Curly's Rambunctious and Erudite Random Banter #140

[cycoris]

I'm about to read The Mind's Road to God by Saint Bonaventura. Why do I feel like this is going to be the thirteenth-century equivalent of a self-help book?

Because that's exactly what it sounds like?

ION: I wish I had a couple extra arms, so that I could type and crochet at the same time.

[Dogmantra]

I wish I had the ability to read "crochet" as "crow-shay" rather than "crot-chett". I didn't realise they were even the same thing for ages.

[Fostire]

Estoy contenta que soy baja.

Or some such thing. Yes.

That's good

I've noticed something: because of the similarity in sound between 'for' and por, people who have a little Spanish but not a lot tend to use por exclusively and ignore para.

The other day at the library I saw a sign that, attempting to be bilingual said: Libros por los niños. Now, correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure in this context libros para los niños is what they meant. Books for kids.

Depends on what they were trying to say, but I'm pretty sure that in that context it should be libros para niños (assuming it was supposed to be identifying a section of books for kids).
The word los doesn't really fit; it would if the English translation was "Books for the kids", instead of "Books for kids".

Also curly's post reminded me that Letra is a synonym of Carta although I don't think it's used nowadays.

[Dragonrider]

Depends on what they were trying to say, but I'm pretty sure that in that context it should be libros para niños (assuming it was supposed to be identifying a section of books for kids).
The word los doesn't really fit; it would if the English translation was "Books for the kids", instead of "Books for kids".

Also curly's post reminded me that Letra is a synonym of Carta although I don't think it's used nowadays.

Like I said, iffy Spanish. A large number of Americans had some in high school and remember just enough to be dangerous.

It occurs me that libras por niños could also be read as 'books written by children' . . . oh dear . . . .


Riss: Alas! Four arms would be useful for *lots* of things.

Also, my Firefox spazzes every time I try to work with more than one tab open at once. I'm sorta concerned.

[Trobby]

Hm...tried clearing out your cookies lately, Dee-Ree? Other than that, you could try a quick virus and malaware scan. Failing that, a full defrag might be what you need.

[Dragonrider]

Hm...tried clearing out your cookies lately, Dee-Ree? Other than that, you could try a quick virus and malaware scan. Failing that, a full defrag might be what you need.

AVG automatically runs a virus scan every Wednesday, and I've been having this problem intermittently since before then. And the computer defrags, again automatically every week. I'll go for cookie clearing, though . . . .

[Fostire]

AVG automatically runs a virus scan every Wednesday, and I've been having this problem intermittently since before then. And the computer defrags, again automatically every week. I'll go for cookie clearing, though . . . .

Make sure to clear your cache too. And if that doesn't work try re-installing firefox.

[Pheehelm]

It occurs me that libras por niños could also be read as 'books written by children' . . . oh dear . . . .

Actually, in light of this, I have to say that sounds pretty great.

[Kobold-Bard]

...Also, my Firefox spazzes every time I try to work with more than one tab open at once. I'm sorta concerned.

It's because you're not using Chrome and Google is mad at you. Submit to Google and you can run all the tabs you like. Or don't and they totally won't steal your pets.

[Dragonrider]

Make sure to clear your cache too. And if that doesn't work try re-installing firefox.

Well, it cleared, anyway, as when I clicked "quote" it made me re-log in. it's a good thing my password is still stored though as I'm not quite sure which one I use on GitP . . . . >.>

Actually, in light of this, I have to say that sounds pretty great.

And since I opened a new tab to quote this and the words aren't two sentences behind my typing, and I can move the Firefox window around without freezing the computer, I'd say it worked. Excellent.

Also, I've been writing stories since before I actually knew how to write. When I was four my mum bought me a big whiteboard for my room and I used to draw cartoon panels on it. Great fun. Though, from a cursory look, I'd say that story is somewhat more sophisticated than the ones I came up with.

