The Answers to Discussion Topics

[Sae]

Q. the best languages to learn
A. Vietnamese, Mongolian, Tuvan, Toki Pona.

[lowsocks]

Q: Learn a language faster (article)
A: (with apologies to Indiana Jones)

[iguanamon]

Q: How to think in your "arget" language?
A: The same way as in your "ative" language- "aturally"... or watch a "outube ideo"

[Cainntear]

Q: How to think in your arget language?
A: First:the correct spelling is "argot"; second: we don't tend to use the term any more as it's generally considered pejorative thanks to its association with criminal activity.

[Sae]

Q. My English is TOO GOOD for a Russian!
A: How about two Russians?

[Cainntear]

"Don't call me a polyglot. I'm not fluent in any language"
Dammit, man, you gotta hold in there. Don't give up --live!!
[to the rest of the room]
Won't somebody please call a polyglot! This man is not fluent in any language for God's sake!!!

[Cavesa]

Q. My English is TOO GOOD for a Russian!
A: How about two Russians?

alternative answers:

A:Somebody give that person a different passport!

A:Prepare the lobotomy!

A:Yep, to a gulag with you.

(a sidenote: the last option is not even that unrealistic. Back in the Cold War, speaking English was definitely a suspicious skill in the USSR or the occupied countries. Not a reason for a huge problem on its own, but a huge piece in the mosaic. Fortunately, today's Russians surely cannot be in the same situation, given how widely spread English must be in their country. You can't imprison everyone, even though some countries try.)

[Cainntear]

A:Yep, to a gulag with you.

(a sidenote: the last option is not even that unrealistic. Back in the Cold War, speaking English was definitely a suspicious skill in the USSR or the occupied countries. Not a reason for a huge problem on its own, but a huge piece in the mosaic. Fortunately, today's Russians surely cannot be in the same situation, given how widely spread English must be in their country. You can't imprison everyone, even though some countries try.)

I knew a Russian who would hold back tears when talking about how they were only considered "half-Russian" because xenophobia was so rife that you couldn't be resident overseas or even just competent in a foreign language without drawing suspicion on yourself. There was a certain politician they felt shouldered the lion's share of the blame for that.

[Sae]

Q: English: Past Perfect or Simple Past?
A: English: our past is pretty imperfect, it's complicated. So there was the British Empire for a start and well, we did some bad stuff...and now we play villains in movies

"Don't call me a polyglot. I'm not fluent in any language"
Dammit, man, you gotta hold in there. Don't give up --live!!
[to the rest of the room]
Won't somebody please call a polyglot! This man is not fluent in any language for God's sake!!!

Dunno why, but I am reminded of this video parody of shock Polyglot YouTubers

[lowsocks]

Q: Grammar that adds no information.
A: Some may disagree, but...

chomskys-univeral-grammar.jpg