Language Complexities

Have you ever wondered how language came to be? Have you ever wondered how we have strayed so far from the initial grunt from a neanderthal until the many languages we see and hear in art, politics, and everyday life were created?

Think about this: have you ever wondered how your own native tongue sounds to a foreigner whom has never studied a foreign language?

I tried to see how it would sound if I were to listen to my native tongue after I blocked out my knowledge of the English language, but alas I failed. It is difficult for me to put myself in someone's shoes that hasn't the slightest clue as to the complexities to a foreign language, especially the English language. The harder I tried, the harder it was to clear my mind of my knowledge.

Have any of you tried what I did in the last question stated above? If so, did you succeed, or did you have a difficult time like I had?

I am curious as to what you guys think about this.

If you're a native English speaker, try listening to Nederlands (the "Dutch" language). It sounds vaguely German, but it has many similarities to English.

Or just tune into a radio station in a language you don't speak. Why should it be English? Why not Spanish or Urdu or Russian or whatever? However many languages you speak, there are far more than you don't speak. You should get some idea what it's like to hear your own language without understanding it, by hearing another language. Anyway, it's probably the best you could do, without (say) digitally altering the English so that it sounds much the same, but loses its meaning. Good luck with that, though...

German intrigues me. It is one of the closest languages to English and yet it is so different.

That is why I am studying it.

I have been able to do what you say by listening to alot of Spanish on TV. I get my mind more attuned to the other language and the English will sound very odd for a short time and I may even speak with an accent for a bit. Also, meditating and keeping the radio or TV on in the background can help facilitate the experience.

English sounds little like Scooby Doo if you've disconnected the meaning.

Scooby Doo, eh? I don't understand the reference.

Originally posted by Bushido Kanji
Scooby Doo, eh? I don't understand the reference.

A late 60's to mid-70's cartoon show broadcast in the US that had a talking dog as one of the main characters.

Actually, there is another way. Listen to someone speak a language foreign to them with a thick English accent. I don't know if you know Spanish but Vince here definitely can get my point across well if you don't.

I love the ShamWOW guy

I knew what Scooby Doo was, I just didn't get why you brought it up. I get it now, so don't worry.

I once asked a german woman what English sounded like.
She said like "chewing gum". Her husband elbowed her like that wasn't nice.

I know I prefer some languages over others. My least favorite being the Asian ones.
Now accents, love those.
I can listen to a person with an accent for a long long time. It's refreshing to be actively listening again.

I just watched cowboy bebop and it got me thinkin' with the subtitles how english would kind of sound cumbersome, at least in japanese. But then ya hear english is really difficult to learn, but that's just heresay. It's tough to reconcile those two ideas but there ya go.

Another intruiging thing to me is intonation denoting a question. It seems universal. Like there's a human condition we all have in common while asking a question.

reply to post by seagrass


WHAT!? Japanese is the most beautiful language in the world! I hope by "Asian" you mean Chinese or Arabic.

I speak Spanish, and yes sometimes with different areas, or countries accents I cannot here a fricking word. Well, I can't always here in English either......... Hey, I guess that makes me half *ss deaf? Does that count? I feel like I can't speak spanish, or english sometimes when people have thick accents, or talk very quietly. Ha ha ha, brail(sp) for me it is!

Originally posted by Bushido Kanji
reply to post by seagrass

 

WHAT!? Japanese is the most beautiful language in the world! I hope by "Asian" you mean Chinese or Arabic.

I'm not sure really. There are some I hear and it grates on my nerves. Could be Chinese. It is usually while I am shopping and they sound mad.