Langue!
As an amateur linguist, I have spent the better part of my recent life dabbling in a few languages, and I must say that I've found a few that I thoroughly enjoy. Here's a quick list of languages that I love, and languages I hate.
Languages I dig:
1) Ancient Greek. It's like a giant logic puzzle. Nightmarishly complicated, but always rewarding and with an enormous and excellent body of extant literature.
2) Icelandic. Fun and jangly. While most languages are virtually unrecognizable from their predecessors 500 years prior, Icelandic has remained virtually unchanged since the 12th century. So a modern Icelander can still read classic Icelandic texts from way back in the day. Try doing that with English.
3) Latin. Your grandfather's language is still fun and erudite without being complex. It is the picture of Roman elegance, with straightforward grammar and a sound that is pleasant without being cutesy (see Italian). It's also a nice entry-level language to get you into all the other romance languages.
4) German. Yeah, yeah, I know. But it's so jaunty and idiosyncratic, and it is quite endearing once you get to know it. Also, I honestly think that there is nothing better than German poetry. If you don't believe me, check out "Mondnacht" by Eichendorff, which is genuinely beautiful.
Languages I strongly dislike:
1) French. Maybe I'm being overly iconoclastic here, but I just don't get the appeal of French. Of all the Romance languages, its literature interests me the least (Don Quixote, the Divine Comedy, or The Remembrance of Things Past--which one would you pick?). It's whispery and endearing, yes, but it's also nasal and awkward and very difficult to hear. Not to mention that we have them to blame for our horrendous English spelling.
2) Russian. This is a truly tone deaf language. I'm sure it could grow on me if I let it. But I simply don't intend to.
For languages I know almost nothing about but wish I knew more, see Dutch and Irish (Gaelic).
Languages I dig:
1) Ancient Greek. It's like a giant logic puzzle. Nightmarishly complicated, but always rewarding and with an enormous and excellent body of extant literature.
2) Icelandic. Fun and jangly. While most languages are virtually unrecognizable from their predecessors 500 years prior, Icelandic has remained virtually unchanged since the 12th century. So a modern Icelander can still read classic Icelandic texts from way back in the day. Try doing that with English.
3) Latin. Your grandfather's language is still fun and erudite without being complex. It is the picture of Roman elegance, with straightforward grammar and a sound that is pleasant without being cutesy (see Italian). It's also a nice entry-level language to get you into all the other romance languages.
4) German. Yeah, yeah, I know. But it's so jaunty and idiosyncratic, and it is quite endearing once you get to know it. Also, I honestly think that there is nothing better than German poetry. If you don't believe me, check out "Mondnacht" by Eichendorff, which is genuinely beautiful.
Languages I strongly dislike:
1) French. Maybe I'm being overly iconoclastic here, but I just don't get the appeal of French. Of all the Romance languages, its literature interests me the least (Don Quixote, the Divine Comedy, or The Remembrance of Things Past--which one would you pick?). It's whispery and endearing, yes, but it's also nasal and awkward and very difficult to hear. Not to mention that we have them to blame for our horrendous English spelling.
2) Russian. This is a truly tone deaf language. I'm sure it could grow on me if I let it. But I simply don't intend to.
For languages I know almost nothing about but wish I knew more, see Dutch and Irish (Gaelic).
posted by Tim Dees at 11:38 PM
2 Comments:
another interesting note. my italian roommate's italian friend is always taken for a russian when she speaks english.
when have you studied icelandic? that's pretty mysterious
Dude. This sight sucks. It never gets updated. Stop dating that man and get back to writing here.
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