Language learning!

Rodrigo · July 8, 2006, 1:50pm

I was thinking: Considering there’s people from all over the world here, who speak more than one language in most cases, how about we share our wisdow? This is a topic for people to ask questions

I can help with English, Spanish, Portuguese and Japanese.

To get things started, someone answer me please:

What is a “hollerback”? (Hollaback, or whatever version that shows up)

Bruno · July 8, 2006, 3:34pm

I hope this helps.

Stormthunder · July 8, 2006, 3:56pm

It does, even though I didn’t ask the question! I always thought a hollerback girl was a promiscuous sort of girl. (The kind that boys “holler” to. That’s where I got the idea from.)

Rodrigo · July 8, 2006, 4:03pm

It does Thanks. Btw, what a cool website!

So people, ask your questions Let’s all help each other with language learning issues!

The_Nameless_One · July 8, 2006, 4:38pm

Ask me anything Italian or Latin…

Neko · July 8, 2006, 4:44pm

I can do French, anyone can fire questions at me if they like.

MatrixManNe0 · July 8, 2006, 4:59pm

4 years of Spanish should help me here. Yay.

Japanese question. Why would you use normal and plain forms of verbs? Ex. iku vs. ikimasu.

Stormthunder · July 8, 2006, 6:31pm

Iku is informal. You’d use it with friends or speaking to an inferior. Or if you wanted to be rude, sometimes. Plain form is the correct form for essays, as well.

Ikimasu is more polite, more like neutral ground. I found it was safest to use that in Japan when I lived there, especially when meeting new people. But you wouldn’t use this with friends.

Rodrigo · July 8, 2006, 7:56pm

also, you use informal mixed with formal in some sentences.

For example:
“Tanaka san ga katta hon o yomimasu” (I read the book that Mr.Tanaka bought)

Kaimasu (Kau) is used in the past, but since it’s in the middle of the sentence, it’s considered incorrect to use the formal form. So instead of Kaimashita (bought) you’d use katta(informal for bought). The verb in the end, however, must be used in the formal way if it’s a polite or formal sentence

Davide · July 8, 2006, 10:22pm

I know Italian - not like it’s the most useful and common language in the world, but I’d be happy to help.

Rodrigo · July 9, 2006, 4:26pm

Does anyone know what “Jambo” means? It’s swahili.

Bruno · July 9, 2006, 4:59pm

"Someone at [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jambo:

Wikipedia[/url]"]The word jambo is commonly used in Swahili-speaking nations as a form of greeting. It’s a simplified form of a common Swahili greeting that starts with “hujambo?”,which is short for “Huna jambo?”, literally meaning “you don’t have an issue?”. This is answered by “sijambo”, short for “sina jambo”, literally meaning “I don’t have an issue”. Loosely translated, the question “jambo?” means “how are you?” and the reply “jambo” means “I’m fine.”

The use of “jambo” by native Swahili speakers towards foreigners can be viewed in different lights. Sometimes a greeting of “jambo” is a friendly way of initiating cross-cultural exchange with a simplified lexicon, while at other times the use of “jambo” as a greeting by Swahili speakers may imply a supposition that the person being greeted is a foreigner who does not know proper Swahili greetings.

In Brazillian Portuguese, it’s the name of a fruit, Ro.

Tomas · July 9, 2006, 7:19pm

I am norwegian, which means that i basicly also know swedish and danish as well.

redfiredragon000 · July 13, 2006, 3:33am

just wondering if anyone knows any french swear words…

…btw…the truit smacking game is awesome!!!

Basilus_West · July 13, 2006, 7:17am

Of course I know many french coarse words. But I won’t tell you cause:

a mod is necessarily polite and well-mannered
this will transform a thread which meant to be useful into a Playground one
it’s tasteless hence it doesn’t fit with the forum rules.

TweaK · July 13, 2006, 7:49am

I guess I could help out with Dutch. And Japanese (I can say Baka! XD)

Basilus: Tu es une la wache qui rit avec une mustache dans la mer du nord.

Right, am I right, AM I RIGHT?

Basilus_West · July 13, 2006, 8:45am

You’re quite right: “Tu es une vache qui rit avec une moustache dans la mer du nord”.
But it means nothing. (“you’re a laughing cow with a mustache into the North sea.”)

TweaK · July 13, 2006, 9:14am

Haha yeah. I know. When I was in France (Wait, I’m in France every year… Like, 8 years ago ) it was the very first french sentence I made.
Of course. Une la XD Yeah, well, my French isnt all that.

I knew “La vache qui rit”, because we have this commerical of cheese. You see a fat cow, a thin cow, but they go like “Noo, the best cheese is from the laughing cow! La vache qui rit!”. I just didnt know how to spell la vache

But yeah. Dans la mer du nord. We went to a cathedral where there was this memorium to the soldiers who died in the first world war and I saw “dans la mer du nord”, and I knew mer was sea so I figured out they died in the North Sea… or something. So a mustache is in French just like in english (une moustache, a little different). avec is a basic word.

Yay.

Oh btw, that’s not the full version. I later added “sur une pomme et une poir”. XD

qomp · July 13, 2006, 6:31pm

I’m ready for all your problems with the Finnish language. I might also be able to help with Swahili and Latin a bit. I see there was already a question about Swahili but it got answered (correctly!). I also know English, German, Swedish, French and some Spanish and Dutch, but I’m sure there are others who can help with them better.

Bruno · July 13, 2006, 6:54pm

Can you explain to me when should I use the partitive case (–a, –ta, –tta, –ä, –tä, –ttä) and when should I use the nominative case (no termination, the plain word)? I can’t see the differece.