French vs German vs Spanish? Difficulty & Usefulness?

First of all I'm not an Eskimo it shows that you're a racist.I don't believe that your Catalonian either.

The phrases that you posted yeah they're correct but you just asked somebody to translate those for you.

"Regarding being anonymous I still am and it's funny hearing you telling me I'm a liar about being Catalonian Regarding being anonymous whilst we don't really know what you are. - I didn't say that you're a liar but you're pretending to be a Catalonian; It should be we don't really know "who you are" not "what you are". Now it shows that you're also pretending to be very good in English. Where did you learn your English anyway? "Whilst" is archaich and it's no longer used in spoken and even in formal English speech. And who's with you while you were reading the messages that I posted when you said "we don't even know you"? Can't you handle this discussion all by yourself? Huh! You're not really a westerner. A real westerner(not necessarily white) gives high importance on privacy and individualism/independence especially if grown-up. It seems that you don't have those two attributes. Imagine a situation like this cannot be handled by the likes of you and so invites other people for a help.

Don't teach me because you're not my mentor! "Desolé" in place of "Je suis desolé" is used in informal French much the same way as "sorry" instead of "I'm sorry".

By the way, how could you be so ignorant when you say that Africans have no access on the internet. Goodness! What are those internet cafés
doing. I have not been there but I'm sure and insist there are. Don't tell me that internet cafés don't exist in Africa don't tell me too that there are no Africans who could afford to go to an internet café. How could you be so holistic?

You said "Regarding the history of Catalonia you have no idea whatsoever and I won't bother to detail.". You really won't bother to tell because you're not really a Catalonian. I'm really wondering what would be the remark once a real Catalonians read what you posted. If you're really from Spain you have to know the relationships that exist between the different ethnic groups in that country. I know that but I'm not in the position to give details after all I'm not Spanish.

It seems that you lack logic don't use your common sense when you say that "You don't read, do you?". How can I post informations in here if not an avid reader?

Stop using filthy and nasty words in here. If you don't respect me, then respect the moderator of this forum if you're really educated and good mannered because real Spaniards are very particular when it comes to GOOD UP BRINGING otherwise I would assume that you're "mal educado/a". This is just a forum and we don't have to take the messages posted in here unfavorable to us.

Stop using filthy and nasty words in here. If you don't respect me, then respect the moderator of this forum if you're really educated and good mannered because real Spaniards are very particular when it comes to GOOD UP BRINGING otherwise I would assume that you're "mal educado/a". This is just a forum and we don't have to take the messages posted in here unfavorable to us <<personally>>.

Aquest serà el meu darrer missatge. Sí sóc català t'agradi o no t'agradi.
This will be my last message. Whether you like it or not I'm Catalan.
You say I'm racist and you speak of Ethnic Groups in Spain? As far as I'm concerned we all look pretty much the same and over 90% of us have Catholic heritage. We do have linguistic and cultural differences but I wouldn't make too much of a case.

I'm sorry but you have no sense of humour nor do you have have any sense of irony.
It's easy to check I'm in Catalonia. It's now 11.45 a.m local time, 12,02 when I re-read my own message, sunshine out of the window; we've had the warmest winter in Catalonia in years. Temperature is around 18º and I just had bread, chorizo sausage and olive oil. Also some grape juice because I reserve wine for better occasions. You can, of course, think I've looked everything up.

I use "whilst" and many other things in formal English. "Whilst" is still common in regional English. I'll get back to this. Through my spelling it's easy to realise I learnt the language in a British place. I'm very fluent, by the way.

It's funny how you want to know so much about me and you tell us so little about yourself. Are you ashamed of your country?

I realise, also, that your French isn't very formal. You called me a liar (without saying so) and you did say quite a few nasty things about development in Spain and Spanish speaking countries. We're just for entertainment? I've understood you well?

You say I'm not a Westerner meaning you certainly aren't. A Westerner would never call himself a Westerner. I never have and neither any other Westerner I know. I'm sure those who read me will agree.

