The Official Languages Thread

[Elemmírë]

Originally Posted by Nurvingiel

Un gars qui a juste démarrer (is that "moved in") dans ce corridore m'avait expliquer que ces deux langues sont très différant.


For those non-Frenchies out there, I said that Portugese and Spanish are actually quite different languages.

Well, it could have fooled me. I find Portuguese texts rather simple to read with some Spanish knowledge. French of course helps also. *shrug* I haven't heard it spoken, but from what I heard of a Brazilian accent, I think the accent is completely different than Spanish, so it probably sounds different.

In writing though...

Katya has a link to the Japanese pack. She sent it to me. But I can't remember what exactly it was...

[Elemmírë]

Originally Posted by katya

If I'm remembering correctly (which I think I am, but who knows?), "ikanakute mo ii" means "(you) don't have to go". It's similar to saying "oteari ni itte mo ii [desu ka]?" (can I go to the bathroom? or literally "is going to the restroom ok?") "-to itta" is the same as "-to iimashita" and that means I'm quoting her. "iimasu" or "iu" means "to say". (A little different than hanashimasu/hanasu 話す which means more like to have an actual conversation.) Also, you can say "to omou" which means "I think..." So, gakkou he ikanakute mo ii to itta" 「学校へ行かなくてもいいと言った」 means "She said I didn't have to go to school."

Also, when you're referring to your own parents, it's haha or chichi 母　父 but when you talk about someone else's parents, you say okaasan or otousan お母さん　お父さん because it's more polite. I think you also call your parents otousan and okaasan when you're speaking to them.

So the kanji are different for haha and okaa... Good to know. I'll write something in Japanese later (don't feel like trying to switch over to hiragana on this uncooperative computer)... I don't have enough time now before Japanese class. Maybe I'll ask sensei about the "have to" and all...

[katya]

What? The kanji are different? What do you mean? It's the same kanji in "haha" and "kaa" (and "chichi" and "too") except there's some stuff surrounding it, and it's pronounced differently. The "o" before "okaasan" and "otousan" is honorific, like that before o-sushi or o-namae. Then there's "-san", and of course you can say "otousama", or whatever too, if you wanted. You probably already knew all that, but, whatever.

I'll try and explain "have to" and "don't have to"

To say "have to", you use "shinakereba narimasen/ikemasen" (I'm using "suru" there in the example, just so you know). The "-nakereba" means "If [I] don't..." and "narimasen" means basically "it won't do", "ikemasen" is "it isn't allowed". So...
Gakkou he ikanakereba narimasen 学校へ行かなければなりません　means "I have to go to school" or "if I don't go to school, it won't do." To create that form, you just take the -nai form, drop the final i and add -kereba.
If you're being more casual, you can use "shinakya naranai" instead, or I think that you can leave off the "naranai" if you want (if I understand correctly). So...
gakkou he ikanakya! 学校へ行かなきゃ。 Is also "I have to go to school."
For "don't have to", it's the nai form minus the i plus -kute mo ii/kamaimasen. (kamaimasen=I don't mind if...).

Nurvi: links- (for if you have XP)

to be able to read japanese on your computer:
http://www.nihongo-ok.com/method/011113_winxp1.htm

to be able to type in japanese on your computer:
http://www.nihongo-ok.com/method/011113_winxp2.htm

[TinuvielChild]

Es gibt nicht genüge Leute hier, die Deutsch sprechen können! Ich spreche Deutsch nicht fließend, aber ich bin nicht total schlecht.

[Embladyne]

Ich bin ein Auslander und ich spreche nicht gut Deustch!
Did you ever use singing to learn German phrases?

[Elemmírë]

Originally Posted by katya

What? The kanji are different? What do you mean? It's the same kanji in "haha" and "kaa" (and "chichi" and "too") except there's some stuff surrounding it

Er... sorry, Katya. That's what I meant.

Thanks for the "have to/don't have to" lesson also.

Okay... my promised Japanese...

明日私の一番好きなテニスのプレーヤーは負けましたから、私は悲しいです。かれは　＜グランド　スラム＞を 　勝利しましたがほしい。 来年かれは勝利しなければなりません。

ashita watashi no ichiban suki na tenisu no pureeyaa wa mekemashita kara, watashi wa kanashii desu. Kare wa "Gurando Suramu (Grand Slam )" o shouri shimashita ga hoshii. Rainen ga kare wa shouri shinakereba narimasen.

I hope that works right... I have no idea how to say "I wanted that... something happen".

