GRAzie K.T. tu sì che non sei sciocco. I'm Italian and I can speak several languages. I'd probably have an accent but who cares...:-)
Worst People At Speaking English?
Hungarian people are poor English speakers. English has a presence in the tourist areas of Budapest but, outside of that, they don't really speak or understand it at all. But German might be of use in some areas.
<< FAUX.
La similitude posée par la structure d'anglais et du Français est plutôt une de la coïncidence et pas du contact de langue.
<<Granted, a lot also come from German>>
Également incorrect pour les mêmes raisons.
>>
Donc, vous dites qu'il n'y a aucune rélation entre la structure d'anglais et du français qui n'est pas causé par une coïncidence?
Actually, I'd consider it far more likely that the fact that English has a lot of Germanic structure would be because it's a GERMANIC language, and the fact that it has a lot French structure and vocabulary is because of the Norman invasion. Vous n'êtes pas d'accord?
La similitude posée par la structure d'anglais et du Français est plutôt une de la coïncidence et pas du contact de langue.
<<Granted, a lot also come from German>>
Également incorrect pour les mêmes raisons.
>>
Donc, vous dites qu'il n'y a aucune rélation entre la structure d'anglais et du français qui n'est pas causé par une coïncidence?
Actually, I'd consider it far more likely that the fact that English has a lot of Germanic structure would be because it's a GERMANIC language, and the fact that it has a lot French structure and vocabulary is because of the Norman invasion. Vous n'êtes pas d'accord?
<<and the fact that it has a lot French structure and vocabulary is because of the Norman invasion. >>
What "French structure" are you referring to?
The reason why English has a lot of French vocabulary is not directly because of the Norman Invasion, only indirectly so.
An unfortunate consequence of the initial resistance to Norman rule in England was that William Duke slaughtered all of the Saxon upper class--the nobles, the doctors, the clergy. Only one Saxon monk was spared.
English was relegated to a peasant speech, and continued for 2 centuries as an unsophisticated and unregulated language. Those speaking it did not need to know words for such concepts as "differentiation" or "philology" or "disenfrachisement". They were laborors trying to eke out a living in Feudal England.
However, when English was restored as the language of the land, it emerged bereft in words to describe the aforementioned concepts (among many others). Middle English speakers now saw themselved faced with new concepts, higher class concepts, and no way to talk about them. No one around at the time was able to research and look up the Old English words and tell them what it was. Nor had they anyone to create and fashion new words from existing elements. They were left with only one alternative: "What are they calling this thing in France?" --that, was the only option. They had to borrow the word.
As words started accruing, it became easier and easier to borrow, because it changed the character of the language. Newer words made eath sense due to association with ere-borrowed terms and affixes. It was also the time of French linguistic domination in Europe.
This is why English has so many French words. Not because English is a blending of two languages, or even two families of languages. English does not = German + French. That is a mis-thought.
What "French structure" are you referring to?
The reason why English has a lot of French vocabulary is not directly because of the Norman Invasion, only indirectly so.
An unfortunate consequence of the initial resistance to Norman rule in England was that William Duke slaughtered all of the Saxon upper class--the nobles, the doctors, the clergy. Only one Saxon monk was spared.
English was relegated to a peasant speech, and continued for 2 centuries as an unsophisticated and unregulated language. Those speaking it did not need to know words for such concepts as "differentiation" or "philology" or "disenfrachisement". They were laborors trying to eke out a living in Feudal England.
However, when English was restored as the language of the land, it emerged bereft in words to describe the aforementioned concepts (among many others). Middle English speakers now saw themselved faced with new concepts, higher class concepts, and no way to talk about them. No one around at the time was able to research and look up the Old English words and tell them what it was. Nor had they anyone to create and fashion new words from existing elements. They were left with only one alternative: "What are they calling this thing in France?" --that, was the only option. They had to borrow the word.
As words started accruing, it became easier and easier to borrow, because it changed the character of the language. Newer words made eath sense due to association with ere-borrowed terms and affixes. It was also the time of French linguistic domination in Europe.
This is why English has so many French words. Not because English is a blending of two languages, or even two families of languages. English does not = German + French. That is a mis-thought.
<<Hungarian people are poor English speakers. English has a presence in the tourist areas of Budapest but, outside of that, they don't really speak or understand it at all. But German might be of use in some areas.
>>
Why would people outside from the anglosphere be good at speaking English?. It makes no sense that they speak English well.
>>
Why would people outside from the anglosphere be good at speaking English?. It makes no sense that they speak English well.