[CurlyKitGirl]

Question:

DO any other semi-bi/tri/etc-lingual people find themselves slipping in and out of languages with relative frequency?
Because recently it's just so simple to bounce in and out of French. And about one-fifth of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it.
This annoys the family and those of my friends who can't speak French. Any way to stop this?

[Je dit Viola]

I don't know how to stop it, but I know how to solve it, and it's an easy answer, as well. In fact, I'm kinda dealing with it.

Just teach them French!
(Or whatever other language.)

[Worira]

Question:

DO any other semi-bi/tri/etc-lingual people find themselves slipping in and out of languages with relative frequency?
Because recently it's just so simple to bounce in and out of French. And about one-fifth of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it.
This annoys the family and those of my friends who can't speak French. Any way to stop this?

Me read as semi/bi/tri. Me only speak half the English.

[Trobby]

It's a sort of cognitive thing. You start thinking about speaking a language, and the part of your brain that processes that language turns on, and starts putting the words out there for you.

I've never studied any language far enough to get to that point. Though I think you should be safe as long as the language of your inner thoughts doesn't start to change. <.<;

[Dragonrider]

Question:

DO any other semi-bi/tri/etc-lingual people find themselves slipping in and out of languages with relative frequency?
Because recently it's just so simple to bounce in and out of French. And about one-fifth of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it.
This annoys the family and those of my friends who can't speak French. Any way to stop this?

I do it with Spanish. It particularly manifests when I'm thinking about it, someone addresses me, and I turn around and say "¿Sí?" Also, more and more, when I'm asking questions, I'll start to say "¿Dónde están mis . . . erm, where are my shoes?" But I think the most often place is in my notes in class. I use the word "pero" far more than "but". And I find that more and more I know exactly what words mean but I find myself incapable of translating to English. This is actually a good thing. I can say (as a very simple example) "ella dijo" straight without having to go through "she said" first.

[Skippy]

Like I said, iffy Spanish. A large number of Americans had some in high school and remember just enough to be dangerous.

It occurs me that libras por niños could also be read as 'books written by children' . . . oh dear . . . .


Riss: Alas! Four arms would be useful for *lots* of things.

Also, my Firefox spazzes every time I try to work with more than one tab open at once. I'm sorta concerned.

I just wanted to say that there's a tiny little mistake. "Libras por niños" would be translated as "Pounds by children". "Libros por niños" would be "books [written] by children". Also, I agree that just a little of any language could be dangerous.

[cycoris]

Question:

DO any other semi-bi/tri/etc-lingual people find themselves slipping in and out of languages with relative frequency?
Because recently it's just so simple to bounce in and out of French. And about one-fifth of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it.
This annoys the family and those of my friends who can't speak French. Any way to stop this?

I do this all the time, with Chinese more than Spanish. And I definitely don't realise that I'm doing it until someone calls attention to it. I haven't found any way to stop it yet, so thankfully my friends just put up with my weirdness.

[Skippy]

Question:

DO any other semi-bi/tri/etc-lingual people find themselves slipping in and out of languages with relative frequency?
Because recently it's just so simple to bounce in and out of French. And about one-fifth of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it.
This annoys the family and those of my friends who can't speak French. Any way to stop this?

This. Sometimes I'm pretty sure that I think better in English than in Spanish. As a result, whenever I talk to myself (which is often enough to be kinda freaky) I do it in English.

Edit: ^: You saved me from doubleposting n.n I've been out of this forum for a long time and Twitter gave me the terrible habit of posting one thing, then posting again whatever I think.

[Dragonrider]

I just wanted to say that there's a tiny little mistake. "Libras por niños" would be translated as "Pounds by children". "Libros por niños" would be "books [written] by children". Also, I agree that just a little of any language could be dangerous.

Heh. That would be a typo. I do know the difference between the two words.

When you make a typo in a language you're really good at, it probably means you weren't paying attention . . . when you make one in a language you're still learning, it's much more likely it's from ignorance. But in this case, I really just wasn't paying attention.


