"Playing" with other languages

[Susanna]

When I was in college, I majored in German. I never really learned to speak the language fluently, because I never used it, and took all my German courses in just a couple of years. I also started one semester auditing a class in Italian, but let it go when I was distracted by other things. I've often wished I hadn't. Anyway, I was doing some writing just for fun, and there was a phrase I wanted to translate into Italian.

There is a "translator" that comes with Office Word 2007; I tried that, and although the words seemed to be translated correctly, I wasn't sure, because there are so many grammatical difference, as well as idiomatic expressions.

I tried again with Babel Fish, and got a different translation. I was pretty sure it didn't translate it the way I meant it. I got me an Italian grammar book and a Cassell's Italian-English dictionary, and started playing around with translating a lot of stuff.

It is a lot of fun, but without someone who knows the language to guide me, I'm not always sure what works right. One of the big problems is that there are words in both languages that have multiple meanings. Some of the translations are, to say the least, startling!

[JStang]

I picked up some Japanese in Okinawa. I'm the only non-French speaker in my immediate family, but I do recognize some things.

[Susanna]

I wasn't sure that post even took! I had just submitted it when the lights and the computer started blinking. The computer rebooted, and I started up the internet, and it went again. I just turned off the power strip. We are under a wind advisory right now, and a lake-effect snow advisory starting tonight at 10.

Anyway, I recognize a lot of words in a lot of languages, but I don't speak any but my own fluently. When my daughter was taking German in High School, she and I used to throw a few phrases back and forth, and think she did the same with her daughter when she was in high school.

It is virtually impossible to learn another language wholly on your own, because there are many idiomatic expressions in all languages that won't translate exactly from one language to another. But I am having fun, and if it weren't so far to go, I would probably go to Clarion University and audit a course or two. Or perhaps, actually enroll in one. Many universities, from what I have heard, offer free tuition to us old folks. I think, over 65. Dunno if Clarion does that or not.

[Susanna]

Here is one of the "startling" results I had with Babel Fish:
Translate "mess hall" into Italian - result, "corridoio di disordine"
Translate "corridoio di disordine" from Italian to English - result, "disorder corridor"

[WhoIsJohnGalt]

It is virtually impossible to learn another language wholly on your own, because there are many idiomatic expressions in all languages that won't translate exactly from one language to another.

That's it, the hurdle that most language learners stumble on when not aware. Idioms are so completely ingrained in language it's so hard to do direct translations. The first thing I did when learning Japanese was buy a dictionary of Japanese - English idioms. That book was the best dollar investment i made in Japanese.

[Seravee]

I cannot speak Spanish what so ever but I can understand it pretty well. I wish I could speak it though seeing as I took it as a elective for 7 years in a row! I want to learn Latin also. I took a intro class and was hooked but then I moved and the school i went to didn't offer it. The only other language I "know" is Japanese and that is only knowing a few phrases, words and proper use of honorific titles.

[candygirl]

I took a couple years of Russian in college and I'm trying to pick it up again.

[Susanna]

I had 3 years of Latin in high school, and majored in German in college. Latin is an excellent grammar background for any language. At least for European languages, don't know about middle east and eastern languages. But it's even an excellent background for English.

[Susanna]

If it weren't so far away, I might take a course or two at Clarion University, but not sure that I want to drive about 40 miles round trip 3 times a week to learn a language that I will probably never have the opportunity to use.

[Dacabeti]

I have a copy of every single Rosetta Stone language pack. I was thinking of learning Korean, but after 1 lesson decided against it. So now I am working on Brazilian Portuguese.