I mean you don't read what I write since you don't seem to process anything. It doesn't matter how hard I try and how I give you facts. You simply don't take note! You're always right: before and after.

I never said French isn't an important language. You suppose that! The only thing I say is that Spanish is more important, nowadays, on a planetary level. The older generations know more French and the younger generations know more Spanish. There are tonnes of reports and I've quoted a few: even from official sources. We are speaking of French and Spanish as foreign languages.

I haven't said there isn't Internet in Africa. You assume that. I've said 95% of the African population has other worries and cannot afford to go on the Internet. Many of them can't even read or write and the fault is very often from their old colonists (including France, Great Britain, Spain, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and whatever..) France does sign treaties. We'll help you, of course, but "soyez propres, parlez français!"

How can you possibly say that Catalonians and Galicians would want to be in Francophonie? We very well know what France has done with its native languages other than French and we would never want that to happen to us. It is true that Castilian has tried very much the same but, since 1975, Spain has changed a great deal and I trust it will change even more. Younger Spanish generations are learning to know each other and don't tell me what happens around me. I know it very well!

I just checked my "whilst" and it is so funny. Check for yourself. From a British page, in Birmingham, in very informal style, almost a chat:

Whats my view
Best laid plans I do know
Wait til new plans are dealt whilst we go

I apologise if I've been rude but there are many ways of being rude and you've been rude with Spain and the Hispanic World from the very start assuming the role of France as a major country of culture and development. True but not the only one.

Could you please tell us what you mean when you say: "a real Westerner, not necessarily white".... I'm quite condused. What colour do you suppose we Spaniards are? I happen to be milky white in winter and chocolate brown in summer. You know, I could never be a racist, I change colours in accordance to the seasons. On the other hands, millions of Asians and Africans now live in Europe and are as European as we are.

I trust my Western Irony will come cross to you.

Have a nice day. Moi mal élevé! Mais non, mon cher, mais non!

I'm glad you think we Spaniards are slightly stupid but well mannered ;-)

Oh, stop it, you children!
To the moderator: Choose Spanish.
But you have said from the very beginning that you are going to choose German, so, we can all stop here.
German is horrible, and so tough.
French is like hearing many froggies speaking with a poshy accent.
Spanish is melody to my ears.
Adiós.

I'm glad that you tone down. I thought you get more piqued by what i posted. It wasn't my intention to be rude you must have misunderstood me. I was just trying to defend myself when this discussion becomes personal.

You said "It's funny how you want to know so much about me and you tell us so little about yourself."

As I told you before I have a very high regard to privacy that's why I hate other people especially strangers asking me personal questions and I have no interest looking at other peoples' lives so I avoid asking them personal questions too. I'm not after after on knowing about you. You know it's the habit of indolent people to know about the background of others because they are not productive therefore destructive and definitely it's not part of my personal traits.

As a matter of fact when you said "By the way, I'm the father of a baby." I didn't add anything. But it made me wonder why you posted such information of yours when it was irrelevant to this thread's topic and I wasn't asking in the first place. But anyway if you think that I'm interested on you well I'm male too and that's the only personal information on me that I can give you.

Yes there was a racial tone when you said "I would believe if you're an Eskimo". We'll I'm not. You should be thankful because I didn't reply with "You're brain must be frozen that's why you can say that". But I just restrained myself for the sake of this forum's moderator and those who browse this forum.

A westerner to me are those citizens of western countries including the children of non-whites with western values. Don't quetion me because American blacks(especially the educated ones) are culturally indistinguishable from American whites. And what do you suppose what kind of values do they have? It's so silly if you say oriental. Westerners are more reserved, do not easily discuss about personal matters unless there is a valid reason and believe in individual rather than communal/collective achievements as opposed to oriental people. They are also objective instead of subjective.

Go on with your opinion that Spanish is more important nowadays than French I respect you for that even though it's much more laughable than the other way around. Yes it's more practical than French when it comes to international commerce because of huge population in LatAm to market merchandise if a company intends to profit. But when it comes to science, technology, and arts, it's questionable. Nobody would take Spanish in order to study in those fields.

