Sorry, English Only - pipTalk Forums

How to Join	Member's Area	Private Library	Search	Sanctuary		Login
Main Forums	Discussion	Tech Talk	Mature Content	Archives	A home without a wall, Our haven without ends, A circle we all call Our Family of Friends!

Dom Mart
Member

since 1999-08-17

Posts 164
Florida

0 posted 2003-01-12 06:46 AM

The ancient Greek of Homer,
In my youth I sought to master.
Then I decided I might learn
Don Quixote's Spanish faster.

My passion to read Espanol
Was a thirst I couldn't quench,
Until sombody asked me,
"Do you read Rimbaud in French?"

"In French, why no," was my reply.
So I purchased a LaRousse
And learned to pronounce words
Like "demarche" and "mousse."

A friend said, "With your interests,
You must love the Deutsch of Heine."
What could I do but tell the truth
With a single, simple, "Nein."

To the mastering of German
I did forthwith proceed,
And soon I found my studies
Hardly left me time to read.

So you see it's only lack of time
That makes me monolingually fated.
As for books that aren't in English,
Hallelujah, they're translated.

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

1 posted 2003-01-12 08:41 AM

Charming read...thank you
for the early morning grin!

Magnus

Member Laureate

since 2001-10-10

Posts 14135
South Carolina, USA

2 posted 2003-01-12 09:51 AM

Yes, I like this one too....Nothing like
decisions, decisions!!

regards2you
Member Elite

since 2002-10-01

Posts 3940
California

3 posted 2003-01-12 11:03 AM

Enjoyed this a great deal.
Smiling here, too.

Warm regards, Pat

..without surrender, be on good terms with all persons..
"Desiderata"

garysgirl

Member Laureate

since 2002-09-29

Posts 19237
Florida, USA

4 posted 2003-01-12 11:20 AM

This is cute. It is quite a feat to speak other languages fluently, isn't it?
I lived in Germany for a short time, a long time ago. By the time I learned a small S. Those people were fascinated with my Southern accent. Some of my German friends said that I sounded like some of the people from the small villages in England!?!

"Love makes the world go around"
~~with love and hugs from Ethel~~

Midnitesun

Member Empyrean

since 2001-05-18

Posts 28647
Gaia

5 posted 2003-01-12 11:37 AM

LOL at this linguistic gem. I read Rousseau, Hugo and Voltaire in French, and stumbled over Thomas Mann, Nieztsche and Goethe in German. I never attempted to
Do stoy evsky in Russian.
Now I find myself attempting Japanese and Spanish, using Anime and RTD warning signs as cheat sheets.
Enjoyed this write!

angelfriend
Member

since 2003-01-11

Posts 52
Michigan USA

6 posted 2003-01-12 01:53 PM

Nice one! I kept to French so can get by, but wouldn't it be great to know so many languages? But it does take a lot of time. It would be a life's work to learn them unless you started young.

"The only gift is a portion of thyself" - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Denise

Moderator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-08-22

Posts 22648

7 posted 2003-01-12 08:00 PM

Very entertaining, Dom! I'm sure glad there are translations as well. I studied German and Spanish but remember so little of it.

For quite a few of our members here, English is their second language. They amaze me with their mastery of a tongue that is foreign to them. It's not an easy task.

Delightful poem as always, Dom!

Mistletoe Angel

Member Empyrean

since 2000-12-17

Posts 32816
Portland, Oregon

8 posted 2003-01-12 08:29 PM

(sigh) Oh Dom, I love to read, and I love to read everything from all around the world! I also am working hard to master the Spanish language as I can already speak and write it and hope I can adjust well in any of the Spanish cultures! (big hugggsssssss) God Bless You, sweet friend, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Dom, thank you for sharing!

May love and light always shine upon you!

Love,
Noah Eaton

"Underneath your clothes there's an endless story..."

Shakira

Bridget Shenachie
Senior Member

since 2002-01-23

Posts 1056
Kansas USA

9 posted 2003-01-12 10:54 PM

And then I attempted the Old Testament in Hebrew--oh vey, I am still monolingual, with my English dictionary ever present. I do admire the multilingual folks and am so grateful for the translations. Loved the write!

Shenachie

RSWells
Member Elite

since 2001-06-17

Posts 2533

10 posted 2003-01-13 01:18 AM

Tres bon! Great rhyme. Translated poetry is a growth industry however.

Kethry
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-07-29

Posts 9082
Victoria Australia

11 posted 2003-01-13 03:22 AM

Dom,
you are very clever, both for the verse and the language control. My language control kicks in with words of more than two syll-a, phon-o, - You know - big words of any language.

Kethry

Here in the midst of my lonely abyss, a single joy I find...your presence in my mind. Unknown

passing shadows
Member Empyrean

since 1999-08-26

Posts 45577
displaced

12 posted 2003-01-13 04:16 AM

hehehe...I've tried my hand at a few languages, just failed miserably!

Dom Mart
Member

since 1999-08-17

Posts 164
Florida

13 posted 2003-01-14 06:18 AM

Thank you all for your comments on "English Only." Many seem to share my frustration but some have done a better job with those other languages.

	⇧ top of page ⇧
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.