28-06-2003 00:47									#61
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quote: Originally posted by Adalbertus On topic, a foreign language isn't just a collection of words. Grammar and construction of sentences is one thing. When I was learning English...

A lot of people comment on the UK's population eluctance to learn foreign languages.

The teaching of grammar, the rules of arranging words and getting the tense right, went out in the 70s in most state schools.

It's no wonder we can't learn foreign languages. Most of us don't even understand how our own works!

	28-06-2003 00:47									#62
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quote: I'm almost glad living with the Swabs

Poor boy. I'm glad I don't do any more.

And just to name some vegetables/fruits in Swabian:
Prestleng, Grombiere, Träubles, Gelb Riabe
(Erdbeeren, Kartoffeln, Johannisbeeren, Möhren/Karotten)
(fraises, pommes de terre, groseille ou cassis, carottes)

No translation here

	28-06-2003 09:29									#63
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real german. standard german. not kölsch, not bayerisch, and not that bastardized schwyzerduutch.

	28-06-2003 09:39									#64
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quote: Originally posted by Spiffor Tassadar : Learning French takes time. Much time. It is a complicated language with very many rules and a throng of exceptions. You should look for subtitled French movies (I'm sure any media-library has some for you to borrow), so that you get used with how it sounds.

Tell me about it! I've been taking French classes for the last 9 years and I still know nothing!

(Watch as I clumsily attempt to translate the above

Dites-moi par ce! J'ai etudié français pour neuf ans et je pense rien!

************

Damn you, Trudeau! Damn you, inferior small-town french teachers who don't actually know the language at all!

	28-06-2003 14:21									#65
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quote: Originally posted by cinch Tell me about it! I've been taking French classes for the last 9 years and I still know nothing! (Watch as I clumsily attempt to translate the above Dites-moi par ce! J'ai etudié français pour neuf ans et je pense rien!

If you have a problem,
and if no one else can help,
and if you can find him,
then you can call
Grammar Spiffor

(jingle)

The correct correction would be :
Ne m'en parlez pas ! J'ai étudié le Français pendant 9 ans et je ne sais toujours rien !
More accurately with the English sentence : Ne m'en parlez pas ! J'étudie le Français depuis 9 ans et je ne sais toujours rien !

"Ne m'en parlez pas" is an idiomatic expression. The literal translation would be "Don't tell me about it"

"le français" : languages are almost always referred with an article, for they are unique. The only exception I can think of is with the verb "parler" (speak), where it is as correct to use the article as not to use it.

"Pendant 9 ans" : The expression of duration is not expressed with "pour", but by "pendant". However, this word tends to express the complete duration of a task, rather than how much time you have invested until now in a work in progress. To this effect, it is better to use "depuis" (since) with the present tense.
The shift from English composed past (is that how you call the "have + ed" form ?) to the French one is a nightmare, and vice versa.

"Je ne sais toujours rien" : I can't tell for the Québecois, but over here, "know" is always "savoir" (except for some idiomatic expressions). "Think" is "penser".
"Still" translates as "toujours" when it means that something is continuing. Yep, it's the same word as "always"