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

によろしくと言う

(does that say hello?)

i used online translator in MS Word,

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

This is for someone to translate for me:

La notte scivola sul mondo
Che si addormenterÃ*
E la luna vestirÃ* d’argento
Il mare e le cittÃ*

E tu mi mancherai
Più ancora
Quanto non lo sai

Continuerò a credere che
Siamo un’anima, io e te
E ti amerò communiqué, lo so
Anche se non sei con me
Io ti amerò

Ti porterò con me nel sole
Nei sogni che faro
Ruberò i colori del mattino
E un cielo limpido
Su cui dipingerò il tuo viso
E sorriderò

Continuerò a credere che
Siamo un’anima, io e te
E ti amerò communiqué, lo so
Anche se non sei con me

Ti porterò con me
Mi manchi più che mai stasera
Quanto no lo sai

Continuerò a credere che
Siamo un’anima, io e te
E ti amerò communiqué, lo so
Anche se non sei con me
Io ti amerò


IL or The Wizard from Milan?

[The Wizard from Milan]

the night glides over the world
that will fall asleep
And the moon will dress
The sea and the cities in silver

And I will miss you
Even more
You don't know how much

I will continue to believe that
we are one soul, me and you
and I will love you no-matter-what, I know
even if you are not with me
I will love you

I will bring you with me on the sun
in the dreams that I will make
I will steal the colors of the morning
and a clear sky
on which I will paint your face
and I'll smile

I will continue to believe that
we are one soul, me and you
and I will love you no-matter-what, I know
even if you are not with me

I will bring you with me
I miss you more than ever tonight
You don't know how much [I miss you]

I will continue to believe that
we are one soul, me and you
and I will love you no-matter-what, I know
even if you are not with me
I will love you


+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
I have never heard this song, it must be one of the new ones (i.e. one of the ones that came out in the last 7 years )

[Embladyne]

That is beautiful.
Neige gewen shi hen de piaoliang. Wo xihuan chang riban ge.

[Elemmírë]

Originally Posted by Last Child of Ungoliant

によろしくと言う

(does that say hello?)

i used online translator in MS Word,

It says "Niyoroshikutoiu..." I think. Never heard it before... what about you, Katya?

There's always: 今日は which is "konnichi wa" (basically good day)
And: おはようございます , ohayou gozaimasu... it is a long O, right? Can't remember... (used in the morning)

I like it, Wiz.

[katya]

I'm not positive about the "niyoroshiku" but remember how I said "to iu" means that someone said something? To as a particle can indicate a quotation and "iu" means "to speak, say". I get confused about what exactly "yoroshiku" means, even though I use it- like when you meet someone you say "doozo yoroshiku" or something along those lines. According to my dictionary, "yoroshiku" is an adverb meaning "well", so I'm thinking it's something like "treat me kindly/well" or depending on context, something else. I'm not exactly sure though. I don't know what it could be with "ni" though. Either way, I'm not sure how that could mean "hello". I'd just stick with "konnichiwa" (and ohayou (morning), and konbanwa for evening).

今日、私は友達の家に行く。中学校二年生からかのじょがしっているけど、まだいえに行く事はない。でも、た いていひるごはん時にかのじょは私のいえに食べに来る。学校から一マイルだけです。 (I'm not sure about all that grammer, but oh well. My mom's coming to pick me up soon.)

kyou, watashi wa tomodachi no ie ni iku. chuugakkou ninensei kara kanojo ga shi tteiru (that got edited out before so I had to put a space in there, ha ha.)kedo, mada ie ni iku koto wa nai. demo, taitei hirugohan toki ni kanojo wa watashi no ie ni tabeni kuru. gakkou kara ichi mairu (mile) dake desu.

today, I'm going to my friend's house. Although I've known her since 7th grade, I still haven't ever been to her house. but, usually at lunchtime she comes to my house to eat. It is only one mile from the school.

[ItalianLegolas]

Entmoot e molto divertente

[Janny]

Originally Posted by TinuvielChild

Es gibt nicht genüge Leute hier, die Deutsch sprechen können! Ich spreche Deutsch nicht fließend, aber ich bin nicht total schlecht.

Hallo! Ich mache eine AS level (Abitur) in Deutsch. Ich bin echt schlect, aber meine Schwester (die sun-star) spricht ganz gut Deutsch.

Glucklicheweise hab ich nie mit Leidern Deutsch gelernt. Aber manchmal mussten meine Klasse mit Melodien die... erm... masculine, femine, neutur and plural article... Tabelle lernen.

The femine and plural tables read (Nom. Acc. Gen. Dat.) 'die, die, der, der! die, die, der, den'! Can you gues the tune? Of course ( ), it's Beethoven's 5th. Or 8th. I forget.

[Nurvingiel]

That's the fifth.

South Africa is cool. Has anyone read "The Other Side of Truth"? It's not really about language, but it touches on how many languages are spoken in SA.