Riss: Yeah, but I remember one time you and I were in the grocery store and you turned around and started speaking Spanish to me. Because, of course, you always comment on strange people in Spanish. But I remember you didn't realize you were doing it.

[Rutskarn]

Today, I start a regimen of basic calisthenics and jogging. I am twenty minutes in.

I have concluded that I am going to die, immediately. Destroy all of my belongings.

[Fostire]

Question:

DO any other semi-bi/tri/etc-lingual people find themselves slipping in and out of languages with relative frequency?
Because recently it's just so simple to bounce in and out of French. And about one-fifth of the time I don't even realise I'm doing it.
This annoys the family and those of my friends who can't speak French. Any way to stop this?

Well, when I'm talking to myself or chatting with Coplantor then I just use the first word that comes to my head regardless of if it's spanish or english, but other than that I usually stick to one language.
I do often find myself thinking of a word in one language and being unable to remember the same word in the other one.

[absolmorph]

One of my friends talks fairly fluent Japanese, and will mutter stuff in it.
Honestly, I'm kinda jealous of her; I want to learn Japanese so I can import games and play them without being blind to the story.

[Dogmantra]

One of my friends talks fairly fluent Japanese, and will mutter stuff in it.
Honestly, I'm kinda jealous of her; I want to learn Japanese so I can import games and play them without being blind to the story.

Tangentially related: my brother speaks fluent Japanese and has plenty of Japanese friends who he talks to over skype. Due to the large number of loan words Japanese has, it can be hilarious to hear him speaking. The funniest time was when I heard him say a lot of Japanese, then "Ausuturaria!" really loudly, and with loads of emphasis, then carry on. It was... highly amusing.

[absolmorph]

Tangentially related: my brother speaks fluent Japanese and has plenty of Japanese friends who he talks to over skype. Due to the large number of loan words Japanese has, it can be hilarious to hear him speaking. The funniest time was when I heard him say a lot of Japanese, then "Ausuturaria!" really loudly, and with loads of emphasis, then carry on. It was... highly amusing.

Oh, man, that's probably my favorite part of Japanese- the apparently random loan words.

[Dogmantra]

He read me a sentence from his book that was half loan words. It was amusing to hear every other word as some sort of strangely pronounced English word.

[Deth Muncher]

Question:

DO any other semi-bi/tri/etc-lingual people find themselves slipping in and out of languages with relative frequency?

Yes.

Long answer: Yes. I generally pepper my conversations with Spanish, and what's REALLY annoying is I'm trying to learn Russian right now, and I'll know something in Spanish but not Russian, so you get these weird mongrel sentences in my brain, like "Necessito govaryoo para po-rooskie." (That alternated btwn Span/Russ, respectively.)

[Coidzor]

Today, I start a regimen of basic calisthenics and jogging. I am twenty minutes in.

I have concluded that I am going to die, immediately. Destroy all of my belongings.

Do you want a stationary or aquatic funerary pyre?

Curly: Try just having them yell at you until you stop doing it so much.

[Phase]

So I got a letter from the Science Fair people, saying I'd won an award. It was vague, unhelpful, and somewhat ominous. I know not everyone got this letter.

My biggest worry is that I'll be presented with the award next Thursday and it will turn out to be the award for "Single Most Notoriously Poorly Worded Presentation" or "Most Politically Incorrect Use of the Term 'Titer'"

[Coidzor]

What is a "titer."

Also, you're silly.

They don't warn you in those cases. They kidnap you at the dead of night and stick a black bag over your head.

[Rutskarn]

So I got a letter from the Science Fair people, saying I'd won an award. It was vague, unhelpful, and somewhat ominous. I know not everyone got this letter.

My biggest worry is that I'll be presented with the award next Thursday and it will turn out to be the award for "Single Most Notoriously Poorly Worded Presentation" or "Most Politically Incorrect Use of the Term 'Titer'"

"Most Flagrant Tampering in God's Domain."

"Best Color Balance."

"Most Radioactive."

"Densest Posterboard."

"Best Unintentional Reference to a Scorsese Film."