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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6700
Registered: 9-5-2003
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gnu=
You rival DK in the "I" category.
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Pacifico
Super Nomad
Posts: 1299
Registered: 5-26-2008
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I can't help but think....
What if there was a website called "U.S. Nomad" and there was a thread called "Why can't Mexicans learn English?
There are plenty of Mexicans living in the U.S. that don't know English or even attempt to learn it....
I think that there are people on both sides of the fence (no pun intended) that desire to learn and others that have no desire to learn.
To each his own......By the way, my spanglish is coming along quite nicely!!!
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gnukid
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4411
Registered: 7-2-2006
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| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
gnu=
You rival DK in the "I" category. |
Ahora Mismo! Compras un boleto de clases de espagnol y ganas!
You too can derive financial benefits from learning foreign languages, you will meet people and make new friends.
Marketing speak more up your alley? Dork.
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Osprey
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3694
Registered: 5-23-2004
Location: Baja Ca. Sur
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Many of the Mexican in my little village use very few words to communicate in Spanish. It's not quite Spanish. Many of them don't read much, haven't
been students of their own language -- just didn't have the opportunity or incentive. So why should I hope they would try to learn English? How would
they go about that without a basic understanding of Spanish? While I get along fine speaking pueblo with them we don't have many chances to get deeper
than that. Meanwhile I go deeper every day into my own language and find much pleasure learning more about it.
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Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
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Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
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Here's to You, oldlady
Nice catch. (Or putt or whatever; DO NOT WANT to revisit that can of worms).
"I am profoundly convinced that every nationalism offers humanity only the greatest unhappiness... It is true that the nationalism of oppressed
peoples -- as a natural self-defensive reaction -- is much more excusable than the nationalism of peoples who oppress; but, if the nationalism of the
strong is ignoble, the nationalism of the weak is imprudent; both give birth to and support each other…”
--Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof
[Edited on 12-15-2009 by Gypsy Jan]
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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vandenberg
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5118
Registered: 6-21-2005
Location: Nopolo
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Mood: mellow
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Age has a lot to do with your learning ability, but lots of other factors can come into play. I immigrated at the ripe old age of 25. Had a good
English school base, but that's not sufficient to come to a foreign country and start to make a living. But, since it becomes a necessity if you want
to succeed, you get with the program.
Now, like I, you come to a foreign country at retirement age, the process becomes of different value. The necessity is not there and it becomes up to
you how much you're willing to pour into that worked over mind. Difficult, to say the least.
I speak 2 languages fluently and in my youth used to be also fluent in German. But as a result of non usage, a foreign language is soon forgotten.
Never had much problem with germanic languages, but the romanic ones always have sound much like abacadabra to me. At 74, I get by just fine and the
old adage "Don't sweat the small stuff" seems very befitting here. And btw, being from Europe, we're used to traveling a few hundred miles and go
through 2 to3 different language regions. Nobody has any problems there. Make an a$$ swipe if you want toilet paper.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6700
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Glad yoy signed it "Dork". I was worried there for a minute.
| Quote: | Originally posted by gnukid
| Quote: | Originally posted by rts551
gnu=
You rival DK in the "I" category. |
Ahora Mismo! Compras un boleto de clases de espagnol y ganas!
You too can derive financial benefits from learning foreign languages, you will meet people and make new friends.
Marketing speak more up your alley? Dork. |
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Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
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My first lanuage has always been "Texan"!
When I was a young lad and it got to be contton picking time at our Farm, my Dad made my brother and i Pick Cotton right along with the mexicano
Families that would come up each year for harvest. Learned" P-nche"" right off.
Later when I went into the tool business in the Central Valley of Calif. I could see that there were lots of mexicano Customers so I got my Customers
to help me with all of the popular words. They got a big kick out of it.
Then for awhile I had a Bedroom Dictionary. But Whoa!! maybe I had better pass that one by.
I try to encourage all Kids American and Mexicano to learn both lanuages . tEll them it is :Mas Dinero in the Bolsa, Mas Tarde""
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Santiago
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3531
Registered: 8-27-2003
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Gypsy Jan
Nice catch. (Or putt or whatever; DO NOT WANT to revisit that can of worms).
"I am profoundly convinced that every nationalism offers humanity only the greatest unhappiness... It is true that the nationalism of oppressed
peoples -- as a natural self-defensive reaction -- is much more excusable than the nationalism of peoples who oppress; but, if the nationalism of the
strong is ignoble, the nationalism of the weak is imprudent; both give birth to and support each other…”
--Ludovic Lazarus Zamenhof |
Oh, that Zamenhof. I had him confused with Rasta Pharin Zamenhof and it just wasn't making any sense. Completely forgot about Lazarus.
SS: you are one frightening lady.
Does essence predate existence?
