Language Barrier

Status
Not open for further replies.
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
roger3829 said:
I agree with wireman, and since I dont plan on moving......
Click to expand...
If ya'll plan to stick with English, would you please convert to southern English? I remember as a child (10-12?) visiting some family friends in Ohio. When the kids asked me if I wanted some "pop" I thought I was being exposed to some wild drug culture and declined the offer.:smile:
 
I

ITO

Senior Member
Location
Texas
I don?t speak any Spanish, but I know enough Texmex to get by and to run a crew of laborers. There are days on the jobsites around here you feel like you are at the Alamo, with a crew of Texans surrounded by a sea of Mexicans. For me having some language skills is more about being effective and more competitive and less about posturing or trying to enforce some 2000 year old Roman axiom.

Mexicans with no English skill are poorly paid, while those that are bi-lingual get a lot more money, so not all contractors want bilingual labor.
 
hockeyoligist2

hockeyoligist2

Senior Member
Location
close to greenville sc
mivey said:
Fluency is a relative thing. We were in a very small German town trying to order from a cafe menu. Everyone in the cafe (which was probably everyone in town) turned to the local English expert to help us out. With much fanfare, the kind gentleman came over to help us out. I'm sure he was an English linguist as far as his friends were concerned.

As everyone in the cafe turned to watch him work his magic, we could not even get ONE WORD communicated. The poor guy probably did not realize that us southern folks don't really speak English, even though it may sound like it from time to time. We finally just pointed at some stuff on the menu and ate what they brought.
Click to expand...

I know the feeling, I spent some time working in Germany. The first day I was there I just pointed at something on the menu, it wasn't too tasty. The next morning I bought a dictionary and memorized all the basic foods so I could order from a menu.

The word a day thing that someone mentioned really works well. I use this one: http://www.transparent.com/wotd/ and get a new word every day in my e-mail.

I have a girlfriend from Colombia and she has tried teaching me Spanish. She say's I'll never be able to speak it with my southern drawl. Plus the German that I learned kinda gets mixed in.

Another thing she said that is interesting, the Spanish from Mexicans is very differant than Colombiano Spanish. And many of the same words have differant meanings.

One thing I have learned, if she screems "Aqua Puto" (not spelled that way I'm sure) It is time to get out of the house!
 
iaov

iaov

Senior Member
Location
Rhinelander WI
hockeyoligist2 said:
I know the feeling, I spent some time working in Germany. The first day I was there I just pointed at something on the menu, it wasn't too tasty. The next morning I bought a dictionary and memorized all the basic foods so I could order from a menu.

The word a day thing that someone mentioned really works well. I use this one: http://www.transparent.com/wotd/ and get a new word every day in my e-mail.

I have a girlfriend from Colombia and she has tried teaching me Spanish. She say's I'll never be able to speak it with my southern drawl. Plus the German that I learned kinda gets mixed in.

Another thing she said that is interesting, the Spanish from Mexicans is very differant than Colombiano Spanish. And many of the same words have differant meanings.

One thing I have learned, if she screems "Aqua Puto" (not spelled that way I'm sure) It is time to get out of the house!
Click to expand...
Yes Spannish like English is different in different parts of the world. Every Latin country is convinced that the way they speak it is the correct way. I knew some people from Honduras who would tell me " Jorge tu no hablas Espanol, tu hablas Mexicana"!:grin:
 
iaov

iaov

Senior Member
Location
Rhinelander WI
mivey said:
Fluency is a relative thing. We were in a very small German town trying to order from a cafe menu. Everyone in the cafe (which was probably everyone in town) turned to the local English expert to help us out. With much fanfare, the kind gentleman came over to help us out. I'm sure he was an English linguist as far as his friends were concerned.

As everyone in the cafe turned to watch him work his magic, we could not even get ONE WORD communicated. The poor guy probably did not realize that us southern folks don't really speak English, even though it may sound like it from time to time. We finally just pointed at some stuff on the menu and ate what they brought.
Click to expand...
My wife and I were in Mexico a couple of years ago at a dance club. The only Anglos there. After we got up and started dancing we had 300 new friends who all wanted to practice thier English with us. We could not understand a thing they were saying I finally had to tell them to please speak in Spannish so I could understand them.:grin:
 
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
frenchelectrican said:
I do speak primarly French and sign langune but however i know a couple of Spanish word it kinda almost match with some French along the way.

