Montreal?

[midgetshrimp]

I hated Paris. I stopped learning French after I went there. Now I'm studying German. And I get this sick feeling of retribution for it. Muahahahaha!

Actually, I started learning German for completely unrelated reasons. And similarly stopped learning French.

[Dorsai]

Note: This is a very important piece of information, especially for anyone who has traveled to France. While this is hardly a universal characteristic, French people (especially Parisians) are about 50-50 likely to be particularly snooty towards you if you speak French with anything worse than a mild accent.

For some reason I feel obligated to speak up in defense of Parisians here. Admittedly, my experience is but one among millions, but I encountered no such problems when I was there in 2003. I was an American, speaking no French beyond what I had picked up from a book on the flight over, visiting while Abrams tanks were still rolling toward Baghdad, and experienced not the least bit of rudeness from the people of Paris.

OK, I lie...there was the one girl manning the desk at the train station who was rude and unhelpful. But if I had to do that for a living I'd hate all of humanity as well, so no blame accrues to the French for that.

[Pneumonica]

The threat of an M-1 Abrams do have the characteristic of inducing politeness. (Note: Now I am just being snarky.)

In all seriousness, you might just be the kind of person French people like (which is to say, every culture is more tolerant of certain personalities over certain others). However, be that as it may, for all the times I've been in Europe the French have never treated me so nicely as the East Germans (back when there was an East Germany), and that includes the East German cops (who were actually quite nice given that they could've shot us and gotten only a verbal reprimand for it).

And interestingly, I learned German as well, but mostly because I was one of the few people at UT who realized that German was easier to learn than Spanish for an English speaker. That and there was no way to get into the Spanish classes. At all.

[Bear]

Actually I have to agree on the French people front in that every single one I've met has come accross as rude and arrogant, whichever language I've tried speaking to them. Even though they were more likely to respond when I did speak french to them, they always seemed to have the attitude of 'oh, another bloody tourist'. Maybe its because I'm English and we traditionally hate each other. lol

On the other hand though, every French speaking Canadian I've met has been really loverly no matter what language I've spoken to them, and have been supportive and helpful, even with my broken highschool french.

[polarbear925]

H is for Houston, We Have a Problem...

F is for "Fuuuuuuuuu..."
G is for "Good GAWD!"
H is for "Hai-YABA!!"

[midgetshrimp]

The threat of an M-1 Abrams do have the characteristic of inducing politeness. (Note: Now I am just being snarky.)

In all seriousness, you might just be the kind of person French people like (which is to say, every culture is more tolerant of certain personalities over certain others). However, be that as it may, for all the times I've been in Europe the French have never treated me so nicely as the East Germans (back when there was an East Germany), and that includes the East German cops (who were actually quite nice given that they could've shot us and gotten only a verbal reprimand for it).

And interestingly, I learned German as well, but mostly because I was one of the few people at UT who realized that German was easier to learn than Spanish for an English speaker. That and there was no way to get into the Spanish classes. At all.

Well, I actually starting learning German because we had a foreign exchange student from Switzerland stay with us for several months. And he's awesome. I went through Europe on a school trip and arranged to meet his family, and they're awesome. So I started taking German the next semester. I've taken three semesters in high school, tested into intermediate at college, but wasn't ready, so I downgraded to the 2nd beginners class. I took four semesters of French in high school, but they were so spread out I don't remember any of it. And yes, since English is a Germanic language, learning German is usually easier.

[Azrael]

The threat of an M-1 Abrams do have the characteristic of inducing politeness. (Note: Now I am just being snarky.)

In all seriousness, you might just be the kind of person French people like (which is to say, every culture is more tolerant of certain personalities over certain others). However, be that as it may, for all the times I've been in Europe the French have never treated me so nicely as the East Germans (back when there was an East Germany), and that includes the East German cops (who were actually quite nice given that they could've shot us and gotten only a verbal reprimand for it).

And interestingly, I learned German as well, but mostly because I was one of the few people at UT who realized that German was easier to learn than Spanish for an English speaker. That and there was no way to get into the Spanish classes. At all.

Well, I actually starting learning German because we had a foreign exchange student from Switzerland stay with us for several months. And he's awesome. I went through Europe on a school trip and arranged to meet his family, and they're awesome. So I started taking German the next semester. I've taken three semesters in high school, tested into intermediate at college, but wasn't ready, so I downgraded to the 2nd beginners class. I took four semesters of French in high school, but they were so spread out I don't remember any of it. And yes, since English is a Germanic language, learning German is usually easier.

Old English is a Germanic language, however Middle English is partially French / Latin based. French was actually the language of the English court nobility for a good 200-300 years (c.1066-1300ish). Modern English is polyglotal mish-mash that will take pretty much any word for its own usage whether it wants to be used or not.

[Retiarius]

Old English is a Germanic language, however Middle English is partially French / Latin based. French was actually the language of the English court nobility for a good 200-300 years (c.1066-1300ish). Modern English is polyglotal mish-mash that will take pretty much any word for its own usage whether it wants to be used or not.

The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary.

—James D. Nicoll

Note: The word “riffle” (rather than “rifle”) is how this quote was originally written, a typo admitted by its original author, but I copied it as originally misspelled. I now correct that error.

[polarbear925]

Old English is a Germanic language, however Middle English is partially French / Latin based. French was actually the language of the English court nobility for a good 200-300 years (c.1066-1300ish). Modern English is polyglotal mish-mash that will take pretty much any word for its own usage whether it wants to be used or not.

The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and riffle their pockets for new vocabulary.

—James D. Nicoll

Which makes it a sort of come-uppance/payback when English words get co-opted into other languages. For example, look at how many words in English get incorporated into Japanese simply by eliminating the "L" sound and adding a "-u" sound at the end .

[midgetshrimp]

Old English is a Germanic language, however Middle English is partially French / Latin based. French was actually the language of the English court nobility for a good 200-300 years (c.1066-1300ish). Modern English is polyglotal mish-mash that will take pretty much any word for its own usage whether it wants to be used or not.

The Norman invasion of 1066 began the introduction of so many French variables into the lexicon of Germanic Old English. Since then, yes, English has become a clusterfuck of bastardized words and phrases from every language around the globe. But because it's origins are still German, it is still considered a Germanic language. Or else it would be a romance language, which it's not. :ugeek: Indeed.[/color[