The new chat thread - now with bitter arguing

[plintus]

It's really cool that you know sign language, but which? US English or what? Because there are a lot of varieties.

It was a joke, actually, along the lines of "middle finger sign language"

And you should know "perkele", too

 

[RampageSword]

My repertoire is quite sad compared to all you freak linguists.

All I master is French and English. I could say I speak Québécois but it's not an official language or dialect yet. (even though the French can't understand half of it )

I also know some Spanish and I have battled a little against modern Greek but to no avail. Maybe one day I'll give it another shot.

 

[Defiance]

It was a joke, actually, along the lines of "middle finger sign language"

And you should know "perkele", too

Haha I knew it was going to be something like that, but I still asked . Hahaha sign language .

Oh yeah "perkele" too, second word I learnt after "kiitos" (thanks COB , I guess).

My repertoire is quite sad compared to all you freak linguists.

All I master is French and English. I could say I speak Québécois but it's not an official language or dialect yet. (even though the French can't understand half of it )

I also know some Spanish and I have battled a little against modern Greek but to no avail. Maybe one day I'll give it another shot.

Hehe freak linguists, thanks . Well Québécois is certainly a whole language on its own, even if it's not official. Take Napoletano (Neapolitan), it was only made an "official" language like 1 week ago or something. So in reality you speak 3 languages .

Oh and thanks for the questionnaire, sorry I forgot to reply.

Sometimes the variety is so big that the dialect becomes a language of its own, even if it shares the same or similar bases with the "original" or main language. In Costa Rica the best case is Mekatelyu (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mekatelyu), but it's rarely used even in Limón nowadays because they prefer to speak US English .

 

[Villain]

Sauna, sisu ja perkele! The three Finnish words people around the world know.

Hehe well Anime usually uses simple Japanese, and I don't really recommend learning Japanese through Anime to be honest. It's too informal and they add "-chyuus" and "-yahous" etc. to many words, and that is not used in real life amongst "normal" people. I'd say not even in an Anime convention, unless people are talking about a specific series or character. Crazy japs.

Well, I'm not really interested in learning any other Japanese than that very anime-language I'm already familiar with - I have no other use for Japanese than understanding anime. But if I ever change my mind, I'll remember your words.

Haha I've really been wanting to learn Finnish for a long time, maybe after German. The only thing I know is "kiitos" and "jää" (ice). Btw, how do you pronounce the latter? Like /ǰæ:/ or /ǰɛ:/ or what?

My memory of phonetic symbols is flimsy at best, but I'd say the former is much closer. The latter would be the Swedish way to pronounce it, I believe (and Finnish and Swedish are pronounced very differently).

And many non-native speakers who study a foreign language usually end up knowing more about said language than the native ones hehe.

True, but I'm yet to meet a German who can't properly spell everyday declensions, yet I know many native Finns who struggle with understanding the difference between such simple sentences as:

Menemme ulos = (we) go out

and

Mennään ulos = (some people) go out (passive form)

Most people (myself included) use the latter (incorrect) form when speaking of themselves, but writing like that is simply wrong - and yet there are thousands of Finns who don't understand it.

Oh was finlandssvenska the one that Finntroll uses?

I don't know, but I'd guess yes - there are very few native Finns who can use proper Swedish (although the difference is more in pronounciation than written form).

-Villain

 

[Siren]

I am curious, which languages do you all speak?

Greek (i'd say obviously, but then it's not obvious at all since many greeks do horrible mistakes which i abhor, so i usually say they can't speak greek, but i can, so there), English, and that's pretty much it.
I've done one year of French, took the first part of the first certificate, and then happily erased it from my memory (though i suppose i can recognise some of it). Then 3 months of Italian which make me able to eavesdrop on conversations when in Italy, 3 lessons of Swedish and countless times of listening to Kent records, and 3 words in Spanish and Finnish.
It's really a shame i haven't mastered more languages. I was always told i have a talent for it and it's something i love. Let's hope one day i'll seriously pick up a language again.

 

[suwat666]

I don't about y'all but where I'm from we speak Amerrrican (insert redneck accent)

 

[Defiance]

Sauna, sisu ja perkele! The three Finnish words people around the world know.

Sauna, perseverance and fuck/the devil?

Well, I'm not really interested in learning any other Japanese than that very anime-language I'm already familiar with - I have no other use for Japanese than understanding anime. But if I ever change my mind, I'll remember your words.

What about for "Doramas"? Have you ever seen Densha Otoko (電車&#30007? It's really good, you should see it.

Japanese is quite easy to learn, really. I guess the most difficult part is not the Hiragana or Katakana, but the 2000K Kanjis .

My memory of phonetic symbols is flimsy at best, but I'd say the former is much closer. The latter would be the Swedish way to pronounce it, I believe (and Finnish and Swedish are pronounced very differently).

So, with a "j" like "jam" and an "a" like in "language"?

