g2narat

I don't remember dreaming in another language. Although when I was in France, my primary language was French (I was pretty young when we moved there) so I'm guessing I was dreaming in French then. When we returned to the Philippines, I had to relearn Filipino and English. I currently dream in both those languages and I honestly cannot recall the transition between dreaming in French to Filipino and English.

Of course! Poetry just wouldn't be the same if it had to be bound by grammar rules. Of course, the poem has to make some sort of sense but I think part of the beauty of poetry is that it doesn't follow conventional writing. And since grammar is something for conventional writing, poetry should be allowed to toss that to the side

Oh I'm going to say another children's book too! For me it was "The Little Prince" though. It didn't move me much when I first read it as a kid. However, as an adult, it got me thinking about the important things in life. And I mean really thinking. To the point where I decided to pursue something I enjoyed instead of doing what was expected of me. It's a cliche idea but that's really how that book inspired me.

I'm a bit confused as to what you would call equivalent to those authors. If you are talking about works that have potential to become classics then there are tons. They are very different from Shakespeare though. Neil Gaiman might be considered easy to read, but if you really try to digest his works I think most of his works are brilliant. So for me, I would say that he is in a way an equivalent to the authors you mentioned.

Wow! There are that many speaking Esperanto? Well this might just change my mind about the language. I mean, I guess if people put enough effort into it it could become even more popular. I just don't see people pushing for it more though. It's a shame really because I think it sounds great in theory.

I live in Davao and most people here speak Visayan. The problem with that is not everyone here is a native of Davao (myself included) so Tagalog is still the most useful if you want to make sure that everyonbe understands you. Although just like most parts of the Philippines you can survive with just knowing English.

Well, sort of. I remember that someone once gave me a book where the characters spoke Spanish from time to time. The title of the book was The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao. It wasn't the best book I've ever read and to be honest I've already forgotten most parts. It did, however, make me curious about the Spanish language and I put some effort into searching the meaning of the conversations. I can't say I actually learned Spanish from it, but I did catch some phrases and words.

To be honest, I've only learned of Esperanto from this site! There's another thread here that talked about a global language. On that thread, someone posted a link about Esperanto and it got me curious. I agree with what other posters have already mentioned though. I think that although it is a nice idea, it's impossible to find a practical use for this.

Well thank you guys for giving me movies to add to my "to watch" list. Among the movies you mentioned, I have only seen "The Terminal". I thought it was a beautiful movie. I've heard about "Lost in Translation" before but forgot to check it out. I definitely will now though. "The Other Side of Heaven" also sounds like a lovely movie.

Biographies and autobiographies are my favorite types of non-fiction. I also enjoy trivia books. I have to say I'm not a fan of self-help books though. I find them boring and feel like most of them just teach me common sense stuff. That may just be me though as I have a lot of friends who enjoy self-help books.

Oh, here's a tip for those who want to learn Filipino. Begin by learning the spoken Filipino. Once you get the hang of speaking in Tagalog then you can dive into writing in Tagalog. Speaking is the harder part. Writing is a breeze because you just spell words the way you hear them. There are no silent letters, or unnecessary double letters. Just spell what you hear.

I don't think we can really change it though. I mean, we're used to communicating that way and I don't think that's necessarily a bad thing. Even when other languages are involved, there will always be certain nuances depending on the place. For example, Canadian french is slightly different than the French in France. So, personally, I think Filipino English is fine.

I remember reading "choose your own adventure" type of books when I was younger! Those were a lot of fun. I don't have the patience for them now though. Maybe this new internet-version will change my mind. We shall see...

Hmm, an interesting idea. But I think it would be impossible to implement. But hypothetically speaking, I think there would be more pros than cons. The only downside I can think of would be loss of a big part of any country's culture. The pros is that it would be much easier to communicate which would lead to more pros such as boost in tourism, less conflicts due to problems with communication, and easier trades between countries. So if it was doable, I'd definitely be for the idea.

I love reading about other people's lives. I love the lessons they learn from their struggles and the emotions they feel during their journeys. A biography/autobiography doesn't even have to be of a famous person to catch my attention. In fact the latest ones I read were both from relatively unknown people. Can you recommend a few one to add to my reading list?

Neither is really the only correct answer here. I'm not a literary snob and I've tried reading both but I just couldn't bear to finish either series. I couldn't even finish one book of either series! Twilight was way too cheesy for me and Fifty Shades was just boring. :bored:

Graphic novels or comic books are often snubbed by the writing community. I don't understand this because I've read a lot of graphic novels that are just as intellectually stimulating as other books. A good example of this would be the Sandman series by Neil Gaiman. What's you're take on this? Do you think they're worth reading?

Ah well, looks like this question has already been answered. Here's an explanation that might make things easier to remember though. It should be "What could have happened" because you are talking about something in the past. If that thing had happened then it would have already happened, so it's only natural to use past tense. It's much easier to think of it that way instead of talking about grammar rules in my opinion.

This actually sounds like fun! A unique way of learning a language! Although the words you do learn might be of limited practical value. But it does sound much more fun than learning with your typical "good morning" and "how are you" phrases

I have never heard of that tip. Maybe I'll try it. Sounds easier that diving head first into a new language. Of course, it may not be that practical. I mean, sometimes you don't have a whole year to learn a new language let alone just listen to a language. But if this is something you have time for, then I think it's worth a try.

Ooh this is such a nerdy thread! Don't get me wrong I am actually loving it! Hahaha. But seriously, I have toyed with the idea of learning fictional languages. Never had the time nor patience to push through with it though. Plus with all the real languages I want to learn I think I don't need to add another to my list :wacky:

I can relate to this! There are tons of songs that are so catchy even though I don't understand a word they are saying. It's nice knowing the meaning of a song and being able to relate to a song on a n emotional level. But sometimes, even though you have no idea what the singer is saying, you can't help but follow the tune!

Oh I hope you can find people on this site who can help you. Sounds like you're in a tough situation. But I've seen quite a number of spanish speakers here so don't be afraid to ask for help. Goodluck!

Oh I need the answer to this too. I find the language so beautiful and intriguing. I don't really need to learn it formally but I would love to learn a few words and phrases. It sounds difficult but also fluid and melodious. :love: I'll be checking in on this thread from time to time. Hopefully someone can give some good online sources.

I agree. Slang can be a fun way of using language. Using it usually means you're in a relaxed environment and are comfortable with the people you are talking to. Slang only becomes a problem if you keep using it during situations where it can be considered improper. As long as you can distinguish where to draw the line, I don't see any problem with it either.