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Skeet/Loreto
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4709
Registered: 9-2-2003
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Most of the time when I was first trying my Spanish in Baja, the folks would laugh and Giggle and then help with the correct way to say the word.
They would get a big kick out of it, then would be very embarassed when they could not say the English Word.
Great people!
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Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
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Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
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Yes, That Zamenhof
On another note, "You only Scare the Ones You Love." 
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Skeet/Loreto
Most of the time when I was first trying my Spanish in Baja, the folks would laugh and Giggle and then help with the correct way to say the word.
They would get a big kick out of it, then would be very embarassed when they could not say the English Word.
Great people! |
Beyond the whole concept of Americans doing something to have their children become better citizens of the world by diligently learning a foreign
language, Those of us older folks, who struggle, should take some solace in the idea that even though you don't know how to change from tense to
tense, your Mexican friends will appreciate your trying, and offer to help you.
Years ago. Many years ago. I found myself stranded alone, outside of a cantina in Cancun (The city, not the resort). I hailed a cab. The driver spoke
few words of English, and I had limited Spanish, that was affected by my fear of sounding stupid. But, the cervesas and shots consumed during the
evening blew through my self-consciousness, and we had the most astounding conversation as he was driving me to my hotel. It took many years after
that for me to have as rewarding conversation as I did that night.
[Edited on 12-16-2009 by Bajahowodd]
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MrBillM
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 21656
Registered: 8-20-2003
Location: Out and About
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Mood: It's a Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah Day
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Key Phrasing
I was once told that the most important phrase to learn was:
Donde esta las Putas ?
However, that turned out not to be true.
They were never hard to find.
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tjBill
Senior Nomad
Posts: 516
Registered: 10-6-2007
Location: Tijuana
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Contrary to popular belief, children do not learn languages faster. Check the facts,
http://www.language-learning-advisor.com/age-and-language-le...
[Edited on 12-16-2009 by tjBill]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65287
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Who here thinks we can't really learn... or maybe just doesn't want to...?
I speak some Spanish almost daily, and try to speak as much as I can in Mexico... I would sure like to be fluent, and maybe someday I will be.
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Woooosh
Banned
Posts: 5240
Registered: 1-28-2007
Location: Rosarito Beach
Member Is Offline
Mood: Luminescent Waves at Rosarito Beach
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| Quote: | Originally posted by MrBillM
The next time a Mexican asks "How did you Americans" win WWII ?
Just say that those "Germans" and "Japanese" were tough, but If we'd been fighting Mexico, it would have been over in a few weeks. Or days.
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The French and Italians at least had guns to drop when they ran- Mexicans aren't alowed to bear arms and show no enthusiam for becoming civil
warriors.
\"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing\"
1961- JFK to Canadian parliament (Edmund Burke)
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Ken Cooke
Elite Nomad
Posts: 8964
Registered: 2-9-2004
Location: Riverside, CA
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Mood: Pole Line Road postponed due to injury
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I speak 98% (Castillian) Spanish at home. Traveling in Baja, it is difficult to get the locals to speak Spanish to an American.
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DENNIS
Platinum Nomad
Posts: 29510
Registered: 9-2-2006
Location: Punta Banda
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Ken Cooke
Traveling in Baja, it is difficult to get the locals to speak Spanish to an American. |
 What do they speak, Ken? Chinese?
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Mexicorn
Senior Nomad
Posts: 772
Registered: 9-15-2009
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| Quote: | Originally posted by arrowhead
| Quote: | Originally posted by surebought
The 17 year old Mexican soldiers with Machine Guns that I hear a lot about on this board always address me as jefe. Then they ask what I dedicate
myself to. They don't ask where I work or what my profession is....
, but I would like to know because I find it embarrassing sometimes when a Mexican asks me, "How did you guys ever win World War Two.
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Well, let me embarrass you even more. You are misunderstanding Spanish. The common question you are asked by the soldiers is, "y a que te dedicas?"
It is how you ask, "What do you do for a living?" in Spanish. They are not asking you to what you dedicated your life. And the next time a Mexican
asks you how we ever won WWII you should ask them how the Mexican Space Program is coming along, or when they think they will have a particle collider
for sub-atomic research.
Kindly do me a favor, and never apologize to a Mexican for the United States again. Mexico is already full of America-hating Americans. It is how they
rationalize their life's failures while they wait for their liver to bust from alcoholism or to cough up their lungs from the 3 daily packs of
cigarettes they smoke.
Now I'll turn this over to BajaGabacho to tell me I don't know WTF "y a que te dedicas?" means. |
Have you been hanging out at the Splash?
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oldlady
Banned
Posts: 1714
Registered: 10-31-2005
Location: BCS
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Choked on my egg nog on that one, Dennis.
[Edited on 12-16-2009 by oldlady]
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