@K. T. (on Italians):
Intéressant article du 'Messaggero' sur la relation entre l'usage excessif de mots anglais en Italie et la faible capacité à parler anglais :
Perché gli italiani parlano solo italiano?
pubblicato il 27-11-2008 alle 22:39
In Italia i media hanno una particolare predilezione per i termini inglesi: anche in questi giorni si parla di "social card" per indicare la carta acquisti ideata dal governo per anziani e genitori a bassissimo reddito. Mentre continuiamo ad usare la parola "spot" in riferimento alla pubblicità televisiva: si può utilizzare in questo senso, ma non è il termine a cui ricorrono più frequentemente inglesi e americani quando vogliono parlare di questa cosa.
A un tale uso, o abuso, dell'inglese (che qualcuno ha giustamente battezzato "inglesorum", dal latinorum di manzoniana memoria) non corrisponde però una adeguata conoscenza di questa o di altre lingue straniere. Secondo un'inchiesta Eurobarometro del 2005 (non credo che da allora le cose siano particolarmente migliorate) solo il 36 per cento degli italiani si dichiarava in grado di sostenere una conversazione in un idioma diverso da quello natio. La media europea è del 50 per cento: stiamo peggio della Germania e anche della Francia, allo stesso livello degli spagnoli e leggermente meglio degli inglesi: i quali però se lo possono permettere, visto che sono gli altri a parlare la loro lingua.
http://www.ilmessaggero.it/home_blog.php?blg=P&idb=466&idaut=14
Intéressant article du 'Messaggero' sur la relation entre l'usage excessif de mots anglais en Italie et la faible capacité à parler anglais :
Perché gli italiani parlano solo italiano?
pubblicato il 27-11-2008 alle 22:39
In Italia i media hanno una particolare predilezione per i termini inglesi: anche in questi giorni si parla di "social card" per indicare la carta acquisti ideata dal governo per anziani e genitori a bassissimo reddito. Mentre continuiamo ad usare la parola "spot" in riferimento alla pubblicità televisiva: si può utilizzare in questo senso, ma non è il termine a cui ricorrono più frequentemente inglesi e americani quando vogliono parlare di questa cosa.
A un tale uso, o abuso, dell'inglese (che qualcuno ha giustamente battezzato "inglesorum", dal latinorum di manzoniana memoria) non corrisponde però una adeguata conoscenza di questa o di altre lingue straniere. Secondo un'inchiesta Eurobarometro del 2005 (non credo che da allora le cose siano particolarmente migliorate) solo il 36 per cento degli italiani si dichiarava in grado di sostenere una conversazione in un idioma diverso da quello natio. La media europea è del 50 per cento: stiamo peggio della Germania e anche della Francia, allo stesso livello degli spagnoli e leggermente meglio degli inglesi: i quali però se lo possono permettere, visto che sono gli altri a parlare la loro lingua.
http://www.ilmessaggero.it/home_blog.php?blg=P&idb=466&idaut=14
<<Why would people outside from the anglosphere be good at speaking English?. It makes no sense that they speak English well>>
Well, the smaller European nations tend to be good at speaking English or other major languages as there is more demand for it in the workplace. But the Hungarians are relatively poor language learners.
Well, the smaller European nations tend to be good at speaking English or other major languages as there is more demand for it in the workplace. But the Hungarians are relatively poor language learners.
Il problema dell'articolo indicato da PARISIEN è che è stato scritto da Luca Cifoni, uno che a scuola ha sempre preso 4.
It all depends on individuls. I knew Italians, Spaniards and French who could speak English terribly well!
"But the Hungarians are relatively poor language learners."
Or maybe it's because Hungarian is very different from English? I know that by "language" you meant English.
Or maybe it's because Hungarian is very different from English? I know that by "language" you meant English.
<< I knew Italians, Spaniards and French who could speak English terribly well! >>
Extremely rare....about as common as an American who speaks french(or any foreign langauge) very well.
Extremely rare....about as common as an American who speaks french(or any foreign langauge) very well.
<< about as common as an American who speaks french >>
-- Americans with an advanced proficiency in French are strangely many, not only among those living here. And most speak considerably better than British expats, go figure.
Probably because of their generally rhotic accent. And because, unlike the English, they tend to refrain from skipping syllables. That makes them much easier to understand.
The French have their own special problem to speak other languages, the fact that their language has no definite word stressing but a free sentence stressing instead, depending on the intonation you choose. The French tend to believe that stress is an optional property of words, which actually no language but French allows.
-- Americans with an advanced proficiency in French are strangely many, not only among those living here. And most speak considerably better than British expats, go figure.
Probably because of their generally rhotic accent. And because, unlike the English, they tend to refrain from skipping syllables. That makes them much easier to understand.
The French have their own special problem to speak other languages, the fact that their language has no definite word stressing but a free sentence stressing instead, depending on the intonation you choose. The French tend to believe that stress is an optional property of words, which actually no language but French allows.
"I'm Italian and I can speak several languages. I'd probably have an accent but who cares...:-)"
I'd like to know more about your languages.
I'd like to know more about your languages.