MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - What's your mother tongue/ native language?

Elsi · 03-30-2009, 03:14 PM

Expressive language:

I speak US English with a deep south flavor. (No extra 'u' in there; we lengthen the words by making diphthongs out of normal long and short vowels.)

I write standard American English. I type at more than 80 wpm, but haven't taken a speed test lately. Error rates are higher these days than 20 years ago.

I sign in a pidgin of ASL and SEE. That's because I'm thinking SEE but know that proper ASL syntax doesn't use as many "helping" words. (American Sign Language and Signed Exact English)

Receptive language:

I read US, UK, Canadian, Australian, and Kiwi English.

I understand spoken English with a few exceptions. There are some accents which just cannot get through my internal filter. Particularly difficult for me to parse is English as a Second Language when spoken by someone from China. And there are some elderly gents in Berkshire that I just gave up on conversing with.

I understand "baby sign". Would love to spend more time conversing with deaf individuals to help me build my receptive skills.

Other:

In addition to English, I sing Latin, German, French, and Italian with reasonable pronunciation.

I know a dozen or so words in Spanish and German -- not even enough to make me comfortable as a tourist, though. I took several years of Latin and use that to help me decipher written Spanish when I encounter it.

03-30-2009, 03:14 PM	#26
Elsi Wizard Posts: 2,366 Karma: 12000 Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas, USA Device: Kindle; Sony PRS 505; Blackberry 8700C	Expressive language: I speak US English with a deep south flavor. (No extra 'u' in there; we lengthen the words by making diphthongs out of normal long and short vowels.) I write standard American English. I type at more than 80 wpm, but haven't taken a speed test lately. Error rates are higher these days than 20 years ago. I sign in a pidgin of ASL and SEE. That's because I'm thinking SEE but know that proper ASL syntax doesn't use as many "helping" words. (American Sign Language and Signed Exact English) Receptive language: I read US, UK, Canadian, Australian, and Kiwi English. I understand spoken English with a few exceptions. There are some accents which just cannot get through my internal filter. Particularly difficult for me to parse is English as a Second Language when spoken by someone from China. And there are some elderly gents in Berkshire that I just gave up on conversing with. I understand "baby sign". Would love to spend more time conversing with deaf individuals to help me build my receptive skills. Other: In addition to English, I sing Latin, German, French, and Italian with reasonable pronunciation. I know a dozen or so words in Spanish and German -- not even enough to make me comfortable as a tourist, though. I took several years of Latin and use that to help me decipher written Spanish when I encounter it.