Fair enough. Three languages is still impressive.

^ for real, coming from an American who speaks 1.25 languages if you count dabbling

I can barely speak one language. Good thing I'm a master of facial expressions and hand gestures.

Unless it happens in an organic way learning a foreign language is like 20 times the work most people think it would be. If you’re a native speaker of English there’s very little incentive. If you’re coming in as an adult it’s a lifelong project. And even when you travel abroad there’s always someone around who speaks English. You can study and practice a foreign language but when it comes down to convenience you’re forced to fallback on English. People around the world don’t have the patience to listen to English speakers butcher their language.

I learned enough German to get me around when I lived there, but I've since forgotten most of it. That was 31 years ago though, and it wasn't really all that difficult at the time. If I were to go through the exact same class now, I'd have a harder time since I've had 31 more years to wear those memory grooves in a bit more.

Could you fill out the forms in a hospital without leaning on English?

I always tell people English is my second language. My first language is a dialect of gibberish.

For real. I've been learning Japanese and I didn't start making any headway til I essentially immersed myself in the language a bit. I still don't speak it but I'm actually getting somewhere.

Yup

*grunts in approval*

Chio's too pretty to be Batty. And not nearly fat enough. I know, I know: I'll be sorry...
And where was he during the election, eh?
Yes, so we've been told... :D

I learned (using a very generous interpretation of the phrase) Spanish, French and, um, Irish in school. I can get by on all three, but only if I speak (and the other person listens/speaks) slowly. I couldn't hold a conversation with a fluent native speaker of any of the three, though I think I could read enough of any three to get by. Maybe.

You probably won’t take this as much of a compliment but you’re a damn bit smarter than me then.