True, but I'm yet to meet a German who can't properly spell everyday declensions, yet I know many native Finns who struggle with understanding the difference between such simple sentences as:

Menemme ulos = (we) go out

and

Mennään ulos = (some people) go out (passive form)

Most people (myself included) use the latter (incorrect) form when speaking of themselves, but writing like that is simply wrong - and yet there are thousands of Finns who don't understand it.

I don't know, but I'd guess yes - there are very few native Finns who can use proper Swedish (although the difference is more in pronounciation than written form).

-Villain

Yeah I agree with the first statement, I also have never met a German that can't decline their own language.

So do Finns confuse that because they sound alike or what?

 

[Rusty]

@Villain: I seem to remember vaguely a conversation at Tuska '04 with you, Naku and Zeanra, revolving around something like ehtiä/ettiä/etsiä. I remember it being amusing, but not why exactly. Care to fill in my blanks, please?

My respect to anyone who speaks many languages.

Seconded, thirded, and twenty-fourthed. Although, speaking as someone who didn't get the opportunity to begin to learn another language until 11, and even then just a single hour a week, when coming across a multilinguist it's always a raging battle between respect and jealousy in my head.

So, with a "j" like "jam" and an "a" like in "language"?

The J is like the English Y; the vowel is obviously much harder to describe, since my "language" probably differs from a lot of other people's "language". But in IPA the word is probably written jæ:.

 

[Defiance]

The J is like the English Y; the vowel is obviously much harder to describe, since my "language" probably differs from a lot of other people's "language". But in IPA the word is probably written jæ:.

Ok then, jää!!!

Oh and I remember that "pupu" is bunny, or am I wrong?

 

[Jolty]

I am curious, which languages do you all speak?
As for me: German, English, some French.

English. I used to know a bit of French, but that was when I was really young and I've forgotten all of it now. I also know how to spell roughly 10 words in Swedish, and the only German I know is, "Ich bin zwitter." I expect it to come in handy when I go to Wacken.

 

[Rusty]

Oh and I remember that "pupu" is bunny, or am I wrong?

I couldn't possibly say, but I do know that the word for "tree" being "puu" allows the hilarious shortening of Porcupine Tree to Porky-puu.

 

[Defiance]

"Ich bin zwitter." I expect it to come in handy when I go to Wacken.

Oh mein Gott .

I couldn't possibly say, but I do know that the word for "tree" being "puu" allows the hilarious shortening of Porcupine Tree to Porky-puu.

Hahahaha Porky-puu .

 

[Villain]

What about for "Doramas"? Have you ever seen Densha Otoko (電車&#30007? It's really good, you should see it.

I've seen a few (not Densha Otoko, though), but I generally dislike the way they assume the audience is full of idiots - if you can point me to the direction of an intelligent dorama (say, on par with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex from the anime-side), I'd be interested.

Japanese is quite easy to learn, really. I guess the most difficult part is not the Hiragana or Katakana, but the 2000K Kanjis .

Well, I'm pretty sure I won't ever learn to read or write a language that uses a different alphabet - which kind of proves the previous statement that started this whole discussion. :Smug:

So, with a "j" like "jam" and an "a" like in "language"?

Uh, no, sorry. As Rusty pointed out, the "j" in Finnish is closer to the "y" at the beginning of a word in English. But you're right about the "ä" - just remember to pronounce it long.

By the way, jää is also the imperative form of the verb jäädä = to stay. Used as in "stay here" (jää tänne).

So do Finns confuse that because they sound alike or what?

Nope (for they really don't sound alike). It is just common to use the passive form instead of the proper 1st person plural form in spoken language - I suppose it is a "lazier" way to say it. However, people should still know how to write it properly.

To illustrate:

Syödä = to eat

Minä syön = I eat
Sinä syöt = You eat (singular)
Hän syö = He/She eats
Me syömme = We eat
Te syötte = You eat (plural)
He syövät = They eat

Syödään = (Some) eat (passive form)

There's a huge difference in the pronounciation of syömme and syödään, yet people use the latter more often in speech.

Me söisimme = We would eat (proper form)

Me syötäisiin = Improper form, often shortened to me syötäs in spoken language.

Rusty: Ah, yes, I have a faint recollection of that as well. Sadly, though, I can't give you the details anymore, but it was about the different dialects and similar sounding words. Ehtiä = to be on time, etsiä = to search, ettiä = apparently the spoken form of either word, depending on the dialect you speak.

And yes, pupu is bunny and puu is tree (and yes, it is pronounced like "poo").

-Villain

 

[Defiance]

I've seen a few (not Densha Otoko, though), but I generally dislike the way they assume the audience is full of idiots - if you can point me to the direction of an intelligent dorama (say, on par with Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex from the anime-side), I'd be interested.

Hmmm I'm not really a Dorama fan so I don't know any series that would be on par with GITS. Then again, what series can be?

笑い男!!!

