however the expression on the persons face suggested not. As always the children just giggled away in the background and eventually i drove off after the person just didn't know what to say..... of course now i now that écureuil is actually squirrel in French

In summary my children typically get at least once a year a great laugh out of their parents linguistic cocks-ups

 

[steve69]

This one caused me a little distress once I used google translate ,I was on the Finnish /Russia border . If I remember it translated to , this area is under cctv 24 hrs ! View attachment 527673

I think it says "My hovercraft is full of eels".

 

[The general]

I think it says "My hovercraft is full of eels".

Too much vodka !

 

[Vipar]

I’m taking the 2 brothers who were on Improve you memory program Both spoke 25. Yes 25 languages each

 

[Despicable]

In 1967, shortly after arriving in Germany, I was given a DM10 note and asked to get, what I thought I heard, was 10 pfennig Brotchen. So when I returned with a hundred bread rolls there was dismay, I was actually asked to get Grotchen (slang for 10-pfennig pieces).

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[HKF]

We live in France (since December 2020) and don't speak much French at all yet. However, we've managed to buy our first motorhome and are currently enjoying our first trip out in him Almost everywhere you go, someone will speak a little English if you start with "Bonjour" and a smile. Even when no one speaks English, miming and pointing will get you a long way. We haven't met anyone yet who hasn't wanted to help us. Don't be afraid because it will stop you from enjoying some great times. France is totally geared up for MoHo-ing. Come and give it a go