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General Category => Off the Record => Topic started by: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 01:11:15 PM

Title: Languages and beauty
Post by: 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.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on 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.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Zanza on May 06, 2015, 01:14:21 PM
No worries, we think exactly the same about Polish and French. :hug:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Josquius on 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.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Malthus on 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.  ;)
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Admiral Yi on 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.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: celedhring on May 06, 2015, 01:27:57 PM
I like the musicality of Italian a lot myself. Finnish sounds literally like Elvish, too.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Solmyr on 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
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Solmyr on 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.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Grey Fox on May 06, 2015, 01:43:53 PM
Italian makes everything romatic.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: derspiess on 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.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Solmyr on May 06, 2015, 01:50:57 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 06, 2015, 01:43:53 PM
Italian makes everything romatic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOv-Ncs7vQk
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Crazy_Ivan80 on May 06, 2015, 01:59:23 PM
Quote from: Solmyr on May 06, 2015, 01:50:57 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 06, 2015, 01:43:53 PM
Italian makes everything romatic.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OOv-Ncs7vQk

Mussolini took his acting classes from Joey.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 02:02:43 PM
It is kind of charming how he sticks out his lower lip.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Grey Fox on May 06, 2015, 02:09:40 PM
I was called a small turd in Italian today.

It sounded so nice.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 02:17:32 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 06, 2015, 02:09:40 PM
I was called a small turd in Italian today.

It sounded so nice.

There has got to be a backstory to that.  :lol:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Pedrito on May 06, 2015, 02:37:24 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 06, 2015, 02:09:40 PM
I was called a small turd in Italian today.

It sounded so nice.
Stronzetto?  :lol:

I like Japanese, British English, and find Hindi extremely funny to listen to.
I love French when spoken by women, but hate it when spoken by men.
Spanish is spoken usually way too fast to appreciate the language.
I loathe Irish English, Arabic, Mandarin chinese. Dutch is a big messy mix of english and german.

L.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: MadImmortalMan on May 06, 2015, 03:13:58 PM
French is fine as long as it's being spoken by women.

Men...not so much.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:18:21 PM
Japanese and most Turkic languages are awesome.

And men sound lovely when we speak French :angry:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:20:03 PM
I gotta say I agree with MiM and Pedrito - French sounds much better spoken by women.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:23:47 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:20:03 PM
I gotta say I agree with MiM and Pedrito - French sounds much better spoken by women.

Et tu Marty :weep:

Even when that man is calling on the people to seize the powder in La Bastille? What about then?
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Admiral Yi on May 06, 2015, 03:33:01 PM
Shockingly, women seem to prefer it when men speak French.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:54:40 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:23:47 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:20:03 PM
I gotta say I agree with MiM and Pedrito - French sounds much better spoken by women.

Et tu Marty :weep:

Even when that man is calling on the people to seize the powder in La Bastille? What about then?

Fine, calling on fellow citizens to nurture the soil with the blood of tyrants is a properly manly use of French. :P
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 03:56:15 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:54:40 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:23:47 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:20:03 PM
I gotta say I agree with MiM and Pedrito - French sounds much better spoken by women.

Et tu Marty :weep:

Even when that man is calling on the people to seize the powder in La Bastille? What about then?


Fine, calling on fellow citizens to nurture the soil with the blood of tyrants is a properly manly use of French. :P

Sadly misplaced sentiments when out bar-hopping, or on a date.  ;)
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:58:24 PM
Quote from: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 03:56:15 PM
Sadly misplaced sentiments when out bar-hopping, or on a date.  ;)


It might work on me :blush:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:59:10 PM
Quote from: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 03:56:15 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:54:40 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:23:47 PM
Quote from: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:20:03 PM
I gotta say I agree with MiM and Pedrito - French sounds much better spoken by women.

Et tu Marty :weep:

Even when that man is calling on the people to seize the powder in La Bastille? What about then?


Fine, calling on fellow citizens to nurture the soil with the blood of tyrants is a properly manly use of French. :P

Sadly misplaced sentiments when out bar-hopping, or on a date.  ;)

Never dated a French guy but I could see it working for me.  :blush:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:59:39 PM
 :lol:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 03:59:45 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:58:24 PM
Quote from: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 03:56:15 PM
Sadly misplaced sentiments when out bar-hopping, or on a date.  ;)


It might work on me :blush:

You are my brother from a different mother.  :D
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 04:02:07 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 03:58:24 PM
Quote from: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 03:56:15 PM
Sadly misplaced sentiments when out bar-hopping, or on a date.  ;)


It might work on me :blush:

Wow. It's powerful enough an aphrodisiac of a phrase to turn you gay?  :hmm:

:P
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Martinus on May 06, 2015, 04:04:31 PM
French guys can be admittedly quite hot. Many of them are very boyish/twinky.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Monoriu on May 06, 2015, 06:00:37 PM
Quote from: Admiral Yi on May 06, 2015, 01:25:49 PM


Nicest sounding Asian language is probably Jap.


