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My first language was German. English is my primary language. I'm fluent in Spanish.
And I read music.
And I read music.
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I can to the point of being able to sing along in church, despite not knowing the songs. It's fun.
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I can think in English and French, as well as my native Spanish (although my French is much more limited) and I'm learning Japanese to the point that I'm able to form some coherent thoughts in that language (though very limited, as well).
Learning all those languages has really helped wonders with my writing and expanding my view of the world. Especially Japanese. If you're going to learn another language to expand your mind, you should definitely try a language that was not born in Europe or anywhere near it (if you're American or European, that is).
Learning all those languages has really helped wonders with my writing and expanding my view of the world. Especially Japanese. If you're going to learn another language to expand your mind, you should definitely try a language that was not born in Europe or anywhere near it (if you're American or European, that is).
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Absolutely. My native language is Chinese, although I can speak in Mandarin and Cantonese, so technically I can speak three languages. When I was learning English, my teacher's comment really stuck with me: "You really can't master the language until you THINK in it." Most people I know who are having trouble (even after years studying English, for example) because they still think in their native language, so they're doing instant translation every time they speak English. It really doesn't work that way.
I'm fluent in both Chinese dialects and English. When I speak one language, I think in that language. In fact, I have problems speaking with my parents sometimes because I have to translate some English words to Chinese -- I know EXACTLY what they mean but have trouble translating, because sometimes there really is no equivalence. Same thing happens when I have to translate a Chinese term into English -- it's not easy. Some people asked me: "If you can speak both fluently, why can't you just translate between the two?" I don't really think they understand....
That's why when people ask me if they should write their novel in Spanish or whatever native language first, then translate back to English, my inclination is: NO. It's never the same thing. If you really want to write in English, there's only one way -- write it in English! Think it in English! Dream it in English!
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But to be really, really good, you've got to master the body language too. The Gallic shrug, the Teutonic head bob, the Italian flying hands...
I'm fluent in French (first language) and English. I started learning Spanish and intend to continue as soon as I come up with some spare time. Anybody's got any to spare? 
I'm also well versed in C, C++, C#, VB, and even Cobol though I don't normally admit to that one. And yes, I also can read music. Does all that count?
I'm also well versed in C, C++, C#, VB, and even Cobol though I don't normally admit to that one. And yes, I also can read music. Does all that count?
I speak English and German, although I need about 15-minutes to switch between them. It's a bit like driving a car: English and German are separate gears and if I try to use them both at once I get stuck in neutral. Simultaneous interpretation is defiantly not part of my skill set.
I've also had one semester of Spanish (while living in Madrid), one and a half semesters of Italian (while living in Rome), and two semesters of reading French (in Texas... which breaks the nice parallel structure I had going there). When confronted with a Romance language I just say the first words I can think of with Latin roots and do a little interpretive dance. It works a lot better than it ought to.
I also had a semester of Biblical Hebrew (which is different from modern Hebrew in that there is no word for computer). That class very nearly broke my brain. Three years later I can remember the alphabet, how to recite the Schema, and how to say "Moses walked as far as the Jordan".
The Learn Old Church Slavonic Quite Quickly, Really trick was thus born out of years of frustrating personal experience plus a term working in the "Writing Assistance Center" at an American university in Spain, which is a whole 'nother story. Use the trick to your heart's content. What are good ideas for if not forstealing sharing?
I've also had one semester of Spanish (while living in Madrid), one and a half semesters of Italian (while living in Rome), and two semesters of reading French (in Texas... which breaks the nice parallel structure I had going there). When confronted with a Romance language I just say the first words I can think of with Latin roots and do a little interpretive dance. It works a lot better than it ought to.
I also had a semester of Biblical Hebrew (which is different from modern Hebrew in that there is no word for computer). That class very nearly broke my brain. Three years later I can remember the alphabet, how to recite the Schema, and how to say "Moses walked as far as the Jordan".
The Learn Old Church Slavonic Quite Quickly, Really trick was thus born out of years of frustrating personal experience plus a term working in the "Writing Assistance Center" at an American university in Spain, which is a whole 'nother story. Use the trick to your heart's content. What are good ideas for if not for
A guideline from one of my early teachers (read: my mother): "You know you're fluent in a language when you can tell a joke in it."
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I know only one language, and I can't read music (used to, but that was twenty years ago. Now I only read tablature. Tab is six lines to represent thestrings of a guitar, with numbers to represent which fret to hold). Does that mean I will always be an inferior writer? Hint: that's a rhetorical question
Does American Sign Language count? I'm not fluent by any means, but I find it a totally unique way to communicate. Mrs. Fizzy knows a good bit of it as well, so we can sometimes communicate across a large, noisy room. I can also cuss up a storm when the kids are around.
