How many languages can a normal person possibly be fluent with?

Question

I know someone that can master 5 languages fluently in 4 aspects, Listening, Speaking, Writing even Dreaming! But then recently just met another who claimed to be fluent in 7! So how many languages can an average person possibly have the capability to be fluent in?

Answer 1

it depends on their dedication to want to be fluent. I'm sure someone in a delegates position might know more than 7. I believe someone in university told me they knew 8 or 9, a couple of them were Korean and Cantonese dialect of Chinese too. And English was not his first language either. Some countries other than America have their population learn 2 or 3 just to get along with their country's neighboring country's population as in business or telephone communications such as Belgium, switzerland, and Germany. Many of these people speak whatever is common in the village, German let's say--as well as french, english, and italian tho a few may also know Fin or Norwegian for some reason because of the shared tourism of the Alps.
Anyone who knows the History of Languages can tell you there are basically 4 groupings of related languages and English, spanish, french, italian, and German all have common roots in Greek and modern links to one anohter as well. Anyone who uses this knowledge to learn more than a few languages could succeed as long as that person used as many of them often enough to retain fluency like work as an interpreter, or in a foreign consulate or global business and finance.
Afterall, anything is possible if someone believes hard enough so why couldn't someone be great at a conversation in more than half a dozen languages?

Answer 2

My father fluently speaks and reads/writes in Russian, English, Hebrew and French; he knows some Portugese and has been studying both German and Chinese for a couple years. I take a lot of languages (French and Russian now, I've studied Latin and Hebrew in the past), but I'm not fluent in any. I do think most anyone is capable of fluency if they put enough effort in, but it is easier for some than others; it is actually easier if you already know a second language fluently already, because you know the mechanics of language better. I think the average person who puts effort in could master three languages fluently. (My father, of course, being a bit of an exception.)

Answer 3

I speak 4 languages, 3 of them at the conversational level. I attribute that to early immersion in a foreign culture. Combined, I was exposed to 2 non-english languages by living overseas starting in late grade school, just before college and once more as an adult out of college for over 10 years. These two tongues come naturally to me even with presently rare usage. The key to picking it up and retaining it is to start teaching your kids as early as possible.

Answer 4

So much depends on motivation and need. A great aunt of mine was born in Edirne (Turkey) and then lived in Nice (France). She spoke Armenian at home, Turkish, Bulgarian (because Edirne is close to the Bulgarian border), French and English all beautifully well and could also hold her own in Russian.

My father spoke English (native lang.), Spanish, Portuguese and French - all to a high level - his motivation was business-related and he spent several years in South America.

I can only purport to be fluent in three, with a lesser knowledge of several others. Again - mine is business-related.

Answer 5

Well, that depends on his ability. Henry Schliemann, the discoverer of the Greek city of Troy, spoke 18 languages. He learned Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese in six weeks each.
José Mezzofanti, from the Vatican, spoke more than fifty. People called him the living Pentecost, because he could talk with every pilgrim who arrived in Rome in his native language

Answer 6

I have a friend who has a deaf cattle dog who is trained in sign. She is fine otherwise. She has learned to keep eye contact with the owner so she knows what is going on. If she is letting her run she has a shock collar that has a vibrate only feature that signals the dog to look at her. If the dog is not paying attention you hit the button and the collar vibrates to get the dogs attention. It works great. The collar came from a hunt catalog and I would highly recommend it or at least a shock collar for a deaf dog. It does not hurt but it does get their attention right now so it can save them from trouble if they are loose. Good luck and enjoy your new pet.

Answer 7

dedication would determine how many one is fluent in...

some languages are easy to pick up once you've learned a language that is close in relation.. for example.. if you learn to speak spanish... then portuguese will be easy to learn as they are very similar.. same for eastern European languages... many croatian people can understand polish etc...

so it really does depend on the person learning... mind you... You will NEVER be able to speak the language as someone whom is of the native tongue...

Answer 8

Some professionals in the U.N. settle fot 7-10, but apparently there is no limit. I couldn't really tell (I'm fluent in only 2 and understand another 4)

Answer 9

The more languages you know, the easier it is to learn new ones. There really isn't a limit on how many languages a person can know. Basically, it's determined by the time and dedication of the individual.

Answer 10

I am only fluent in 3, but my son is fluent in 6