1. Log in now to remove adverts - no adverts at all to registered members!

Off Topic Politics Thread

Discussion in 'Southampton' started by ChilcoSaint, Feb 23, 2016.

  1. ChilcoSaint

    ChilcoSaint What a disgrace
    Forum Moderator

    Joined:
    Feb 8, 2011
    Messages:
    37,239
    Likes Received:
    35,090
    My youngest stepdaughter spent a few years in Spain, first as an au pair near Madrid, then teaching English in Barcelona. While she became fluent in both Spanish and Catalan, she was struck how many people of all ages wanted to learn English. I suppose the fact that English is about the most widely-spoken language worldwide is both a benefit and a curse to us English. A benefit, because we can usually order a beer or a taxi or whatever pretty much anywhere, and a curse for exactly the same reason, in that most of us just don’t bother to learn the local lingo. The problem lies in our schools, in that there are pitifully scant resources dedicated to foreign languages, even in secondary schools, let alone primary schools where learning multiple languages has been shown to be easiest.
     
    #18761
    San Tejón and Archers Road like this.
  2. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2011
    Messages:
    12,778
    Likes Received:
    4,686
    The answer is investment but there is also the availability of people teach the language. Not sure many Spanish teachers would want to turn up at our state academies only to be greeting with huge indifference. At Portsmouth Grammar it would be different, and I dare say at Crofton or Brookfield in Sarisbury Green. And it is no good just an hour lesson a week. It needs to be daily.

    PS: Is Channel 4 showing La Liga now? It would be perfect then to have the commentary in Spanish. Delentaro is the striker, portero the keeper. People would soon learn. "Gol", "Falta"
     
    #18762
  3. TheSecondStain

    TheSecondStain Needs an early night

    Joined:
    Jul 23, 2011
    Messages:
    39,383
    Likes Received:
    8,819
    The other thing is to watch foreign language TV. I'm constantly updating my Italian, and even I'm finally realising that I'm not terrible at anymore, and I started about 3-4 years ago just on Duolingo. I watch Inspector Montalbano, by the way. I've added German these days purely because I was retrospectively disappointed that I gave up German at school. My old, best foreign language used to be French, which I'm pretty damn hopeless at now, but I expect I could get myself back to decent survival mode with a bit of practice.

    Oh, and I've downloaded from YT, all the old BBC foreign language tutor series on Italian and German. It leads to quite a variation of voices.
     
    #18763
  4. thereisonlyoneno7

    thereisonlyoneno7 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 12, 2011
    Messages:
    18,161
    Likes Received:
    26,948
    I'm currently watching Gomorrah - an Italian language series that is a darker version of the Sopranos without the humour.

    The funny thing is it is in Italian, and I have the subtitles on, but I find myself drifting occasionally and looking at my phone and still understanding about 50% of it. Can't speak it, but I can really understand a lot - and not just-o the-o words-o that-o sound-o English-o, lol....o
     
    #18764
    TheSecondStain and San Tejón like this.
  5. San Tejón

    San Tejón Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2014
    Messages:
    13,965
    Likes Received:
    18,631
    Boris’ diary

     
    #18765
    The Ides of March likes this.
  6. San Tejón

    San Tejón Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2014
    Messages:
    13,965
    Likes Received:
    18,631
    Boris’ vision for the country

     
    #18766
  7. Saint Helen

    Saint Helen Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 23, 2015
    Messages:
    3,913
    Likes Received:
    2,840
    Just to prove how easy it can be for young children to learn languages - until the end of last year I had a lovely Polish family living next door to me, a couple, their daughter and their grand-daughter who was about 8 when she and her Mum moved here. A couple of years later the grand-daughter was fluent in Polish, English and Welsh, in fact, her Welsh was much more "correct" than mine, as she often pointed out to me :D Why we don't teach Spanish, French and Italian to Primary aged children baffles me...
     
    #18767
  8. StJabbo1

    StJabbo1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2019
    Messages:
    8,238
    Likes Received:
    9,907
    Perhaps a cynical view from a grumpy old fart. There's only cultural profit particularly in these days of austerity, problem to I would think in finding qualified teachers. Bloody shame.
     
    #18768
  9. Schad

    Schad Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    17,724
    Likes Received:
    13,007
    Friend's got young children in his family who were born in China. They're now here in Canada, and in French immersion schooling. You'd think that it would be difficult to pick up two languages at once (English at home, French at school, while speaking Mandarin with their grandparents), but the young brain is remarkable.

    Plus, those kids will have every government department lining up for their services, given our demography.
     
    #18769
  10. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2011
    Messages:
    12,778
    Likes Received:
    4,686
    Canada has got a lot of things spot on. The language immersion -it works the other way in Quebec!!! Also the attitude of drivers there. Well aware and well educated.
     
    #18770

  11. Schad

    Schad Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 6, 2011
    Messages:
    17,724
    Likes Received:
    13,007
    You've never watched someone cut across four lanes of traffic to make a pass on the paved shoulder in Ottawa, heh. We have our fair share of nuisance drivers.

    Immersion is definitely a good idea; have to admit that I was always terrible at languages (weakest subject in grand school was French, weakest in university was German), but it's an invaluable skill to have. Particularly as it has been demonstrated that knowing two languages makes it easier to learn others later, which greatly broadens your possible horizons.
     
    #18771
    Saints_Alive likes this.
  12. I Sorry I Ruined The Party

    I Sorry I Ruined The Party Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 22, 2012
    Messages:
    4,880
    Likes Received:
    1,992
    Hey, guys. We’re buying Greenland from Denmark so just let us know if you want us to go ahead and ask for Højbjerg as part of the deal. Thanks.
     
    #18772
  13. San Tejón

    San Tejón Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 6, 2014
    Messages:
    13,965
    Likes Received:
    18,631
  14. StJabbo1

    StJabbo1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2019
    Messages:
    8,238
    Likes Received:
    9,907
    #18774
    Saints_Alive likes this.
  15. Saints_Alive

    Saints_Alive Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2011
    Messages:
    29,851
    Likes Received:
    34,223
    #18775
    StJabbo1 likes this.
  16. Archers Road

    Archers Road Urban Spaceman

    Joined:
    Jun 1, 2011
    Messages:
    53,845
    Likes Received:
    58,342

    <laugh> with a guest appearance from Rees Mugg
     
    #18776
    Saints_Alive likes this.
  17. StJabbo1

    StJabbo1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jun 14, 2019
    Messages:
    8,238
    Likes Received:
    9,907
    Parental guidance required.
    The profanities in this post have been deemed to be in context and appropriate.
    Your post has been reported by the thick Bristolian ****s society who say they "we nothing in common with Holloway he's far thicker than any thick **** in the thick ****s society, the ****!!"
     
    #18777
  18. Saintmagic

    Saintmagic Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 5, 2011
    Messages:
    18,860
    Likes Received:
    13,575
    #18778
    Saints_Alive likes this.
  19. Saints_Alive

    Saints_Alive Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 4, 2011
    Messages:
    29,851
    Likes Received:
    34,223
    Nah, I wouldn't describe you as thick mate....a **** maybe, but no, not thick...:emoticon-0110-tongu

    Do you support Brexit by any chance?
     
    #18779
    Last edited: Aug 21, 2019
  20. The Ides of March

    The Ides of March Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 21, 2011
    Messages:
    12,778
    Likes Received:
    4,686
    Who is Colin?
     
    #18780

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 1, Guests: 0)

  1. Shandy_top_89

Share This Page