Didn't see THAT coming, did you?

[JoitheArtist]

Thing is that although I was born in england and live there now, and have no Welsh accent at all, i lived in North Wales for nore than thirteen years, including being educated there.

I am envious!! Welsh is a lovely language--I've been enthralled with it since high school.

I can't speak any languages other than English, more's the pity. I know some words and phrases in a bunch of random languages, though: Spanish, Norse, Icelandic, Anglo-Saxon, Middle English, Welsh, and Latin.

And I can often pronounce random words in Polish and Welsh, at least, more so than my friends can. And can sing along to a couple of my Welsh cds (droooooool, Bryn Terfel...)

I probably know more Latin than anything else...my friend and I occasionally amuse each other by saying, when rain clouds fill the sky, "Tut tut, pluvii impendit!" ("Tut tut, it looks like rain!" in Latin).

Sigh. I like languages...I just suck at them. Damn declensions.

[Caffienated_Caramel]

Don't feel bad. I grew up in Phoenix, a town with a very high Hispanic population and close proximity to Mexico, and I only know a smattering of Spanish myself (and am better at written Spanish than spoken Spanish). I am horrible with languages!

Aw don't feel bad. I live there too and I can hardly understand a lick of it.

[Pagan]

This why I wish I was completely bilingual.

I can speak enough Spanish to get by (3 years and a trip to Mexico ) but if I were to get cussed out or insulted by our large Spanish-speaking clientele, I'm dead in the water.

El bano? Donde esta?

Don't feel bad. I grew up in Phoenix, a town with a very high Hispanic population and close proximity to Mexico, and I only know a smattering of Spanish myself (and am better at written Spanish than spoken Spanish). I am horrible with languages!

Hey, I was born and raised in Las Cruces, NM. About 30 miles from the border. People are either surprised that I don't speak Spanish or they think I just moved here 5 minutes ago. You should see the looks on their faces when I not only pronounce something correctly but with all accents....

Despite that, I never learned Spanish. I understand a lot and can read it, but it's more because I speak French.

That being said, chingada, I can swear like a sailor in Spanish....and French....and (very) little bit of Scots and Gaelic.

[Jay 2K Winger]

I've told the story a few times, but I'll do it again:

The little Hispanic boy who ran up to me at work one day, grinning, and said, "Tu eres gordo!" (You're fat!) And who got a glare from Yours Truly and a response of, "Y tu eres feo!" (And you're ugly!) He looked shocked and ran off.

[phantasy]

I wish I could do that, just tell people off in their own language after they've just insulted me in it. However, I'm guilty of being one of those people that speak loudly in my native language in places that don't speak English. I now live in Peru, but born and raised in Maryland. Every so often, I'll comment on something that you would never say out loud in public, i.e. "Do you see that fat lady? Just shoot me if I ever end up looking like her!" to someone with me, and then realize what I just said, and hope that the person I just commented on didn't understand me.

I really hope I don't do the same if I go back to the U.S.

Oh well...Ill work on my spanish so I can pwn the spanish-speakers back in MD

[Crossbow]

I wish I could do that, and I do know a couple of other languages besides English. My college roommate, however, had a beautiful one.

When he was younger, his father was a US attaché to Myanmar. Apparently some young local boy decided that seeing a Caucasian wandering around the streets of Rangoon was odd enough to comment on, rather loudly. According to my friend, the comment was "Mommy, look at the funny looking man!"

My friend's dad turned to the boy, crouched down to his level, and in perfect Burmese replied, "I understood what you said and I think you're a very rude little boy." My roommate wasn't sure who screamed louder: the kid or his mother.

[noone]

I'm currently learning American Sign Language, and know the basics, (including insults). It won't be that useful on the phone, or, y'know, any place outside the US and a few parts of Canada...

[dalesys]

I'm currently learning American Sign Language, and know the basics, (including insults). It won't be that useful on the phone, or, y'know, any place outside the US and a few parts of Canada...

Maybe SmileyEagle can help you.

[Pagan]

I'm currently learning American Sign Language, and know the basics, (including insults). It won't be that useful on the phone, or, y'know, any place outside the US and a few parts of Canada...

Well, I do know some hand gestures, but I don't think that they're ASL....

[RetailWorkhorse]

People's done that to me as well. Since I don't speak anything but English and "Ar-Dubya", I start ranting off in Randomocity.

My g/f has managed to do that a few time while we're out and about. It does help that she speaks 12 languages though!

Your girlfriend's brain. I wish to pick it.

[Marmalady]

This is when I bless my aptitude for languages - like when I was at a till serving a couple of German guys, and after dealing with me in English (and very good English at that) one turned to the other and commented in German that I had a great pair of....... well I'm sure you can guess...His face when I gave him a sweet smile and said 'Danke!' - he went all colours of the rainbow......

[noone]

Well, I do know some hand gestures, but I don't think that they're ASL....

When speaking with the hearing, yep, they use those, although there is a different sign for "F off" than just the bird. If I didn't get banned on youtube, I'd post a few of the 'important' signs. XD

[sweetj82]

my manager is white with blonde hair and green eyes.

well a customer one time insulted our store and all our associates and called her a crazy white racist bitch.

in spanish my manager said if you are going to talk about my associates and me like that you can leave now.

well this group was so shocked they basically ran out the door.


its great to hear her break out in spanish and the look on the customers face

[Chromatix]

I think there are four languages (counting my native English) that I can swear, order food, and buy train tickets in - and say "Do you speak English". That's probably eough for survival.