Author: Alexander Kure
Date: 12:18:35 01/04/01
Go up one level in this thread
On January 04, 2001 at 14:54:01, Robin Smith wrote: >On January 04, 2001 at 13:14:38, Alexander Kure wrote: > >>On January 04, 2001 at 13:02:15, Christopher A. Morgan wrote: >> >>>I believe there are some web based free translation services. >>>Would appreciate any links someone may have. Looking for German to >>>English for Chess Bits, etc. Thanks!! >>> >>>Chris >> >>Hi Chris, >> >>Without knowing your personal background - why not learn some german? >> >>I for example grew up with German, learned English in school, Latin and am >>capable of reading French and Spanish chess magazines without knowing the >>language ;-) >> >>I am sorry to say, but this is not an English speaking world. Though it seems >>that many native English speaking persons think so. > >Hi Alexander, > Hi Robin, >Although I know a little German, it is generally easier for lazy native English >speakers such as myself to take advantage of the fact that, while this is not an >English speaking world, it is obviously impossible to learn ALL languages and >the international language of choice is usually English. You name an interesting fact: Lazyness! As native English people are not confronted to learn what you call the international language of choice, they assume the world is speaking their language and are very much surprised in situations when this is not the case. This English centric view is what disturbs many people. I personally don't care. Of course you do not have to learn all languages, a few will do it ;-) >It seems that you have done what many people do, after learning your native >language you learn English and then more of less stop learning other (modern) >languages. Many English speakers do the same thing .... it is just that when we >finish step one, learning our native language, we are also done with step two, >learning English. Maybe we are just lucky in this way, but it is no reason to >chastise someone for not knowing German. Nice word - chastise. Had to look it up in the online dictionary. Of course i have every right to suggest to someone who cannot understand a language to learn it! Especially if this is a native English speaking person who is too lazy to learn a different language. >One of the difficulties many English speakers face with learning a foriegn >language is the opportunity to practice using it. For example, after I took 3 >years of German in school, I have had almost no opportunities to use this >knowledge and over the years much of it has sort of whithered and died. I >suppose that now with the internet I could pick some of it back up, but it is a >lot of work for little benefit. You know how i practice my English: a) write to you in English b) read this forum c) read English books. Right now i read John Grisham's novel "The Testament". I don't care to read the German translation - of course! d) Watch Movies in English. e) read many magazines in english f) help foreigners who ask me for the way g) ... to lazy to continue You could do nearly the same... >So, without knowing more about your personal background - why not learn some >Chinese? Whatever reasons you give, many of us would have the same reasons for >not learning German. Actually Japanes is on my to do list due to the fact that most Go books are written in Japanese ;-) Thank you very much for your arguments. Much appreciated. Greetings Alex
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