Speak a second language?

[snickerd3]

That's what my own half-cracker children have told me.

Snick - you should give Duolingo a try. It's free. Might be cumbersome to use while driving though, since some of the exercises involve typing.

unless it can be done in the car I wont end up using it. I know I wouldn't sit down at a computer to do it. I'm a captive audience for 2 hrs a day in the car so it is then or never

 

[engineergurl]

okay so I googled it... Taiwan and Singapore speak Chinese (among 3 other languages), but China speaks Mandarin... this could be where the confusion is...

 

[kevo_55]

Taiwanese generally speak two different dialects of Chinese. They first begin to speak "Taiwanese" at home and then are taught Mandarin in school. (Mandarin is considered the "educated language" there.)

There are some aboriginal people in Taiwan so there are some other languages spoken but this isn't very common in the bigger cities.

.... or so I've heard.

Edit: I can't believe that my Meet The Fockers reference wasn't picked up on!

 

[knight1fox3]

okay so I googled it... Taiwan and Singapore speak Chinese (among 3 other languages), but China speaks Mandarin... this could be where the confusion is...

Ah but I learned there is a difference between traditional Chinese and simplified Chinese. I had to make sure I was using the correct dialect.

 

[engineergurl]

Taiwanese generally speak two different dialects of Chinese. They first begin to speak "Taiwanese" at home and then are taught Mandarin in school. (Mandarin is considered the "educated language" there.)

There are some aboriginal people in Taiwan so there are some other languages spoken but this isn't very common in the bigger cities.

.... or so I've heard.

Edit: I can't believe that my Meet The Fockers reference wasn't picked up on!

I found it ironic that with all this, English was listed for half the countries...

 

[kevo_55]

The funny thing about mandarin is that it is spoken all the same but it could be written differently.

That's the difference between traditional and simplified.

 

[YMZ PE]

^ What kevo said. The written Chinese language was simplified during the Cultural Revolution. The intelligentsia fled the mainland during that time, many settling in Taiwan, so traditional Chinese characters continue to be used in Taiwan while simplified characters are used on the mainland.

As for spoken languages, if it sounds like the person is yelling at you, they're probably speaking Cantonese rather than Mandarin.

 

[YMZ PE]

Where's MA today? He should have made a Monty Python reference to liking Chinese by now.

 

[IlPadrino]

This is freakin' awesome!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybcvlxivscw

 

[YMZ PE]

^ That was hilarious!

 

[NJmike PE]

What about infant? That's a completely different language...

 

[MA_PE]

Where's MA today? He should have made a Monty Python reference to liking Chinese by now.

Just catching up.

Bailiff: You are hereby charged that on the 28th day of May you did willfully and with malice of forethought, publish an alleged English- Hungarian phrase book with intent to cause a breach of thepeace. How do you plead?

Publisher: Not guilty.

Prosecuting Counsel (Eric Idle): Mr. Yahlt, on the 28th of May, you published this phrase book.

Publisher: I did

Counsel: With your lordship's permission I would like to quote an example. The Hungarian phrase meaning "Can you direct me to the railway station?" is here translated by the English phrase, "Please fondle my buttocks."

(He glares accusingly at Yahlt.)

(Another Hungarian gentleman approaches an upper-class twit on the street.)

Other Hungarian (Terry Jones): (reading from book) Pleease fondle my buttocks.

Twit (Graham Chapman): Ah yes, it's past the post office, 200 yards down, and then left at the light.

-----------------------------------------------

(phone rings) Excuse me (he answers phone)

Hello......no, not now......shtoom...shtoom....right......yes, we'll have the watch ready for you at midnight.......the watch.....the Chinese watch....yes, right-oh, bye-bye.....

mother (he hangs up phone)