Look when Josh Groban's album with Italian songs in it and Lisa Ono's(Brazilian) rendition of Italian songs in Bossa Nova with title "Con Alcune Delle Piu Belle Canzoni Italiane"(She recorded albums in French and English too) became hits, the number of enrollees in Italian language in UK and USA not to mention in other countries has risen considerably. Now, how would you feel if someone says that Italian is now more important than Spanish nowadays just because of that? And don't believe everything that is published in newspapers. News writers sensationalize every sitatuation such as the one that you read that French and German are being threatned by Spanish. They just want to tickle the readers so that their newspapers would be sold well.

And have you read the book "The Top 10 of Everything? On page 100 you could see a table that when it comes to "Languages Where Most Books Are Translated From To Other Languages", French comes second to English. Spanish is behind French and even Swedish. On the other hand, in the category "Languages Where Most Books Are Translated To From Other Languages", Spanish comes second to English. This proves Spanish is way behind French as a source of information or knowledge so that's what makes French the second most important language in the world.

J'ai espoir que toutes choses sont bien asteur! J'vais écrire des messages encore et ne personne me peut pas arreter.

I think our friends are right and we've gone too far in this childish game although I assume we've both had fun. Things have reached a point when I've tired. I haven't said all I had to say but I've said more than enough.

Since I learnt English in an English speaking country (where I lived several years) I started a thread on the English-native language section regarding what you said about "whilst" not being contemporary English. In Spanish we say: "la ignorancia es muy atrevida". "Ignorance is quite daring!"

This is just one of the answers you can check in Antimoon regarding while/whilst. Since I do say both "whilst" and "while" I thought we needed answers from real natives. An example would be from Jim in Australia:

JIM:
Regional, yes. Pedantic, no.

Regional in as much as it's not really used much in North America. Dictionaries may call it chiefly British, and it isn't uncommon in Britain as far as I'm aware, but as an Australian I use the word often.

Last but not least. Being the father of a baby makes me extremely proud. If one thing it only proves I'm Catalan and Mediterranean. Do you imagine a Mediterranean guy not bragging all over town, whether he's asked or not, about being the proud father of a baby? He's as cute as his mother just to give you another "private" detail.

You must really be from a far away place where people hide from their neighbours and conceal all information. I couldn't live in such a place but I respect you.

Well I wish you all the very best. One thing is for sure. In 20 years time we won't have to argue trivialities. Things will evolve in such a fashion that we'll both know which is the role given to English, Spanish, French, German, Italian (and whatever) in world affairs.

By the way, I agree with you using your best colloquial French but your French syntax is quite baffling since it seems rather un-French in your last line: "et ne personne me peut pas arreter"? Franchement! In colloquial French it would have been enough to leave "ne" absolutely out. If you're do use "ne" please do it the formal and standard way. It's also "J'ai l'espoir" even in its most colloquial fashion and not "J'ai espoir". And your "asteur" is so quaint! and it's "m'arreter" always since you speak of yourself (sorry, for the private comment).

Catalan: Escrigui tots els missatges que vulgui. Esteu en el vostre dret.
Spanish: Escriba todos los mensajes que quiera. Está en su derecho.
French: Ecrivez tous les messages que vous vous voudrez. Il s'agit de votre droit.
English: Write all the messages you like. It's your right

I thank you all for your patience. I wouldn't mind at all being an Eskimo.

One thing more, From Spain

You said "I'm glad you think we Spaniards are slightly stupid but well mannered ;-)"

I didn't say that and if ever I called a Spaniard with that it does not mean that I'm referring to the whole Spanish community. That person does not represent the entire Spanish community. I was also called stupid and idiot by a Spaniard here in this forum. I never posted any nasty remarks about Spain.

The way you post message shows that you're a non-European who resides in Catalonia for quite a long time. Admit it!

You said "I mean you don't read what I write since you don't seem to process anything. It doesn't matter how hard I try and how I give you facts. You simply don't take note! You're always right: before and after.

