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jibber · 06-15-2010, 05:32 PM

The words you hate thread gave me the idea for this thread. We have a lot of members from different countries, and many who have learnt English as a second language. So for those of you who've learnt or are learning a different language, what was your first language and what are you learning now? What's the most difficult thing about it?

I've been trying to learn Turkish since I got here, and it's slow going, mainly because there's absolutely NOTHING similar about the two in terms of grammar or syntax. In Turkish, most parts of speech are just suffixes, so sometimes a full sentence in English would be translated into one damn long word in Turkish. Confusing as hell. I found this on wikipedia and it illustrates this really well. Of course, most of the time the words are not this ridiculously long.

Avrupa Europe
Avrupalı European
Avrupalılaş become European
Avrupalılaştır Europeanize
Avrupalılaştırama cannot Europeanize
Avrupalılaştıramadık whom could not Europeanize
Avrupalılaştıramadıklar those whom could not Europeanize
Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımız those whom we could not Europeanize
Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımızdan one of those whom we could not Europeanize
Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımızdan mı? one of those whom we could not Europeanize?
Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımızdan mısınız? Are you one of those whom we could not Europeanize?

Within the same context, the longest Turkish word consists of 44 characters: Çekoslovakyalılaştıramadıklarımızdanmışsınız = You are apparently one of those we weren't (or haven't been) able to make a Czechoslovakian.

I've no idea when you'd use either of those sentences, ever, but it's still funny.

Also, English is a stupid language.

06-15-2010, 05:32 PM	#102 (permalink)
jibber Freeskier Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Istanbul was Constantinople now it's Istanbul not Constantinople... Posts: 1,544	Languages The words you hate thread gave me the idea for this thread. We have a lot of members from different countries, and many who have learnt English as a second language. So for those of you who've learnt or are learning a different language, what was your first language and what are you learning now? What's the most difficult thing about it? I've been trying to learn Turkish since I got here, and it's slow going, mainly because there's absolutely NOTHING similar about the two in terms of grammar or syntax. In Turkish, most parts of speech are just suffixes, so sometimes a full sentence in English would be translated into one damn long word in Turkish. Confusing as hell. I found this on wikipedia and it illustrates this really well. Of course, most of the time the words are not this ridiculously long. Avrupa Europe Avrupalı European Avrupalılaş become European Avrupalılaştır Europeanize Avrupalılaştırama cannot Europeanize Avrupalılaştıramadık whom could not Europeanize Avrupalılaştıramadıklar those whom could not Europeanize Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımız those whom we could not Europeanize Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımızdan one of those whom we could not Europeanize Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımızdan mı? one of those whom we could not Europeanize? Avrupalılaştıramadıklarımızdan mısınız? Are you one of those whom we could not Europeanize? Within the same context, the longest Turkish word consists of 44 characters: Çekoslovakyalılaştıramadıklarımızdanmışsınız = You are apparently one of those we weren't (or haven't been) able to make a Czechoslovakian. I've no idea when you'd use either of those sentences, ever, but it's still funny. Also, English is a stupid language. __________________ What you've done becomes the judge of what you're going to do -- especially in other people's minds. When you're traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don't have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road. William Least Heat Moon, Blue Highways Your toughest competitor lives in your head. Some days his name is fear, or pain, or gravity. Stomp his ass. HOOKED ON THE WHITE POWDER