Ok, Lemmy, let's play a game!
Post how many languages in which you can count to ten, including your native language. If you like, provide which languages. I'm going to make a guess; after you've replied, come back and open the spoiler. If I'm right: upvote; if I'm wrong: downvote!
My guess, and my answer...
My guess is that it's more than the number of languages you speak, read, and/or write.
Do you feel cheated because I didn't pick a number? Vote how you want to, or don't vote! I'm just interested in the count.
I can count to ten in five languages, but I only speak two. I can read a third, and I once was able to converse in a fourth, but have long since lost that skill. I know only some pick-up/borrow words from the 5th, including counting to 10.
- My native language is English
- I lived in Germany for a couple of years; because I never took classes, I can't write in German, but I spoke fluently by the time I left.
- I studied French in college for three years; I can read French, but I've yet to meet a French person who can understand what I'm trying to say, and I have a hard time comprehending it.
- I taught myself Esperanto a couple of decades ago, and used to hang out in Esperanto chat rooms. I haven't kept up.
- I can count to ten in Japanese because I took Aikido classes for a decade or so, and my instructor counted out loud in Japanese, and the various movements are numbered.
I can almost count to ten in Spanish, because I grew up in mid-California and there was a lot of Spanish thrown around. But French interferes, and I start in Spanish and find myself switching to French in the middle, so I'm not sure I could really do it.
Bonus question: do you ever do your counting in a non-native language, just to make it more interesting?
Four. English, Hindi, Marathi (native) and Kannada. Sanskrit as well, but it's a dead language, and I can't speak Sanskrit because the grammar is extremely complicated. Had it in school for 3 years. So 5, if you're counting Sanskrit.
I generally count in English, unless I am using another language with my friends (excluding Sanskrit).
Marathi and Kannada??? Do u live in Belgaum?
Nice guess, but no.
Edit: जर्मन आणि मराठी? मी कर्नाटका पासून आहे, त्यामुळे म्हाला मराठी (मातृभाषा) आणि कन्नडा येते. जर्मनी मध्ये फॅमिली आहे का? NRI?
नाही नाही. आम्हाला शाळेत ८-१०व्ही अर्ध हिंदी अर्ध जर्मन (१००च्या ऐवजी ५०-५० मार्कांसाठी) असल्यामुळे खूप थोडे जर्मन येते. तेव्हा बी २ पर्यंत यायचे. आता काही येत नाही lol.
पण माझ्या एका मित्राला खूप फायदा झाला जर्मन मुले. आता मस्त जर्मनी मध्ये फुकटात बॅचलर्स करतोय (तिथे जर्मन मध्ये शिकलात तर शिक्षणाची फी जर्मन सरकार भरते).
हो, कॅनडा मध्ये.
👍
Sanskrit is so interesting, and an unusual one! It reminds me that I haven't seen anyone mention Latin yet, which is odd because it's relatively more common and you'd expect some lawyers and doctors on Lemmy.
I use Esperanto as my utility counting language, and I usually count in dozenal (with help-words for 10 & 11). Any time I'm doing any activity requiring me to tally, it's usually also mind-numbingly dull so adding mental gymnastics helps. Do you ever use Sanskrit this way? I think I would, if I knew any Sanskrit.
Esperanto is still a thing? I'm surprised.
Now that you mention it, sure, I think counting in Sanskrit would be somewhat amusing. It's such a serious, proper language. I don't ever use it in conversation, except for some fun proverbs.