Look who's talking on the contrary MAYBE there's something wrong with your reading comprehension skills because when you reply to a paragraph from my message, it's out of context. Sorry for that.

"We very well know what France has done with its native languages other than French and we would never want that to happen to us. It is true that Castilian has tried very much the same but, since 1975, Spain has changed a great deal and I trust it will change even more. Younger Spanish generations are learning to know each other and don't tell me what happens around me. I know it very well! "

Because they were not successful so just to escape the embarassment they signed an agreement. In France, the people began switching to French from regional languages voluntarily. Picture this out, Non-Castillans resist Castellano probably because they think that their respective regional languages and culture belongs to the same level as Castellano. If you're gonna compare it with the situation in France well you know that the French have a very strong assimilating powers and the prestige the attraction of their culture and language. They can absorb people from other groups without resorting to genocide or placing a number of French in certain area to gallicize them. In fact one English dicitonary gave definition that it is a very strong language. Please don't get envious and resentful! Probably non-Castillans saw something that they don't like in their culture and it wasn't the fault of the French if non-French are drawn into their culture and language.

In the French speaking world everyone has the right on the French culture even if their outsiders or they belong to other races and with different skin color. Non-French can easily become French as long as they embrace French culture, speak and think in French. They would be accepted as their own which they cannot do in other linguistic/cultural areas after doing the same thing, they would discover that they are just a second class citizen and not totally accepted because their blacks, Asian, Hispanics, or Arabs or in the case of whites because they were Italians, Greeks, or Slavics. They prefer those who are Nordic type with blond hair and blue eyes. But it's ironic that they want to include a French newcomer in their group when few French are blond or blue eyed. That's why a lot of North American tribes could blend with the French Canadians more easily than with other groups.

I think that's the reason why countries who were not colonized by France joined the Francophonie. They just adhere to their motto Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité.

To From Spain:

Now you're calling me childish just because you couldn't accept what I posted instead of taking them objectively. You're the one who is childish since you get piqued by what you read here. Remember this is just a forum. I f you cannot accept what is posted in here you're free to post your counter comments without using such words as childish, stupid, asshole, arse, etc. You lack maturity then and you haven't gotten over your tantrums from your childhood days.

I thought you were full of knowledge? How come that you don't know the various form of French that exist all over the world. Imagine for somebody who pretends to be knowlegeable does not know where "asteur" and is used and its meaning. Oh it seems that you're English and French is too bookish. "Ne personne" is nobody or no one in English. "ne personne me peut pas arreter" is no one can stop me. You must have confuse "ne" in my sentence for negation. I know what you mean since you're not familiar with spoken French, I'll write it for you in formal. It goes like this in formal French "Ne personne ne me peut pas arreter". You're aware that there are two words used in formal French to negate a sentence and that is "Ne" and "Pas". For your information "Ne" can be ommitted leaving only "Pas" in spoken French as much as "On" is used instead of "Nous". If you're aware of this, then you have defiency in subject called logic. Its the same as what you said that "whilst" is uncommon in England. In an easily understandable sentence "whilst" is common in England because in the first sentence the prefix "un" negated the word "common". Are you aware of the different forms in Spanish? That there are syntatic differences that occur between them from time to time.

No wonder I don't see any contraction in your English and it shows that you just learned French and English just recently and now you have the right to brag about your recently acquired English and French and to look for something you could bring up as mistake in my sentences in those two languages. Do you use google translation when you post messages here?

"Whilst" is not used in Australia as much as "naught".

Ej veux pas placoter avec toi longtemps juste pour ça! Laisses-moi en tranquille! No me jodes, si us plau!

By the way, I forgot to mention in the sentence "Whilst is not uncommon in England", "not" negated uncommon therefore the sentence becomes positive changing "uncommon" to "common" again.

Terrible French, getting worse, terrible Spanish and non-existent Catalan.
I will not continue and I migrate elsewhere. You even forget things you've said!
You'd be surpirsed at our native and fluent my French is. French from France, of course. And yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, sóc català, sóc català, sóc català.
I can assure you it's been great fun but it isn't funny any longer.

