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Language proficiency poll

Started by Maladict, June 23, 2016, 06:03:33 AM

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How much of a polyglot are you?

<5 points
3 (6.1%)
5 points
2 (4.1%)
5.5 - 7 points
13 (26.5%)
7.5 - 10 points
14 (28.6%)
10.5 - 15 points
7 (14.3%)
15.5 - 20 points
8 (16.3%)
20.5 - 25 points
2 (4.1%)
>25 points
0 (0%)

Total Members Voted: 48

Zanza

An Italian colleague of mine speaks Italian, German, English, Spanish, French and Romanian pretty much flawless and can speak some Polish and Russian.

Josquius

Latins cheat <_<

I wish there was more recognition for now diadvantaged us english speakers are
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Liep

Quote from: Tyr on June 25, 2016, 01:32:15 PM
Latins cheat <_<

I wish there was more recognition for now diadvantaged us english speakers are

I think we all recognise your diadvantage. :console:
"Af alle latterlige Ting forekommer det mig at være det allerlatterligste at have travlt" - Kierkegaard

"JamenajmenømahrmDÆ!DÆ! Æhvnårvaæhvadlelæh! Hvor er det crazy, det her, mand!" - Uffe Elbæk

The Larch

Quote from: Tyr on June 25, 2016, 01:32:15 PM
Latins cheat <_<

I wish there was more recognition for now diadvantaged us english speakers are

Give me a fucking break. Disadvantaged? My ass.

Admiral Yi

Quote from: The Larch on June 25, 2016, 05:56:10 PM
Give me a fucking break. Disadvantaged? My ass.

The argument is not totally without merit.  Y'all can fall out of bed and learn 3 or 4 other Romance languages.

The Larch

Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 25, 2016, 06:05:03 PM
Quote from: The Larch on June 25, 2016, 05:56:10 PM
Give me a fucking break. Disadvantaged? My ass.

The argument is not totally without merit.  Y'all can fall out of bed and learn 3 or 4 other Romance languages.

As if English is a special snowflake language with no other similar ones around.

Admiral Yi

Quote from: The Larch on June 25, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
As if English is a special snowflake language with no other similar ones around.

What are you thinking of, German?  Certainly not as close to English as the Romance languages are to each other.

The Larch

Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 25, 2016, 06:35:10 PM
Quote from: The Larch on June 25, 2016, 06:13:33 PM
As if English is a special snowflake language with no other similar ones around.

What are you thinking of, German?  Certainly not as close to English as the Romance languages are to each other.

German, Dutch, the various scandies. Make the effort, it's not as if we learn other romance languages just by blinking.

mongers

0.5 point for schoolboy french.

4.5 points proficiency in gibberish. 
"We have it in our power to begin the world over again"

MadBurgerMaker

#54
Quote from: Admiral Yi on June 23, 2016, 03:46:50 PM
Which one follows English syntax?  I know there are two.

British Sign Language, I assume.  ASL is based on the French one.  From what little I was taught about it (also took ASL in college for a couple electives heh), BSL is pretty different.

viper37

Quote from: Maladict on June 23, 2016, 06:03:33 AM
Met a few true polyglots recently, fluent in 4-5 languages and fairly proficient in several more. Pretty impressive.
I'm wondering how Languish stacks up  :P

Count the scores for each language (including your native language), you get 0.5 point if only one of speaking/reading applies.

Quote
Language Proficiency Definitions

0 - No Practical Speaking/Reading Proficiency

1 - Elementary Proficiency
Speaking: Able to satisfy routine travel needs and minimum courtesy requirements.
Reading: Able to read isolated phrases and fragments of a text.

2 - Limited Working Proficiency
Speaking: Able to satisfy routine social demands and limited work requirements.
Reading: Able to read simple prose, in a form equivalent to typescript or printing, on subjects within a familiar context.

3 - Minimum Professional Proficiency
Speaking: Able to speak the language with sufficient structural accuracy and vocabulary to participate effectively in most formal and informal conversations on practical, social, and professional topics.
Reading: Able to read standard newspaper items addressed to the general reader, routine correspondence, reports, and technical materials in the individual's special field.

4 - Full Professional Proficiency
Speaking: Able to use the language fluently and accurately on all levels pertinent to professional needs.
Reading: Able to read all styles and forms of the language pertinent to professional needs.

5 - Native or Bilingual Proficiency
Speaking: Equivalent to that of an educated native speaker.
Reading: Equivalent to that of an educated native.


9.  I can speak French, and my english level is ok for my job.  Don't know how I'd fare if I had to explain a health problem to a US doctor from Jamaican origin though.  Would most likely not be able to communicate in some non standards english dialects, like specific regional British or Australian accent.

I've forgotten most of my latin, so I did not even count it.  I can manage to understand some languages with the help of Google Translate and Wikipedia.
I don't do meditation.  I drink alcohol to relax, like normal people.

If Microsoft Excel decided to stop working overnight, the world would practically end.

dps

Quote from: viper37 on June 25, 2016, 09:15:28 PM
Would most likely not be able to communicate in some non standards english dialects

That's true even for some of us who are native speakers of what might be viewed as "mainstream" British or American dialects, at least as far a verbal communications go.

Richard Hakluyt

Let me see now :

English
Scottish
Irish
American
Canadian
South African
Australian
Kiwi

At least 40 points  :yeah:

Liep

Quote from: Richard Hakluyt on June 26, 2016, 03:30:56 AM
Let me see now :

English
Scottish
Irish
American
Canadian
South African
Australian
Kiwi

At least 40 points  :yeah:


I was going to add Danish dialects too, but then realised I would probably only get a few points total from bornholmsk, nordenfjordsk, sønderjysk, etc. :(
"Af alle latterlige Ting forekommer det mig at være det allerlatterligste at have travlt" - Kierkegaard

"JamenajmenømahrmDÆ!DÆ! Æhvnårvaæhvadlelæh! Hvor er det crazy, det her, mand!" - Uffe Elbæk

Josquius

There are (dumb) people who  genuinely say Scots is another language :hmm:

Other than that though, yup. What Yi said.
Frisian is the closest to english but not worth learning.
Next.... toss up between Dutch and swedish/norwegian. Both of which are kind of pointless to learn since people from there all speak english. And all of which have a hell of a lot of Germanic vocabulary that we don't.
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