Comments on: How to say what you’re really thinking http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2011/07/31/how-to-say-what-youre-really-thinking/ Any language, any time, anywhere Mon, 21 May 2012 15:21:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7.1 hourly 1 By: Adrian Morgan http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/2011/07/31/how-to-say-what-youre-really-thinking/comment-page-1/#comment-2073 Adrian Morgan Thu, 04 Aug 2011 08:12:40 +0000 http://www.languagetrainers.co.uk/blog/?p=1366#comment-2073 Even though there are only a few "trick" entries in the phrasebook (such as "<i>I understand your language perfectly</i>"), I've found it's often these ones that people laugh at the most, and it's those that your previous blog post reminded me of. I'd definitely recommend exploring the other pages on offer at zompist.com, which is a popular website in the amateur linguistics community (as distinct from the language learning community). Among other things, there's some good introductory material on linguistic concepts. Incidentally, I'll be in Germany later this month (as described what's currently in my most recent blog post, dated August 2), and for a few days of that visit I won't have the luxury of a companion who speaks the language. I've never really been in that situation before; either I've had someone with me who can translate or I've only been alone for brief intervals. I'll muddle through, but I am a little anxious about some of the social situations that might arise. For example, if someone asks me to repeat myself, it's all too easy for the frown I make as I rewind my brain and try to remember what I just said to be interpreted the wrong way! Even though there are only a few “trick” entries in the phrasebook (such as “I understand your language perfectly“), I’ve found it’s often these ones that people laugh at the most, and it’s those that your previous blog post reminded me of.

I’d definitely recommend exploring the other pages on offer at zompist.com, which is a popular website in the amateur linguistics community (as distinct from the language learning community). Among other things, there’s some good introductory material on linguistic concepts.

Incidentally, I’ll be in Germany later this month (as described what’s currently in my most recent blog post, dated August 2), and for a few days of that visit I won’t have the luxury of a companion who speaks the language. I’ve never really been in that situation before; either I’ve had someone with me who can translate or I’ve only been alone for brief intervals. I’ll muddle through, but I am a little anxious about some of the social situations that might arise. For example, if someone asks me to repeat myself, it’s all too easy for the frown I make as I rewind my brain and try to remember what I just said to be interpreted the wrong way!

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