From Spain:

I thought you're Catalan. Why is it that you don't know "Si us plau"? Which means "Por Favor" in Spanish and "Per Favor(e)" in Italian.

"No me jodes" is "Stop bugging me" at least in not obscene translation. It's a LatAm expression. ¿Cachai? A Chilean expression which means "Did you get it?". Probably derived from the English verb "To catch".

The French sentence from my second last message is "Je ne veux pas bavarder avec toi longtemps" in formal French.

"Placoter" is Canadian French. "Asteur" is short for "A cette heure" and can be heard only in French Canada and among Cajuns in Louisiana. "Ej" is obviously the reverse of "Je" is exclusively used by many cajuns but not all.

I think you should not focus on the core area of the language and in standard written form. Because if you speak in the written forms in informal situation then chances are you would sound too "bookish" to them. I'm sure a similar case occur in your native language.

Don't you know that Metropolitan French speakers are beginning to appreciate the other forms of French spoken outside France especially from native French speakers as long as they don't diverge very little from the standard form. At first it may be amusing or even funny to them. But later on they will find them sweet, colorful, and unique(after all one of the favorite slogans of Gallic people is "Vive la difference").

To give you an example "Email" in France is simple known known as "Mèl" but in Canada it's "Courriel" which is now used along with "Mèl" in France.

It isn't bad or terrible at all because those who speak French as a second language have the attitude in their mind that when they hear French Canadian, Swiss, Belgian, and other Francophones outside France want them to speak the way Metro French do including the accent. It doesn't have to be that way. As long as the grammar is not affected, that's enough to be acceptable. Let me ask you. Do you expect or require Spanish speakers from LatAm to speak the Castillan way? They don't lisp the c and z which is known as "seseo".

There's really something wrong with my sentence "Ne personne me peut pas arrêter" which is "Nobody cannot stop me". It can also be written as "Une personne me peut arrêter" in English it's "A person can stop me". It has nothing to do with syntax it's grammatically correct. I intentionally wrote it that way because at the back of mind was to test if you're really good in French. I'm sorry I underestimated your capability! I should not have done that and I know how you feel. The correct sentence should have been "Ne personne me peut arreter" which is "Nobody can stop me" or "Une personne peut pas arrêter" which is "A person cannot stop me".

When I said "Ej veux pas placoter avec toi longtemps juste pour ça! Laisses-moi en tranquille! No me jodes, si us plau!" I was just joking. There it is! To prove that I also have a sense of humor.

Please don't misunderstand me for being rude.

By the the way.

The contractions that I used in French such as "J'vais" and the omission of "Ne" leaving only "Pas" are inherent in speech in France, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland and other francophone areas.

"Don't you know that Metropolitan French speakers are beginning to appreciate the other forms of French spoken outside France especially from native French speakers as long as they <<don't diverge very little>> from the standard form."

Correction:
Don't you know that Metropolitan French speakers are beginning to appreciate the other forms of French spoken outside France especially from native French speakers as long as they <<don't diverge so much or diverge very little>> from the standard form.

Ne personne me peut pas arrêter? What's going on with you?

It is: Personne ne peut pas m'arreter!!!

And, please, don't take anything personally. You are really childish! And go to learn proper French.

You said: No me jodes, si us plau! to From Spain.
But then you wrote: "If you cannot accept what is posted in here you're free to post your counter comments without using such words as childish, stupid, asshole, arse, etc. You lack maturity then and you haven't gotten over your tantrums from your childhood days".

Well, for you to know, "joder" has a very strong meaning in a great part of Latin America, as much the same as "stupid, asshole, arse, etc.", so watch out your vocabulary.

"No me jodes"??? It is "No me jodas".
"Cachai"??? It is: ¿Cachas?

I sometimes worry about you gallophile. Stop defending French. Spanish has already taken its place a long time ago. And it will continue with English. Is something the matter with that? I don't think so.

And about your remark on Italian, do not be ridiculous.