The Off Topic Topic

[Ideologue]

 

[katmai]

Did Mongers get fed up with us or was he hit whilst on his bike?

[Admiral Yi]

I was thinking the same thing.  Maybe our British posters could check their radiator grills?

[Josquius]

I've lost my notebook. Gremlins obviously took it. Anger.

[Eddie Teach]

Ed's gremlins are notorious for that.

[Maladict]

Did Mongers get fed up with us or was he hit whilst on his bike?

He said he'd be gone for a while in December I think.

[The Larch]

So, my laptop went off suddenly and without warning and now won't turn on again. That's a bad thing, right? 

[The Brain]

Story of my wife.

[Ed Anger]

Ed's gremlins are notorious for that.

[DGuller]

Story of my wife.

[Josquius]

Whatever happened to IKK anyway?

[Eddie Teach]

He got rubbed the wrong way.

[Duque de Bragança]

In my experience, at least in Europe, the more users a language has, the worse their English will be. Maybe because there's a big enough market for dubbed shows, while smaller communities rely on subtitles.

That's my perception as well. Maybe the exception are Germans, which have the most spoken language in Europe yet seem to have a more than acceptable grasp of English (although I wouldn't say great when talking on average)

That does not explain also why small central and eastern European countries insist on dubbing, such as the Czech republic,  Slovakia or Hungary; I agree with the effect of dubbing on learning  languages.
The choice of dubbing was mostly politically by nationalist reasons under dictatorships, as well as having a big lobby of unemployed theatre actors

As for German, well guess what, English is a Germanic language... The Germans with their tough grammar are heavy duty.
Television-wise, there's much more original language TV on French TV than on German or Austrian TV. Sadly, only for English except for premium cinema channels or very specific spots on mainstream TV.
As for cinemas, the contrast between Paris and Berlin is hugely favourable towards Paris in terms of choice and original versions (not just for English unlike Germany ), but less so in the province, though still in favour.

[Tamas]

The picture that tells more than a thousand words. Photo taken in a Job center (I mean one of the state run regional offices), in Hungary 2014.

Left column reads: "job offers from abroad" right column reads: "job offers"

[DGuller]

  No one wants to work abroad?