This Is Unit One...

Polarside · Post by **Polarside** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 3:31 pm

...of Pimsleurs Spanish One.

So I decided to do the un-American thing and learn Spanish (mainly for work because we get a lot of Spanish peeps). Yeah... So anyone else know another language(s) or learning another?

Lealla · Post by **Lealla** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 4:04 pm

I learned Spanish in high school, took five years of it, and still speak it brokenly, since I'm too lazy to practice.

Gnomerman · Post by **Gnomerman** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 4:26 pm

i took french in middle and high school. i remember a little bit

its next to worthless unless i go to europe, africa, or quebec

Polarside · Post by **Polarside** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 4:27 pm

I took it a little bit through school as well but remembered very little of it.

One of the things I was worried about was when I was finished with all the lessons, would I still remember it? I would sort of be able to keep in practice because there isn't a day that goes by when a Spanish speaking person comes in here that can barely speak English...if any at all. But I just rip all my lessons off the CD to my computer and then put them on my mp3 player. I take my mp3 player to work and I have time every day that I'm not dealing with customers and I'm pretty much left alone to do what I need to do. So I just replay lessons on my mp3 player at work.

The plan is, even after I've gone through all the lessons (all three levels), to just keep constantly going through them as often as I can to stay up on it.

Arlan · Post by **Arlan** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 5:52 pm

Took 2 years of it in high school and lived in Mexico for 10 weeks. I've forgotten most of it, but it comes back to me when I am drunk. Last time I was in Mexico (for a friends bachelor party) I was pretty trashed but was nearly fluent, at least I thought I was. No one told me otherwise.

Post by **Virek** » Fri Jun 19, 2009 8:53 pm

took 4 years of german in high school. and 2 years of russian in college. and ive been to russia twice.

Stask · Post by **Stask** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 12:35 pm

Lealla wrote:I learned Spanish in high school, took five years of it, and still speak it brokenly, since I'm too lazy to practice.

I learned Spanish at home, spoke it badly, was too stubborn to learn it early as a kid and now speak it brokenly, since I'm too lazy to finish self-teaching myself the language.

I took a year or two of French in middle school and don't remember a word of it besides "Bonjour" and "Ca va bien."

Palehorse · Post by **Palehorse** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:04 pm

took 1/2 a year of spanish and half a year of french in middle school I believe. Ended up taking an additional 3 years of spanish in HS and another semester in college.

I still remember some spanish and recall a few french phrases as well as a smattering of foreign words/phrases i pick up from reading, tv etc.

Du Doch Nicht (definitely not you! -german)

Heartwood · Post by **Heartwood** » Sun Jun 21, 2009 6:37 pm

Spanish isn't the primary language of the US?

Polarside · Post by **Polarside** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:14 pm

A few more years and it probably will be...

Lealla · Post by **Lealla** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 3:18 pm

The plurality language, possibly. But there are some rather strong movements in several states to get English adopted as the official language of all government business.

Stask · Post by **Stask** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 6:08 pm

Lealla wrote:The plurality language, possibly. But there are some rather strong movements in several states to get English adopted as the official language of all government business.

Which strikes me as the same sort of feel-good, no-practical-use sort of legislation as Congress passing a resolution to rename French fries to "freedom fries."

(WTB more American politicians who have actually have a clue....)

Lealla · Post by **Lealla** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 6:59 pm

The rationale is that allowing government business to be conducted in Spanish, French, etc., only serves to encourage speakers of those languages not to learn English. Consider that lack of English facility is directly linked to lower income and you'll begin to understand.

Of course, the irony here is that the recession is also eating into the budget for teaching English to those same people.

FYI, emergency services (like 911) will still be provided in multiple languages. They're not stupid.

Gnomerman · Post by **Gnomerman** » Mon Jun 22, 2009 8:41 pm

i personally am in firm belief that all official government business (laws are technically government business....) should be conducted in english. personally, if we want to go to another country and live and work, we have to learn their language. it shoudl be the same here.

it is disadvantageous to not know english in this country. EVERY law is written in english (in all honesty every law should be re written in common english, there is no need for needing to be a lawyer to know and have a basic understanding of the law), and requireing english is technically a way to better prepare people to live and be successful in america.

also, if you require everything to be in english, people will learn it, or won't be able to work, get a liscence (it should be 100% necessary to speak english to get a drivers liscence in this country)

its not obsurd to expect people who want to participate in this country to speak english