| Pages in topic: [1 2] > | Poll: Do you consider yourself a "language lover", i.e. someone truly eager to learn languages? Thread poster: ProZ.com Staff
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This forum topic is for the discussion of the poll question "Do you consider yourself a "language lover", i.e. someone truly eager to learn languages?".
This poll was originally submitted by Frankie JB. View the poll results »
| | | | Michael Harris 
Germany
Local time: 11:00
Member (2006)
German to English
| to some extent | Jan 4, 2015 |
and if I did not "have" to work (+ family) then I would travel around the world (or certain regions) to learn the languages and culture
| | | | Gudrun Maydorn (X)
Germany
Local time: 11:00
English to German
+ ...
Ever since early childhood when my granddad started teaching me his second language.
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Michael Harris wrote:
and if I did not "have" to work (+ family) then I would travel around the world (or certain regions) to learn the languages and culture
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Anne Bohy
France
Local time: 11:00
English to French
| To some extent | Jan 4, 2015 |
... because I love to learn. Not only languages.
| | | | Balasubramaniam L.
India
Local time: 14:30
Member (2006)
English to Hindi
+ ...
SITE LOCALIZER | Not in the sense defined in the poll question | Jan 4, 2015 |
I do not believe that a language could be learned to a level of proficiency required for translation purposes after one has past one's childhood. So I can't term myself as someone eager to learn languages - which to me seems an impossible task.
However, I definitely love the languages I already know, particularly my working languages - Hindi and English - and am constantly improving my proficiency level in them by reading, writing and listening to these languages.
| | | | Mario Chavez (X)
Local time: 05:00
English to Spanish
+ ...
I'm not a language lover. At best, I enjoy studying languages, poking them on all sides for insights.
I can't stand buzzwords or clichés, which are some of a translator's worst enemies in writing. What is a language lover anyway? We could declare today Cliché Day and go on with football fan, food lover, bookworm, to have a passion for [insert your preference here], etc.
| | | | Mario Freitas
Brazil
Local time: 06:00
Member (2014)
English to Portuguese
+ ...
I used to be a lot more "eager" for languages when I was younger. Now, at almost 50, I still love the languages and try to learn a bit more whenever possible, but I'm no longer taking "lessons" on any languages.
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Daniel Penso
United States
Local time: 02:00
Member (2012)
Japanese to English
+ ...
| Agree that languages are fun! | Jan 4, 2015 |
Michael Harris wrote:
and if I did not "have" to work (+ family) then I would travel around the world (or certain regions) to learn the languages and culture
Languages are an expression of culture and a joy to learn and practice.
| | | | Alex Lago
Spain
Local time: 11:00
English to Spanish
+ ...
| Sorry can't agree with that | Jan 4, 2015 |
Balasubramaniam L. wrote:
I do not believe that a language could be learned to a level of proficiency required for translation purposes after one has past one's childhood.
I just can't agree with that as I personally know several people who have learned languages after childhood and have native level proficiency
Just look at these:
This guy is amazing
http://eu.greekreporter.com/2014/09/19/a-greek-translator-equipped-with-32-different-languages/
And listen to this one
http://www.babbel.com/magazine/language-chamaleon-one
He certainly sounds native in English, Catalan, Spanish (which are the ones I speak) and he sounds native in French (though my French is not perfect so I could be mistaken).
[Edited at 2015-01-04 17:01 GMT]
| | | | 564354352 (X)
Denmark
Local time: 11:00
Danish to English
+ ...
| More of a language geek | Jan 4, 2015 |
Well, I didn't make a New Year's resolution to learn a new language or anything like that, so my 'love' of languages as such may have faded over the years.
But as for my working languages, Danish and English, and to some extent, Spanish, I am always reading and listening and researching and jotting down interesting terms and their translations. And I notice all the oddities in other people's language use and roll my eyes at the hideous and hilarious translations we often see in subtitles h... See more Well, I didn't make a New Year's resolution to learn a new language or anything like that, so my 'love' of languages as such may have faded over the years.
But as for my working languages, Danish and English, and to some extent, Spanish, I am always reading and listening and researching and jotting down interesting terms and their translations. And I notice all the oddities in other people's language use and roll my eyes at the hideous and hilarious translations we often see in subtitles here in Denmark. There's a certain level of smugness to my geekiness, I think, and maybe it is a bit of a love affair, who knows? ▲ Collapse
| | | | Thayenga
Germany
Local time: 11:00
Member (2009)
English to German
+ ...
Daniel1223 wrote: Michael Harris wrote:
and if I did not "have" to work (+ family) then I would travel around the world (or certain regions) to learn the languages and culture Languages are an expression of culture and a joy to learn and practice.
I agree. It has shown many times that even the attempt to learn the language of a temporary host country ( e. g. during a vacation) works wonders. People are pleasantly surprised and eager to help in teaching their native language, not only in Kenya, China or Russia but - I believe - worldwide. Even when no proficiency can be reached, the words one can learn during a few weeks' stay open a new gate to a country's culture and into the hearts of the people.
[Edited at 2015-01-04 18:26 GMT]
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Sheila Wilson
Spain
Local time: 10:00
Member (2007)
English
+ ...
| Words are what fascinate me | Jan 4, 2015 |
I'm finding it very hard to get my head round the incredibly irregular verbs in Spanish, so I wouldn't say I'm enjoying learning the language. I feel in some ways that I'm just too old to start from near-scratch again. But I love trying to work out the meanings of new words, their origins, and their links with similar (or not so similar) words in other languages.
Only yesterday I was wondering why the European languages have such different words for "dog" (hond, perro, chien, pes e... See more I'm finding it very hard to get my head round the incredibly irregular verbs in Spanish, so I wouldn't say I'm enjoying learning the language. I feel in some ways that I'm just too old to start from near-scratch again. But I love trying to work out the meanings of new words, their origins, and their links with similar (or not so similar) words in other languages.
Only yesterday I was wondering why the European languages have such different words for "dog" (hond, perro, chien, pes etc) and yet "cat" translates as something very similar in most of them. I wouldn't consider it a useful tool, but I find this interesting for an at-a-glance translation: http://ukdataexplorer.com/european-translator/ ▲ Collapse
| | | | Helen Hagon
Local time: 10:00
Member (2011)
Russian to English
+ ...
Surely any translator who does not love languages is in the wrong job... The opportunity for constant language learning is what makes my work so interesting.
| | | | | Re: eager to learn - not at this point | Jan 5, 2015 |
Don't get me wrong. I still have an interest in new languages, and recently dabbled in language no. 7. But after working in languages for decades, I am no longer at the "eager to learn" phase. I also enjoy learning things outside my daily professional work which of necessity is steeped in languages. In fact, one part of translation that I enjoy is the fact that we must be curious about new subjects.
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