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Languages and beauty

Started by Martinus, May 06, 2015, 01:11:15 PM

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Martinus

May 06, 2015, 01:11:15 PM
I am on vacation right now in the Canary Islands and the hotel I am in has always been a favourite destination for Germans. I don't speak German (I tried learning it but gave up) but I was always mildly annoyed hearing German tourists speak - and I always assumed this is the case for all foreign languages - you are just instinctively put on edge by people saying something you don't understand.

Until today when I was sitting next to a table occupied by an elderly French couple. I did not understand a lot (I don't speak French as well to be able to overhear a distant conversation yet) but this language is just so beautiful. I don't know if I am genetically/historically prejudiced against German but these two languages sound like the Black Tongue and the Elven language of LOTR movies respectively.

Sorry, Germans. I like you as a modern nation probably more than I like the French but your language is barbaric, brutish and nasty while French is melodic, poetic and inspiring.

Valmy

#1
May 06, 2015, 01:13:20 PM
I really hate Mandarin Chinese. An unbelievably annoying sounding language.

Polish drives me nuts because it sounds like Russian...then German...then Russian...then German again. I have a hard time even understanding why that is but it gives me a headache.

When I am abroad I really get in touch with how terrible American English sounds being said by Americans.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Zanza

#2
May 06, 2015, 01:14:21 PM
No worries, we think exactly the same about Polish and French. :hug:

Josquius

#3
May 06, 2015, 01:18:02 PM
I disagree enormously. No offence Francophones but I find French to be a very ugly language.
It takes the general beauty of latin languages (Italian :wub:) and barbarises it.
German on the other hand...not a sexy language by any measure but it has a charm.

Tonal languages also aren't too pretty. I don't like Thai at all.

I find Japanese to be rather beautiful.
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Malthus

#4
May 06, 2015, 01:22:35 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 01:11:15 PM
I am on vacation right now in the Canary Islands and the hotel I am in has always been a favourite destination for Germans. I don't speak German (I tried learning it but gave up) but I was always mildly annoyed hearing German tourists speak - and I always assumed this is the case for all foreign languages - you are just instinctively put on edge by people saying something you don't understand.

Until today when I was sitting next to a table occupied by an elderly French couple. I did not understand a lot (I don't speak French as well to be able to overhear a distant conversation yet) but this language is just so beautiful. I don't know if I am genetically/historically prejudiced against German but these two languages sound like the Black Tongue and the Elven language of LOTR movies respectively.

Sorry, Germans. I like you as a modern nation probably more than I like the French but your language is barbaric, brutish and nasty while French is melodic, poetic and inspiring.

"I speak Spanish to God, Italian to Women, French to Men, and German to my Horse".

I would add: I speak Polish to my plumber.  ;)
The object of life is not to be on the side of the majority, but to escape finding oneself in the ranks of the insane—Marcus Aurelius

Admiral Yi

#5
May 06, 2015, 01:25:49 PM
Chink is ugly, kraut is ugly.

Nicest sounding Asian language is probably Jap.

Other Asian languages are not necessarily ugly but they just sound ridiculous.  Like Thai: Blim bom yup yoo bang.

Actually ridiculous might be a better description for Chinese than ugly.

celedhring

#6
May 06, 2015, 01:27:57 PM
I like the musicality of Italian a lot myself. Finnish sounds literally like Elvish, too.

Solmyr

#7
May 06, 2015, 01:40:47 PM
Quote from: celedhring on May 06, 2015, 01:27:57 PM
I like the musicality of Italian a lot myself. Finnish sounds literally like Elvish, too.

That's because it's Quenya. :P

Solmyr

#8
May 06, 2015, 01:42:51 PM
I've heard romantic and ugly speech in both German and French. :P Also, I speak Russian and I understand around 50% of Polish speech, though I couldn't speak it myself much at all.

Grey Fox

#9
May 06, 2015, 01:43:53 PM
Italian makes everything romatic.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.

derspiess

#10
May 06, 2015, 01:45:08 PM
French is pleasing to the ear, and German is as well in its own way when it is spoken clearly.  I just wish my German pronunciation was proficient.  I practice it a fair bit but just can't perfect it.
"If you can play a guitar and harmonica at the same time, like Bob Dylan or Neil Young, you're a genius. But make that extra bit of effort and strap some cymbals to your knees, suddenly people want to get the hell away from you."  --Rich Hall

Valmy

#13
May 06, 2015, 02:02:43 PM
It is kind of charming how he sticks out his lower lip.
Quote"This is a Russian warship. I propose you lay down arms and surrender to avoid bloodshed & unnecessary victims. Otherwise, you'll be bombed."

Zmiinyi defenders: "Russian warship, go fuck yourself."

Grey Fox

#14
May 06, 2015, 02:09:40 PM
I was called a small turd in Italian today.

It sounded so nice.
Colonel Caliga is Awesome.
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