Is it better to know several languages more or less, a couple of languages well, or one language (almost) perfectly?

by bennett.dunn1 Posted 2012/06/02 22:18:55

Related Topics: Spanish, Languages, Communication, Language, Time, Humour

3 votes
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	One language perfectly	1 vote	33%
	A few (2-4) very well	1 vote	33%
	Many languages (5 etc.) to a competent level	0 votes	0%
	Other	1 vote	33%

I think language learning is an important thing for society to do, but it seems to be that really bilingual people often sacrifice some of the nuances of both languages they speak in favour of broad communication in both languages. As someone who now speaks Spanish to an upper-intermediate level I am constantly frustrated by the subtleties of Spanish humour. Is that something you can only really appreciate if you are born purely with that language or is it possible to learn to appreciate such nuances over time?

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DS in Oak Ridge NC 2012/06/02 22:26:02

Other

+1
My vote would be one language perfectly, and enough to be polite in several. I can order two beers in 10+ languages, so if I get stranded or lost in Europe or Asia, I can find a bar, and offer one of the beers to a local who might speak English and help me out. It works!

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