You can get your point across without being insulting, if you make the effort.
Or is it that you have not learned English as well as you claim?

I never claimed to be fluent, or to have even learned Spanish well. being taught and/or studying are processes, not the achievement. The only languages I would ever claim to speak would be my native tongue English, and with the caveat that after 20 years I have forgotten most of it - French.

Yes, in fact, you did!

"you are self thought in Japanese and i think it's usability probably is non existent specially when you only learn it on your free time. + learning mandarin also on your own. Spanish you were learning when you were a 5 year old child +5th and 6th grade - primitive level at best and you haven't used it since"

She mentioned mandarin, not me. I mentioned the Spanish at 5. Get your information straight before criticizing people.

While I would agree that claiming to speak a language when one is not actually fluent in it, is misrepresentation and unacceptable. But when such things are postulated with unwarranted condemnation, direct or inferred, it negates any appreciation for your point of view.

It's okay everyone. Personally, I got the point and I don't have anything to prove. So let's just drop it.

As for Spanish, Suki, I would be more than glad to get back to it if you want to be my PenPal^^ I learned mostly from Southamerican teachers, so I will be glad to hear of Spanish from Spain! Maybe you could help me with some expressions! Yay, I will have another quest for my future normal life.

looks like i did. my bad.
even so. how big of a cry baby you have to be to whine about expression "nothing to write home about" and say it's an insult? specially when it comes to conversations on the internet and when they are not aimed at you?
expression perfectly sums up my thoughts - there is some basis and some skill but like i said...nothing to write home about.

I started learning Japanese and other languages for my thirst of knowledge. That's all.

what exactly do you mean by the expression
"Nothing to write home about."


Is that literal that you do not have anything to write home about--maybe because you already are at home.


It is an odd expression after all.

I actually feel that you are very condescending towards other language learners. As though You are superior to them. You write as though your language skills are better than others.

We should be encouraging people-- not discouraging by some rather rude comments.


In life-- if others put us down make us feel inadequate-- that is not at all helpful is it?


I once lived with some one like that-- made me feel inferior-- which caused loss of confidence.


You may think that your mastery of languages is superior to others but unless you speak to them face to face you do not have that right.

Now You could say to ME that I am not working hard enough to learn Japanese language-- and you would be correct.

it's like some piano teachers who rap their pupils fingers when they make mistakes--which is totally soul destroying.


Encouragement can bring forth greater achievements than constant criticism.

Okay, then stop talking about it then, if there is nothing to write home about. You attitude is very negative now, because what you say bring nothing to this thread, so I will ask you to please stop telling him that he's not concerned in the conversation and stop aiming it at whoever you aimed it at. Understood? I didn't come back to JF to be arguing about something which is not the subject of the thread. You spoiled the subject. I didn't ask the opinion of people as to how they perceive "knowing a language", but rather how and why they started to learn Japanese.

We got the point. TalnSG got it and won't be arguing any more on this either, so please do so as well. I hope this is over.

Sure, I'll help you! Just hit me up if you have questions or want me to check on your writing or translate stuff for you. :)

Taln, you speak Spanish as well? I can be the judge of this. Gimme your best so I can test you on your knowledge of Spanish and say how much you really know. I'm taking bets starting now :smokingbear:

none of ur busi-- lol jk

i started learning Japanese because i love alot of things there. i gone to a Japanese store (not in japan but its a Japanese store) and i bought a couple of things i didnt even use.. in other words i love japan and pretty much anything Japanese .

as for what i know already my native language and English i learned English from tv internet etc.. but it seems that there r some things that i understand in English but not in my native language and ppl that i met online say i had an English accent and were fooled. hehe . now while i talk Japanese to my friends they give me faces and say "what does that mean?" i tell them what it means then i say some other things "ok stop it with the japanese im learning korean" anyway im hoping to be able to go to japan since hopefully in the future ill be traveling to places and japan is on top of the list of where i wanna go. (long story) in short "i love japan" =w=

I'm learning because my dream is to live in Japan one day, so the language would be useful, to make things easier. lol. I'm not in any class but self-learning just now. Maybe I can find a class at university in August. Hoping to go to Japan in 2013, so plenty of time compared to others I feel. Shitsurei shimasu :D