Well, I'm pretty sure I won't ever learn to read or write a language that uses a different alphabet - which kind of proves the previous statement that started this whole discussion. :Smug:

Syllabary, please

Uh, no, sorry. As Rusty pointed out, the "j" in Finnish is closer to the "y" at the beginning of a word in English. But you're right about the "ä" - just remember to pronounce it long.


By the way, jää is also the imperative form of the verb jäädä = to stay. Used as in "stay here" (jää tänne).

Ok.

Nope (for they really don't sound alike). It is just common to use the passive form instead of the proper 1st person plural form in spoken language - I suppose it is a "lazier" way to say it. However, people should still know how to write it properly.

To illustrate:

Syödä = to eat

Minä syön = I eat
Sinä syöt = You eat (singular)
Hän syö = He/She eats
Me syömme = We eat
Te syötte = You eat (plural)
He syövät = They eat

Syödään = (Some) eat (passive form)

There's a huge difference in the pronounciation of syömme and syödään, yet people use the latter more often in speech.

Me söisimme = We would eat (proper form)

Me syötäisiin = Improper form, often shortened to me syötäs in spoken language.

And yes, pupu is bunny and puu is tree (and yes, it is pronounced like "poo").

-Villain

The conjugations of regular verbs (I guess "syödä" is one) don't seem to crazy at least.

Hehe pupu . But is "pupu" the same as rabbit or bunny?

 

[Matse]

So I guess after I finish all three and a bit seasons of How I Met Your Mother I fill try out No Heroics, Seinfeld and The Big Bang Theory.

Took a look at No Heroics and did not like it.
I am currently in the second season of Seinfeld, I like it and will probably watch it for some time. The funniest thing of the series for me is actually that the way Jerry talks reminds me of Rahvin.
What I kind of miss in the series are characters that I love. In How I Met Your Mother pretty much love every character (Barney the mose, then Robin, then Ted), but in Seinfeld, I like Jerry and the others are nice additions and nothing more. Overall the series is good though.

edit: Porcupine Puu sounds really funny. Finnish pronounciation of letters seems to be very similar to German.

on the PorcuPoo topic:
Why does Steven Wilson have to be such a bitch? He will release the special editions of Insurgentes at the end of November and the normal versions next year. The CD/DVD version was sold out immediately so I was thinking about getting the Vinyls (yes, I do have a player at home), but then I remembered those are mono. So I am currently hoping for an early leak of a high quality version and will buy the CD next year. Of course I will not download the leaked version since that would be illegal.

 

[rahvin]

The funniest thing of the series for me is actually that the way Jerry talks reminds me of Rahvin.

I wonder if it's possible that I picked up some of my pace or intonation from Seinfeld episodes. It would be so... so backwater world at the end of nowhere. And yet I cannot bear to contemplate the alternatives.

 

[plintus]

I wonder if it's possible that I picked up some of my pace or intonation from Seinfeld episodes. It would be so... so backwater world at the end of nowhere. And yet I cannot bear to contemplate the alternatives.

Not obvious, at all.

I watched every single episode and keep re-watching from time to time (4-6 seasons are my favorite), but - you don't remind me of that at all.

Don't fool these n00bs :Smug:

 

[Villain]

Pupu is indeed "bunny", "rabbit" would be jänis (or jänö in some cases - I'm not really sure if that's an archaic, poetic or dialectic form, but it's rather common in children's stories and such).

Not obvious, at all.

I watched every single episode and keep re-watching from time to time (4-6 seasons are my favorite), but - you don't remind me of that at all.

Don't fool these n00bs :Smug:

A pity - for a moment I thought I should go and download a few episodes of Seinfeld (never seen it, but got to get my fix of rahvin, you know), but now I'd probably feel disappointed.

-Villain

 

[DisplayofCharacter]

on the PorcuPoo topic:
Why does Steven Wilson have to be such a bitch? He will release the special editions of Insurgentes at the end of November and the normal versions next year. The CD/DVD version was sold out immediately so I was thinking about getting the Vinyls (yes, I do have a player at home), but then I remembered those are mono. So I am currently hoping for an early leak of a high quality version and will buy the CD next year. Of course I will not download the leaked version since that would be illegal.

Steve Wilson is an audiophile, wants you to buy his super-mastered crap and pay extra for it. I gladly will for Stupid Dream and Lightbulb Sun, the only two albums of his I still need to pick up, but not for the older stuff that does nothing for me (spacey Floyd worship that I'm not interested in - I like his pop-prog more and will continue to do so, I listen to actual prog when I want that). Its a bitch, but being a fan of the band means putting up with that crap IMO like re-releasing Fiction barely a year since its been out. You forgive because you love the music.

Also, bro-fists all 'round for that scintillating language conversation.

 

[rahvin]

I watched every single episode and keep re-watching from time to time (4-6 seasons are my favorite), but - you don't remind me of that at all.

Maybe in person. You know, Matse's met me, on that same occasion where you were conspicuously absent.