Curious

how many languages   Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:53 pm GMT
Is this a forum for real polyglots? So, how many languages have you learnt? Probably you're forgotten most of them but I'm really interested in your attempt to know as many languages as possible. Thanks
Guest   Sat Oct 27, 2007 9:37 pm GMT
Bon, je vais répéter la question en français.. peut etre n'était-elle pas très claire en anglais.
est-ce un forum pour de véritables polyglottes? Alors, combien de langues avez-vous apprises? Peut-etre avez-vous déjà oublié la plupart d'entre elles mais je suis intéressé à votre tentative de connaitre le plus grand nombre possible de langues. Merci
K. T.   Sat Oct 27, 2007 10:39 pm GMT
There seem to be some polyglots here, but it's hard to know how WELL some people "know" languages. I'm a polyglot, lol, but please don't make me do simultaneous interpreting at the UN as proof! I'm also a regular person, not a genius, so while I can manage to interpret in some areas, I can't do so in others. Does that mean I don't know languages? No, it means I'm not Leonardo da Vinci, lol, or Marilyn vos Savant.

Unilang has a neat form that would be cool to bring here. It's something like this (I've changed it a bit.)

Native:

Use regularly:

Speak/Know, but don't use regularly:

Read/Understand:

Notions, know some words (less than 1000, maybe, but more than "thank-you":

Learning:

Dabbling:

In the works to learn (already have the material, native friend ready to exchange language)
Guest   Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:20 pm GMT
Which languages do you know K.T. What amount of languages do you must know in order to be polyglot?
K. T.   Sat Oct 27, 2007 11:47 pm GMT
It's a tough question for me and for anyone, I think. How does one answer modestly without being roped into an examination as if one were a talking dog?

How would you answer, guest?

I think three or four languages is necessary to be considered a polyglot. A hyperpolyglot knows at least six, I think. Look at the Stuart Ray Raj thread I started. He "knows" about twenty languages.

I know five well enough to get out of trouble and I can read and understand some other languages. It's really hard to say HOW many, though.

Tell you what, let's have some other people fill out the form first. Go ahead.
To Copy   Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:22 am GMT
Native:

Use regularly:

Speak/Know, but don't use regularly:

Read/Understand:

Notions, know some words (less than 1000, maybe, but more than "thank-you":

Learning:

Dabbling:

In the works to learn (already have the material, native friend ready to exchange language)
Guest   Sun Oct 28, 2007 1:23 am GMT
Native:

Use regularly:

Speak/Know, but don't use regularly:

Read/Understand:

Notions, know some words (less than 1000, maybe, but more than "thank-you"):

Learning:

Dabbling:

In the works to learn (already have the material, native friend ready to exchange language)
furrykef   Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:07 am GMT
I can read most written Spanish with the aid of a dictionary. My vocabulary is surely over 1000 words, but I don't know how much (not as much as I'd like ;)). I'm studying Japanese, but still can't really read or speak any of it. I know how to write about 1000 kanji, but I don't know their readings or words they appear in.

I've also been meaning to study Lojban, an artificial language. Almost the only words I know right now are "prenu" (person), "mlatu" (cat), and "klama" (walk).

- Kef
K. T.   Sun Oct 28, 2007 2:39 am GMT
I'm sure your vocabulary is far over 1000 words in Spanish. There are plenty of cognates. The Unilang site allowed for artificial languages like Esperanto and Interlingua. I read music, but I wouldn't count that, lol.
Skippy   Sun Oct 28, 2007 4:03 am GMT
I'm only fluent in English, my German is acceptable by college-aged Germans who don't hate Americans, I can read a good deal of French and Spanish... And I know the Cyrillic and Greek alphabets... lol I'm hardly a polyglot...
Guest   Sun Oct 28, 2007 5:43 am GMT
For me...

English: native
Japanese: read/understand
Spanish: read/understand
French: was learning
Guest   Sun Oct 28, 2007 7:01 am GMT
<< I'm studying Japanese, but still can't really read or speak any of it. I know how to write about 1000 kanji, but I don't know their readings or words they appear in. >>


How do you learn the character but not know how to read them?
To be honest, it sounds like you are studying the wrong way or wasting your time. If you just want to learn how to write some character, well that's cool but not very practical if don't go any deeper than that.
olaszinho   Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:11 am GMT
Italian my mother tongue
I can read and speak at a decent level Spanish, French, Portuguese and English
I learnt latin at school
I've been learning for a few years German and Russian
I even learnt a basic hungarian (grammar and about 1000 words) but unfortunately I've forgotten most of it. I ought to brush it up.
I'm going to study (Arabic, catalan, modern greek and romanian). :-)
K. T.   Sun Oct 28, 2007 8:55 pm GMT
Native: English

Use regularly: Spanish, French, and Japanese

Speak/Know, but don't use regularly: German

Read/Understand: Italian and Portuguese (and some other romance languages, but not Romanian, alas!)

Notions, know some words (less than 1000, maybe, but more than "thank-you"): Russian

Learning: I'm always learning, lol. I want to be able to SPEAK Italian and Portuguese.

Dabbling: Mandarin, Slavic and Semitic languages

In the works to learn (already have the material, native friend ready to exchange language) Korean (maybe)

It's interesting to see the languages people choose.

Language philosophy: Choose a language you love, need, or will use, then use that language to help other people if you can.
K. T.   Mon Oct 29, 2007 12:37 am GMT
"How many languages" Have you looked at the "Learning Languages" site by F. Micheloud? There has been a lot of discussion about Ziad Fazah and people who have contacted him. He is supposed to be the greatest polyglot in the world with 50+ languages under his belt. I've read that he is considered a "conversational polyglot"...Some people call him, in fact someone left a phone number here once briefly. I think I have it somewhere, but I'm not sure. Regrettably, I don't know any obscure, or uncommon languages, so I doubt he'd be interested in me, but anyone who thinks hyperpolyglots are cool or intriguing ought to check out recent discussions over there. There are a lot of great tips and links over there, but I'm not sure Mr. Micheloud wants a link here, so try google and "How to learn any Language" and it should get you there.