[ I did flunk the engish class in High School days but pick up the speed after i move in the USA ]

Merci,Marc
Click to expand...

What does Ductor mean in Fench? Dict says doctor but there are other meanings (I only got 1 free translation, didnt want to subscribe to the site).
 
zog

zog

Senior Member
Location
Charlotte, NC
hockeyoligist2 said:
I know the feeling, I spent some time working in Germany. The first day I was there I just pointed at something on the menu, it wasn't too tasty. The next morning I bought a dictionary and memorized all the basic foods so I could order from a menu.

The word a day thing that someone mentioned really works well. I use this one: http://www.transparent.com/wotd/ and get a new word every day in my e-mail.

I have a girlfriend from Colombia and she has tried teaching me Spanish. She say's I'll never be able to speak it with my southern drawl. Plus the German that I learned kinda gets mixed in.

Another thing she said that is interesting, the Spanish from Mexicans is very differant than Colombiano Spanish. And many of the same words have differant meanings.

One thing I have learned, if she screems "Aqua Puto" (not spelled that way I'm sure) It is time to get out of the house!
Click to expand...

I spent a few months in Spain a few years ago and studied "Spanish" like crazy from a CD based program, turns out most of those programs teach "Mexican Spanish" not "Spainish-Spanish". Man was I mad when I got to Malaga and they had no idea what I was talking about, I picked it up in a few weeks. Can still order food, find the train station, locate a bathroom, etc, you know, the useful stuff.

I am sure if you have a large group of mexicans (Or whatever) on your crew they would be happy to teach you the useful phrases for the job. Just make sure you check some of the words so they arent teaching you to say something like "I love donkeys" when you think you are saying "Wire that panel".
 
C

c2500

Senior Member
Location
South Carolina
mivey said:
I like the British accent. I just don't get all of their jokes and/or phrases. Maybe that's why we had to send 'em packing.:smile:
Click to expand...


Off topic but funny.....
I used to work with a woman from Manchester, England. I loved her accent. Then she had a friend over from London, and we ate lunch together one day. After hearing her friend speak (not to mention she was very attractive), my coworker sounded like a redneck speaking. Amazing the difference a few hours drive time makes.

c2500
 
brantmacga

brantmacga

Señor Member
Location
Georgia
Occupation
Former Child
mivey said:
If ya'll plan to stick with English, would you please convert to southern English? I remember as a child (10-12?) visiting some family friends in Ohio. When the kids asked me if I wanted some "pop" I thought I was being exposed to some wild drug culture and declined the offer.:smile:
Click to expand...

I remember my first trip up north. I almost starved to death. Southern cuisine is really something to appreciate. All the restaurant's served pepsi products and had no sweet tea. I was so parched.
 
mivey

mivey

Senior Member
brantmacga said:
I remember my first trip up north. I almost starved to death. Southern cuisine is really something to appreciate. All the restaurant's served pepsi products and had no sweet tea. I was so parched.
Click to expand...
At least they have ice...grits are scarce...don't recall much catfish either.

You almost have to go on the black market in Europe to get a glass full of ice...and where is the ketchup..and the tea is flavored.

Why can't they all be like us? I could eat fried chicken and tater salad every day.
 
frizbeedog

frizbeedog

Senior Member
Location
Oregon
Some Fictional City in the Matrix?

Some Fictional City in the Matrix?

macmikeman said:
I don't speak Tagalog, Korean, Chinese, Japanese (ok some, not as much as my wife and kids can), Samoan, Micronesian, Spanish, HAWAIIAN (ok some, but not as much as my kids), Tahitian, or Chamoro. All of the above would be useful where I live.
Click to expand...

....but we don't know where that is.

I'm in Oregon.

See how easy that was. :grin:

Thank you for your participation.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top