23 Jul 15
The post that was quoted here has been removedWell thanks for the insights ... I figured there was something more to your communication style.
I too was born in a non-English speaking country, but, unlike my parents, I (and my sister) lost our accents in just 6 or so weeks. Hungarian was spoken at home at all times. I am very greatful for my parents for now I will not forget my native tounge.
I can relate to your adjustments in a new land. I was the only olive skinned person at high school, so for most of my time there I was repeatedly called "wog", which was hurtful at first, but really not so bad in the end. [It was definatly more the tone of voice than the actual word that got me down.. so much hatred].
23 Jul 15
The post that was quoted here has been removedInteresting. Where I'm from it would be strange to denigrate a nonnative speaker of English who nevertheless has achieved sufficient mastery of the language to be understood. I guess some parts of the Anglophone world are far stuffier than, say, California (where I'm from) or Pennsylvania (where I live).
Have you ever mentioned what your native language is? I'm thinking Russian or some other Slavic language. Just a guess.
For the past couple months I've gone back to studying German, which I haven't done in 20 years. And 20 years ago I didn't study the language systematically enough. Now, with all I know about mathematics, I see the language as a system with a largely logical construction. The past, the past perfect, the past perfect in the subjunctive mood, the past perfect in the subjunctive mood with a modal verb. Things are clicking together much more easily for me, so that I already have a better grasp of the language than I ever did after nearly a year living in Germany in the early 1990s.
Originally posted by SoothfastTo Soothfast only,
Interesting. Where I'm from it would be strange to denigrate a nonnative speaker of English who nevertheless has achieved sufficient mastery of the language to be understood. I guess some parts of the Anglophone world are far stuffier than, say, California (where I'm from) or Pennsylvania (where I live).
Have you ever mentioned what your native langua ...[text shortened]... grasp of the language than I ever did after nearly a year living in Germany in the early 1990s.
My issue with Duchess64 had NOTHING do with how Duchess64 communicates with
English. I asked Duchess64 a direct question on something Duchess64 said, then
Duchess64 responded to my question which was fine. I asked a follow up question then
Duchess64 got all bent out of shape I was still talking to Duchess64. I guess Duchess64
thought I was a mind reader and should just know what Duchess64 wanted.
I don't care that Duchess64 doesn't care what I think on any topic, but if Duchess64 does
not care what I think about any topic than Duchess64 should not respond to my
questions directly. Once Duchess64 gave a response, I assumed that Duchess64 was
now having a conversation with me, so when Duchess64 started mouthing off as if I
was supposed to know Duchess64 had no desire to have a conversation with me, I felt
Duchess64 was being very insulting and in my opinion unfair.
The fact that this is a public forum, anyone at any time can come and question some or
just parts of any conversation. If Duchess64 wants a private conversation than
Duchess64 should use a PM, if Duchess64 is going to get bent out of shape if more than
one person responds to Duchess64 post than Duchess64 will be bent out of shape all
the time.
I sure hope you know who I was talking too Soothfast, and who I was talking about!
23 Jul 15
Originally posted by KellyJayUh...okay.
To Soothfast only,
My issue with Duchess64 had NOTHING do with how Duchess64 communicates with
English. I asked Duchess64 a direct question on something Duchess64 said, then
Duchess64 responded to my question which was fine. I asked a follow up question then
Duchess64 got all bent out of shape I was still talking to Duchess64. I guess Duchess64
thou ...[text shortened]...
the time.
I sure hope you know who I was talking too Soothfast, and who I was talking about!
I'm not involving myself, really, in your quibble with Duchess.
23 Jul 15
The post that was quoted here has been removedGerman and Russian are the two languages that interest me most. A couple years ago I spent about three months teaching myself Russian. I got about a third of the way through "Basic Russian" by Mischa Fayer, but then ran out of time. It is perhaps a dated text, but its formal style (rather like a graduate mathematics text) appealed to me. I learned a lot, and visited Russian websites and watched Russian films. Someday I'll go back to it. In the meantime there's German.
Sometimes I entertain a fantasy of expatriating to Germany. Germans (and Swiss) were always patient with my attempts at speaking the language, and Germany has always struck me as a much more civilized and advanced society than the self-proclaimed "greatest nation on Earth." The Frankfurter Allgemeine website (http://www.faz.net/) is a great news source.
24 Jul 15
Originally posted by KellyJayI thought she was responding to me. You're confusing me.
To Soothfast only,
My issue with Duchess64 had NOTHING do with how Duchess64 communicates with
English. I asked Duchess64 a direct question on something Duchess64 said, then
Duchess64 responded to my question which was fine. I asked a follow up question then
Duchess64 got all bent out of shape I was still talking to Duchess64. I guess Duchess64
thou ...[text shortened]...
the time.
I sure hope you know who I was talking too Soothfast, and who I was talking about!
25 Jul 15
The post that was quoted here has been removedIf this is really true and you only try hard to speak like a Duchess and take on that name to avoid sneers. Perhaps you are actually alienating the wrong people.
I hope you could give the benefit of the doubt to an arrogant, bigoted, right-wing, American, white man, who had to take special classes as a boy just to learn to speak plain enough for his teachers to understand him.
I know I come off like a very obnoxious Donald Trump to some with the use of the smug smile and the nickname ....
The Near Genius
