401–410 of 435 posts
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I don't get your sarcasm. How do 'wealthy parents who are legacies at Harvard' constitute a language in any form?
Ugh, you’re right. I guess they’re as orthogonal to bilingualism and spoken languages as programming languages and math are. My mistake.
If your not going to clarify, I'm going to move on.
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You do know that within that spectrum there are thousands of useful and fun activities, right? It's not "learn a million languages or be a meth head".
Why don't you share some of the amazing skills you've acquired through not learning languages?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of...
Remember, always attack the idea, not the person.
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Why don't you share some of the amazing skills you've acquired through not learning languages?
I speak 3 different languages, 2 at C2 level and 1 at ~B2 level. I understand 2 more at about B1 level. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of... Remember, always attack the idea, not the person.
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Why don't you share some of the amazing skills you've acquired through not learning languages?
I speak 3 different languages, 2 at C2 level and 1 at ~B2 level. I understand 2 more at about B1 level. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of... Remember, always attack the idea, not the person.
Why do you think that bolsters your idea?
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Oui, but I also forgot that “phrase” exists in English. I grew to like English this way: massive corpus made of anglo-saxon plus French.
“Anglo-Saxon” is a bit of a broad term… you might describe Modern English as Mercian (an Anglian dialect), with lots of Saxon, Old Norse, and Old Norman influences. As well as other influences; I think those are the big ones. Just to give an example of why “Anglo-Saxon” might be too broad a term—surviving Old English texts like Beowulf are in what you might call Late West Saxon, and the differences between Saxon and…
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I speak 3 different languages, 2 at C2 level and 1 at ~B2 level. I understand 2 more at about B1 level. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_European_Framework_of... Remember, always attack the idea, not the person.
So you haven't actually learned any great skills through avoiding learning languages? Why do you think that bolsters your idea?
I have also noticed by moving to a country which is hyper focused on everyone learning many languages that it creates a ton of resentment and loss of other abilities, for example reduced STEM skills.
So the opportunity cost is real.
As someone fluent in four languages*, I agree. I would even argue that the opposite of an advantage is true. Consider this: it adds unnecessary cognitive load. When trying to think of a word, it comes to you in four different languages, which isn't helpful! I speak four languages out of necessity, not by choice. When you can focus on fewer languages, your proficiency in them improves. Although I can speak four langua…
I also speak the same four languages plus one more. I do consider there are advantages to speaking several languages. I learned from English that you can be very precise, but also economical in exposition of complex matter. I learned from Russian how incredibly powerful and nuanced a language can be (too bad it is currently used to scare people everywhere). I always say that "you can translate anything into Russian"…
Overall, I am fluent in 4 languages, 2 were acquired early from the environment, 1 in my childhood, and 1 as an adult. Only English proved to be truly useful in life and it is the only language that I actually enjoy using. I dream of living in an English-speaking country and never touching any other language again. I know, it's a weird sentiment.
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I also speak the same four languages plus one more. I do consider there are advantages to speaking several languages. I learned from English that you can be very precise, but also economical in exposition of complex matter. I learned from Russian how incredibly powerful and nuanced a language can be (too bad it is currently used to scare people everywhere). I always say that "you can translate anything into Russian"…
> I learned from Russian how incredibly powerful and nuanced a language can be (too bad it is currently used to scare people everywhere). I always say that "you can translate anything into Russian" and, if you have the skill, it will carry over the original style, atmosphere, and colour. Not sure how to explain this, but e.g., you can almost get a feel for the New-York accent reading a good translation into Russian.…
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You say it like it's a bad thing. This is an awesome way to provide both an extra language when kids don't have much else to do and fit it easy to pick them up, _and_ it saves on costs? What could be better?
better could be having a work life balance system or remote work setting where the child can grow up with the love and attention a caring mother could provide
In some countries everybody is convinced that you should send away your kids early so they learn to "socialize", whatever that is. If you don't do it you are insane and a threat to society.
In some countries everybody is convinced that you should wait years longer before you send away your kids, because they are not biologically developed enough yet to be away from the mother. If you send them early you are insane and a threat to society.
What seems to be the rule is that 99% will defend the status quo or what their government says, no matter what the status quo is and no matter what it is their government is actually saying. During the pandemic, this meant that literal science around the virus was different depending on where you lived and who ruled you - and few people thought that was strange.
As for caring for young children, I think it depends mostly on the mother. Some mothers think it's boring to take care of their kids after a while or even hate being with their children all the time. They should leave them with day care or a relative if they can. Some mothers love spending all their time with their kids. It's a shame if they have to leave them with day care because they have to work to pay more taxes and tributes.
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I read your comment (fascinating!) and the parent, and I'm thinking a language is a tool, and like all tools, what matters most is how you use it.
When language is a tool, it is a tool like a person is a tool.