How many does India have?

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

there are over 200 languages spoken in india, not counting dialects, and over 20 are official, although most used are English, Urdu, Hindi, Arabic, Bengali, Tamil,

[Elemmírë]

私も巣人友達の家に絶いきませんでした。

watashi mo sunin tomodachi no ie ni zettai ikimasen deshita.

今日私は　お腹の踊りを　しました。今疲れたです。本やにいきましたから、本を買いました。私はトルケンの 本をかうのがだいすきです。 今晩　私は　ねたいです。。。

Now I get to try to figure out those kanji... "kyou watashi wa onaka no odori wo shimashita. Ima watsureta desu. Honya ni ikimashita kara, hon wo kaimashita. Watashi wa Toruken no hon o kau no ga daisuki desu. Konban watashi wa netai desu..."

I also have never gone over to some friends' houses. Today I went belly dancing. I'm tired now. I went to a bookstore so I bought a book. I like buying Tolkien books. Tonight I want to sleep...

[Last Child of Ungoliant]

Originally Posted by The Wizard from Milan

I have never heard this song, it must be one of the new ones (i.e. one of the ones that came out in the last 7 years )

it is 'Ti Amerò', taken from Il Divo's self-titled Debut album, and i love it, I just didn't know what it meant till now!!

can you do another for me?

This one is called 'Feelings', don't know why the feelings is in english, though

Prima c’eri, ora no
Prima amavi ogni mio respiro
Spiegami di come I brividi ora sono
Le spine, di un amore alla fine

Mi baciavi, ora no
Mi parlavi fino a tarda notte
Tra di noi c’era tutto ora niente
Feelings, sto parlando di feelings

Dove si va se non c’è
Feelings
Come si fa per tenerlo con sè
Dimmi se, dimmi che forse credere si può
Oh feelings dove si va se non c’è

Èun dolore che oramai
Tu lo sai, è per noi una lama gelida
Sorridevo, ora piango
Oh feelings, sto parlando di feelings

Dove si va se non c’è
Feelings
Come si fa per tenerlo con sè
Dimmi se, dimmi che forse credere si può
Oh feelings dove si va se non c’è

Persi nella scia
Di una storia che va via
Dietro gli alberi di quest’ alba fragile

Dove si va se non c’è
Feelings
Come si fa per tenerlo con sè
Dimmi se, dimmi che forse credere si può
Oh feelings dove si va se non c’è

Come si fa per tenerlo con sè
Dimmi se, dimmi che forse credere si può
Oh feelings dove si va se non c’è

Dove si va se non c’è

[The Wizard from Milan]

Translation note: Italians often adopt foreign words. English words most often. Very often these words are misunderstood or misused. This song is a perfect example of that; the word feelings is spelt plural, but the rest of the song is written as if feelings were singular. I translate it as is, although it sounds wrong in English.
You also have to know that feeling (spelt singlur) is used very often in italian. An italian would say "there is feeling between the two of you" meaning that there are romantic feelings between the two persons. In italian, there is "feeling between two people" if they are so taken with each other that there is no need for words between them to understand each other, if they are so "syncronized" with each other that there is no need of verbal communication

There are a couple of intentional mistakes i.e. it says "not now" although in italian (and in english) it would be better to say "not any longer".
There is a sentece left incomplete "tell me if" as if the character had changed his mind halfway and started the sentence afresh

You used to be here, not now
You used to love each one of my breaths
Explain to me how [it is possible that] the tremors [of excitement] now have become
the thorns of a love that is ending

You used to kiss me, not now
You used to talk to me up until late night
between us there was all, now nothing
Feelings, I am talking about feelings

Where does one go if there is no
feelings
How does one keep it with oneself
tell me if, tell me that perhaps it is possible to believe
Oh feelings where does one go if there is not any [feelings]

By now it is sorrow
you know it, it is for us a chilling blade
I used to smile, now I cry
Oh feelings, I am talking about feelings

Where does one go if there is no
feelings
How does one keep it with oneself
tell me if, tell me that perhaps it is possible to believe
Oh feelings where does one go if there is not any [feelings]

Lost in the slew
of a [love] story that goes away
behind the trees of this fragile dawn

Where does one go if there is no
feelings
How does one keep it with oneself
tell me if, tell me that perhaps it is possible to believe
Oh feelings where does one go if there is not any [feelings]

How does one keep it with oneself
tell me if, tell me that perhaps it is possible to believe
Oh feelings where does one go if there is not any [feelings]

Where does one go if there is not any [feelings]

[Elemmírë]

Io sono ElemmÃ*rë!

Io non parlo Italiano!

And that is the extent of my Italian... so, is it right?