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Oh, absolutely. It's a completely different language from English--different grammar, structure, and of course vocabulary.
This is why Deaf writers whose first language is a signed language astonish me so much, because they're always writing in a second language. Watching someone tell a story in ASL makes me wish that there was a written form of it, because its grammar is so sharp, so immediate.
I don't get it
Hi Uncle Jim,
I found this on another site and I was wondering what an NDA is. I think knowing that it would help to understand this comment.
An agent is a good idea, but mention an NDA and they will, at best, have a good laugh. This is not how publishing works. And, despite conspiracy theories, respectable publishers don't steal ideas.
Hi Uncle Jim,
I found this on another site and I was wondering what an NDA is. I think knowing that it would help to understand this comment.
An agent is a good idea, but mention an NDA and they will, at best, have a good laugh. This is not how publishing works. And, despite conspiracy theories, respectable publishers don't steal ideas.
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You might find an NDA if you were, say, writing the user manual for some proprietary software.
In novels, I've run into NDAs when doing tie-in novels; you've got the whole series bible, including the surprises coming next season, which you aren't supposed to reveal to the fans.
It would help if I knew the context of the comment.
[UPDATE]
Found it.
No, you don't need to have your agent sign a non-disclosure agreement so he/she won't tell publishers your wonderful idea (so they won't steal it). I think I have that right.
I can just imagine the conversation:
SFX: Phone rings
Editor: Hello?
Agent: Hi, this is Hiram Agentguy, how ya doing?
Editor: Hiram! Hey, haven't heard from you in a long time. What's up?
Agent: My client, Joe Author, has this great idea for a book.
Editor: Cool! What is it?
Agent: I'm sorry, I can't tell you.
The thought of asking an agent to sign an NDA just makes my head hurt.
In novels, I've run into NDAs when doing tie-in novels; you've got the whole series bible, including the surprises coming next season, which you aren't supposed to reveal to the fans.
It would help if I knew the context of the comment.
[UPDATE]
Found it.
No, you don't need to have your agent sign a non-disclosure agreement so he/she won't tell publishers your wonderful idea (so they won't steal it). I think I have that right.
I can just imagine the conversation:
SFX: Phone rings
Editor: Hello?
Agent: Hi, this is Hiram Agentguy, how ya doing?
Editor: Hiram! Hey, haven't heard from you in a long time. What's up?
Agent: My client, Joe Author, has this great idea for a book.
Editor: Cool! What is it?
Agent: I'm sorry, I can't tell you.
The thought of asking an agent to sign an NDA just makes my head hurt.
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Hey UJ, what would it take for you to come down here to Missouri and teach me to keep my butt-in-chair, and my mind focused on the prize? Cuz my friggin' discipline sucks!
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You aren't allowed to come back to anywhere on the Internet until you've written 250 words of original prose fiction. Now log off and get going.
I realize this was directed at the above poster, but I probably should follow it too...
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Logging off NOW!
Ah! Atashi mo nihongo wo chotou hanashimashita yo!!
Sorry, I like finding people who speak Japanese! I'm THIS close to being fluent in Japanese but I couldn't register this semester because I ran out of time in my class schedule.
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I'm working on my Italian. I've written a couple of stories set in the Italian Renaissance, and took two research trips to Italy. In the big tourist cities you can get around fine with just English, but I got lost outside Naples, searching for the entrance to Hell (at Lake Avernus), and my smattering of Italian came in handy.
Me too
As long as we're blowing our own trumpets, my French is passably good, though not fluent. I have Irish, but it's very rusty (and not very useful). I also speak FORTRAN, ALGOL, PASCAL, DIBOL, COBOL, BASIC, BASIC+, BASIC+2, DOS, VB3 (programming languages) and MOP, MiniMOP, IBM/MVS, UNIX, VAX/VMS (these 5 are operating languages) and several others whose names escape me, e.g. at least 2 operating systems used by DEC's pdp11 series.
Any music I've managed to play has been by ear (couldn't use my fingers)
As long as we're blowing our own trumpets, my French is passably good, though not fluent. I have Irish, but it's very rusty (and not very useful). I also speak FORTRAN, ALGOL, PASCAL, DIBOL, COBOL, BASIC, BASIC+, BASIC+2, DOS, VB3 (programming languages) and MOP, MiniMOP, IBM/MVS, UNIX, VAX/VMS (these 5 are operating languages) and several others whose names escape me, e.g. at least 2 operating systems used by DEC's pdp11 series.
Any music I've managed to play has been by ear (couldn't use my fingers)
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Your blue hamster ate a poodle? Mine too!lol
Uncle Jim, got my assignment finished last night. A page + of new material. Thanks for the push.
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