GalacticCactus Forum

Forums => English & Linguistics => Topic started by: Jonathon on September 15, 2005, 12:04:22 PM

Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Jonathon on September 15, 2005, 12:04:22 PM: I was thinking about grad school requirements, particularly the requirements of BYU's linguistics program, which state that you must study two languages, one of which must be non-Romance and non-Germanic. Unfortunately, I currently have very little interest in learning any languages outside of the Romance and Germanic families. I'd make exceptions for Celtic languages, though.

So then I thought about what languages I'd like to speak if I could pick anything I want. French and German would be at the top of my list, followed by Dutch, Welsh, and Scottish. I'd like to know Old English better, but it's really not the sort of language that you speak.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: pooka on September 15, 2005, 12:14:03 PM: I plan to learn spanish because I believe that is where we will make up our population lag as the baby boomers retire. Hebrew is nice for studying the bible. I think ancient Greek for similar reasons. In terms of the parameters of non romance and non Germanic (not sure where Greek rates in there) I suppose my next choice would be to learn Chinese since I think America could be looking at some further contact with that nation. And, uh, I'm half chinese.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Porter on September 15, 2005, 12:22:00 PM: Studying Spanish is fun, because I do it while watching DVDs.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: AFR on September 15, 2005, 12:28:33 PM: I would want to learn Spanish. In fact, I should. I always wish I spoke it, living in an area heavily populated by Spanish speakers.

I would also like to learn Arabic.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Icarus on September 15, 2005, 05:45:12 PM: Japanese, to more easily communicate with our future overlords. ;)
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Mr. Anderson on September 15, 2005, 06:33:03 PM: Navajo
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: kojabu on September 15, 2005, 06:43:20 PM: Just one?

Today I was in the library looking at a bunch of books about the Old Testament and half of them were in Hebrew with no translation and at that moment I wished I was fluent in Hebrew.

But really I guess I'd pick Italian because I'm Italian and I love Italy and would love to maybe live there someday. But on the list of other languages I'd want to learn are Hebrew, Arabic, Welsh, German, Dutch, etc.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Jonathon on September 15, 2005, 09:00:41 PM: Heck, I didn't pick just one. No reason why you should have to.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Mr. Anderson on September 15, 2005, 09:13:17 PM: Quote
...other languages I'd want to learn are Hebrew, Arabic, Welsh, German, Dutch, and all the rest, too.
I fixed it for you.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: rivka on September 15, 2005, 11:01:45 PM: Quote
Today I was in the library looking at a bunch of books about the Old Testament and half of them were in Hebrew with no translation and at that moment I wished I was fluent in Hebrew.
[nitpick] If they were in Hebrew, chances are their authors would not refer to anything called the "Old Testament." [/nitpick]

I won't even comment regarding the subjunctive (or lack of same). I'm trying to give up on that gracefully. :P
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Kama on September 16, 2005, 03:41:46 AM: English?

*hides*
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Porter on September 16, 2005, 07:03:43 AM: Quote
[nitpick] If they were in Hebrew, chances are their authors would not refer to anything called the "Old Testament." [/nitpick]

[nitpick]I'm sure they did refer to something called the "Old Testament", even if they didn't refer to it that way. [/nitpick]
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: kojabu on September 16, 2005, 07:11:12 AM: Ok ok ok, let me rephrase my statement.

Yesterday I was in the library looking at a bunch of books in the section relating to books of the Bible, in specific the area of books of the Old Testament. I was looking for books on 1 and 2 Kings in particular, as well as on the Deuteronomist Historian. Half of them were in Hebrew with no translation and at that moment I wished I were fluent in Hebrew.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: sarcasticmuppet on September 16, 2005, 08:43:50 AM: I'd like to speak French and Arabic and modern Hebrew and Spanish and maybe a little German.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Icarus on September 16, 2005, 12:29:00 PM: Never give up, rivka!
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Porter on September 16, 2005, 12:39:51 PM: Never surrender!
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Noemon on September 16, 2005, 12:59:27 PM: I would like to be fluent in Thai, Northern Thai (which is really more of a seperate language than a dialect--it is to Thai as Portugese is to Spanish), and Lao. I love that particular corner of the world, and really enjoy the sounds of those languages and the look of the script. I have a lesser desire to learn Spanish, French, Italian, Hausa, Swahili, Hindi and Arabic.

I find written Korean fascinating, and would love to learn to read it, which I suppose would involve my learning to speak the language as well.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: sarcasticmuppet on September 16, 2005, 01:10:14 PM: Oh yeah, Hindi...*refines list*

Japanese too. :)
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Noemon on September 16, 2005, 02:23:37 PM: ::copies off of sarmup, adds Japanese to his list::
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Icarus on September 16, 2005, 02:58:54 PM: Ooh, that reminds me (for some odd reason): I wish I were fluent in Basque.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Porter on September 16, 2005, 03:01:33 PM: Japanese, Spanish, Latin, Greek, Hebrew.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Brinestone on September 16, 2005, 03:04:21 PM: Pig Latin, Squirrel, and baby
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Ela on September 16, 2005, 04:47:30 PM: Arabic, cause my grandma and lots of my family speak it, and I only know a few words.

