English is actually not a no-brainer. Consider these lines from My Fair Lady:
"Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
This verbal class distinction by now should be antique.
If you spoke as she [meaning Eliza, the flower seller] does, sir, instead of the way you do,
Why, you might be selling flowers, too.
An Englishman's way of speaking absolutely classifies him,
The moment he talks he makes some other Englishman despise him.
One common language I'm afraid we'll never get.
Oh, why can't the English learn to set
A good example to people whose
English is painful to your ears?
The Scotch and the Irish leave you close to tears.
There even are places where English completely disappears.
In America, they haven't used it for years!
Why can't the English teach their children how to speak?
Norwegians learn Norwegian; the Greeks are taught their Greek.
In France every Frenchman knows his language from "A" to "Zed" –
The French don’t care what they do, actually, as long as they pronounce it properly.
Arabians learn Arabian with the speed of summer lightning.
And the Hebrews learn it backwards, which is absolutely frightening.
But use proper English you're regarded as a freak.
Why can't the English?
Why can't the English learn to speak?
I try to speak English! and can get by in French and German. I have also studied Italian and Arabic.
2007-03-17 18:38:26
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answer #1
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answered by Berta 3
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I can speak 3 - two fluently (English and Mandarin Chinese) and one passably (Spanish). Though I'm wholly literate in English, I can neither write nor read Chinese very well.
If I could find a way (and the willpower) to, I would try my hand at French, and maybe even German or Russian. Japanese looks kind of fun, too.
It's funny though. I don't think I'll ever stop learning English. Who can? All that vocabulary (Do you know what a diocesan does? 'Cause I didn't, not 'til I looked it up) to learn. It takes a long time to master any language, if one could ever "master" one. I'm just glad I grew up in a bilingual household - it makes the learning so much easier.
2007-03-17 14:10:28
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answer #2
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answered by tigertrot1986 3
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English Persian German and I can read and understand Arabic
2007-03-20 06:12:49
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answer #3
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answered by nanaz 2
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Only 1 - English. I began learning Spanish, but not well.
2007-03-17 12:53:58
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answer #4
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answered by mindy 3
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extremely tough step. seek from search engines like google. that could help!
2014-11-06 01:13:27
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answer #5
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answered by Anonymous
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Two, English y Español
2007-03-17 13:57:08
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answer #6
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answered by chris 4
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I can speak two languages. English and Yoruba
2007-03-17 12:42:03
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answer #7
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answered by I'M GONNA GO PLACES 5
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English, Spanish & I can understand (not fluent) in Portuguese & Italian
2007-03-17 12:52:20
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answer #8
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answered by steddy voter 6
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I'm still learning English. I wish others were as well.
2007-03-17 12:42:27
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answer #9
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answered by SA Writer 6
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2-Tagalog&English
and I'm learning Spanish and someone is teaching me Arabic
2007-03-17 12:39:58
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answer #10
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answered by Anonymous
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