Only if spoken by a girl  ;)
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 06:17:17 PM
Quote from: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 04:02:07 PM
Wow. It's powerful enough an aphrodisiac of a phrase to turn you gay?  :hmm:

:P

I am Francosexual :P
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 06:23:31 PM
French is a beautiful language.

Portuguese is the ugliest and most pointless of the Romance languages.

I quite like Serbo-Croat and Scandi languages. Less keen on German (also I find German a very difficult language to try and speak on holiday, and it always sounds very, very camp - I sound like Lieutenant Gruber).

I also like Mandarin, Japanese, Russian and Arabic (though the latter two very much depend on the mood its spoken in :lol:).

Edit: Also I am very much excited by the prospect of hundreds of Marti-threads about French, France, Piketty and wine (he's learning French again, you know) :P
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: grumbler on May 06, 2015, 06:24:44 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 06:17:17 PM
I am Francosexual :P

I thought Franco was still dead.  :huh:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Ed Anger on May 06, 2015, 06:41:18 PM
German sounds like Klingon.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: dps on May 06, 2015, 06:43:03 PM
Quote from: grumbler on May 06, 2015, 06:24:44 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 06:17:17 PM
I am Francosexual :P

I thought Franco was still dead.  :huh:

Hey, we've become more accepting of all kinds of alternative sexual orientations.  Why not necrophilia?
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: The Larch on May 06, 2015, 07:01:24 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 06:23:31 PMPortuguese is the ugliest and most pointless of the Romance languages.

Obviously you haven't heard Romanian.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 07:04:43 PM
Quote from: The Larch on May 06, 2015, 07:01:24 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 06:23:31 PMPortuguese is the ugliest and most pointless of the Romance languages.

Obviously you haven't heard Romanian.
I have several Romanian friends :P (I almost said, including Romanian :lol:)

Portuguese sounds more Slavic than Romanian to me. It reminds me of Polish.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Eddie Teach on May 06, 2015, 07:11:32 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 06:23:31 PM
Edit: Also I am very much excited by the prospect of hundreds of Marti-threads about French, France, Piketty and wine (he's learning French again, you know) :P

He will be Valmy's new favorite poster.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: garbon on May 10, 2015, 06:11:06 PM
Quote from: dps on May 06, 2015, 06:43:03 PM
Quote from: grumbler on May 06, 2015, 06:24:44 PM
Quote from: Valmy on May 06, 2015, 06:17:17 PM
I am Francosexual :P

I thought Franco was still dead.  :huh:

Hey, we've become more accepting of all kinds of alternative sexual orientations.  Why not necrophilia?

<_<
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: The Larch on May 10, 2015, 06:14:57 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 07:04:43 PM
Quote from: The Larch on May 06, 2015, 07:01:24 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 06:23:31 PMPortuguese is the ugliest and most pointless of the Romance languages.

Obviously you haven't heard Romanian.
I have several Romanian friends :P (I almost said, including Romanian :lol:)

Portuguese sounds more Slavic than Romanian to me. It reminds me of Polish.

Slavic? How so? Pronunciation is weird (particulary for Portugal's Portuguese), but not Polish level weird.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Duque de Bragança on May 10, 2015, 06:19:16 PM
Quote from: The Larch on May 10, 2015, 06:14:57 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 07:04:43 PM
Quote from: The Larch on May 06, 2015, 07:01:24 PM
Quote from: Sheilbh on May 06, 2015, 06:23:31 PMPortuguese is the ugliest and most pointless of the Romance languages.

Obviously you haven't heard Romanian.
I have several Romanian friends :P (I almost said, including Romanian :lol:)

Portuguese sounds more Slavic than Romanian to me. It reminds me of Polish.

Slavic? How so? Pronunciation is weird (particulary for Portugal's Portuguese), but not Polish level weird.

He's a Brit, they're even worse than the French for languages.

Slavic speakers would perhaps say Portuguese is weird, but like weird Castilian or Italian.
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Valmy on May 11, 2015, 07:55:17 AM
Quote from: grumbler on May 06, 2015, 06:24:44 PM
I thought Franco was still dead.  :huh:

Generalissimo Francisco Franco will never die in my heart :wub:
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Syt on May 11, 2015, 08:03:58 AM
Quote from: derspiess on May 06, 2015, 01:45:08 PM
French is pleasing to the ear

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3iXGbJKjNxU
Title: Re: Languages and beauty
Post by: Grey Fox on May 11, 2015, 08:16:34 AM
Quote from: Pedrito on May 06, 2015, 02:37:24 PM
Quote from: Grey Fox on May 06, 2015, 02:09:40 PM
I was called a small turd in Italian today.

It sounded so nice.
Stronzetto?  :lol:

Yes.

Quote from: Malthus on May 06, 2015, 02:17:32 PM
There has got to be a backstory to that.  :lol:

Not really, I just have an Italian coworker that is also an asshole & I am is padawan.