Japanese, cause my daughter is studying it and always saying things I don't understand. :tongue:

I have studied Spanish, French, and Hebrew, but would love to expand my vocabulary and fluency in all three. (Right now, Hebrew is my best second language.) Oh, and I know a bit of Aramaic, a function of having studied Jewish texts using that language. :)
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Slash the Berzerker on September 16, 2005, 05:34:55 PM: Binary.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: saxon75 on September 16, 2005, 06:12:53 PM: Japanese, because then I wouldn't have to feel guilty about not speaking it.

After that, Spanish, because what I already know has come in handy on numerous occasions. Then Latin and ancient Greek, because I'm interested in mythology and being able to read primary texts would be cool. Then Mandarin because it would be useful for work. Then it's a tie between Arabic, French, Hebrew, and Portuguese.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: rivka on September 17, 2005, 11:57:39 PM: Quote

Quote
[nitpick] If they were in Hebrew, chances are their authors would not refer to anything called the "Old Testament." [/nitpick]

[nitpick]I'm sure they did refer to something called the "Old Testament", even if they didn't refer to it that way. [/nitpick]
I'm not going to debate the issue, but I did not want it to appear that I agree.

I don't. :P
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Porter on September 18, 2005, 08:24:06 AM: Oh, come on. That's just rude! :P

I guess I'm missing something, because I really don't see how what I said could be wrong.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Icarus on September 18, 2005, 08:29:38 AM: She doesn't agree that it's called the Old Testament. She believes it's called "scripture."

But this very quickly turns into a semantic debate.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: rivka on September 18, 2005, 09:35:03 AM: It probably is rude. What's ruder is that I don't care. I have had this debate too often, and I have no interest in having it again. *shrug*

And Ic, thanks, but that actually wasn't my point at all. :)

Ok, ok, that wasn't nice. Short version: IMO, no translation can possibly capture close to all the nuances and meanings. So the Torah is not the same as your Old Testament, nor can it ever be. Especially since it's not just a translation issue; the complete absence of the Oral Torah and related interpretive assistance also enter the equation.

To me this is not merely semantics. But I accept that it is to some. *shrugs again* And I have to debate this other places; I'd rather not do so here.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: kojabu on September 18, 2005, 09:58:55 AM: Isn't the Torah the books of Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy (order may be wrong)?
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Jonathon on September 18, 2005, 10:09:36 AM: That's commonly known as the Pentateuch (in Gentile circles, at least). I don't remember the Jewish name for that collection (is it simply Law?).
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: kojabu on September 18, 2005, 10:19:58 AM: Well, yea I know it as the Pentateuch for the Christian faith, but I just wanted to make sure I was associated the Torah with the right thing. I wouldn't call the Torah the Old Testament because it's not. The only reason I refer to the entire set of books from Genesis to Malachi as the Old Testament is because I was raised Christian. Therefore, when I was in the library looking for stuff on 1 Kings, my brain said, hey this is the Old Testament section.
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Icarus on September 18, 2005, 10:31:30 AM: Sorry. :(
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: beverly on September 18, 2005, 11:13:44 AM: Quote
Pig Latin, Squirrel, and baby

"Did you take my acorn?"

(Class repeats)

"Squeak squeaker squeak squeaken?"
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: beverly on September 18, 2005, 11:19:19 AM: Let me translate for my husband who is being ultra-literal again.

His point is that it is a fact that some people in the world, even if it is always mistakenly, that call that the "Old Testament". Therefore, it is indeed called the Old Testament (by some, and wrongly.) If *no* one called it the Old Testament, rivka wouldn't have to have the argument at all.

But that is neither here nor there. That is why he called it a nitpik. ;)
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: sarcasticmuppet on September 18, 2005, 11:33:54 AM: Quote
"Did you take my acorn?"

(Class repeats)

"Squeak squeaker squeak squeaken?"

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: Icarus on September 18, 2005, 11:34:31 AM: I think I understood that he meant that. Thus, a semantic issue. *shrug*
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: kojabu on September 18, 2005, 11:59:05 AM: Quote
"Did you take my acorn?"

(Class repeats)

"Squeak squeaker squeak squeaken?"
That's from Emperor's New Groove right?
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: beverly on September 18, 2005, 12:05:43 PM: Quote
That's from Emperor's New Groove right?

Yes. :)

Icky: OK, I wasn't sure. :)
Title: If you could speak any language fluently . . .
Post by: rivka on September 18, 2005, 09:03:29 PM: No one owes me an apology. Especially Icarus. :)

I am not upset. What I am is a bit tired of having this same conversation over and over (admittedly, not with all of y'all). Thus, I will pass the buck and refer you to Judaism 101 (http://www.jewfaq.org/torah.htm).