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Do you have to be fluent in these languages to be a polyglot, or am I considered one? (thelemmy.club)

submitted 2 days ago by relation_anon4238@thelemmy.club to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

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I can confidently say that I speak Portuguese, Spanish, and English to varying degrees. However, at a beginner level, I know Norwegian, Italian, and Polish. I also am probably at a very beginner level in Russian and French, both of which I’m learning and getting better at. I’m conversing with French people.

My fiancé says I’m a polyglot, but I don’t know if I’m just trilingual or not.

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[–] jeena@piefed.jeena.net 9 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I think the title of polyglot is just silly. I speak 4 languages fluently but I would never introduce myself as a polyglot.

[–] Dsklnsadog@lemmy.dbzer0.com 10 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (3 children)

Honestly, I only speak two languages, and to me, someone like you is definitely a polyglot. I get that you don’t wanna sound full of yourself or anything, but calling it what it is isn’t arrogant—it’s just being accurate. You speak four languages! That’s amazing, and you should own it. I'm bilingual, and sure, my native language is stronger, but that doesn’t mean I downplay the other one. Give yourself some credit, seriously.

[–] Apollo2323@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 2 days ago

This is true not many people can say they can speak so many languages.

[–] jeena@piefed.jeena.net 4 points 2 days ago

The thing is, it doesn't matter how many languages you speak somehow you end up not being able to communicate anyway because of the language. Some anecdotal evidence:

I speak Polish, German, Swedish and English. Me and my siblings went to Morocco for vacation, my sister was vegetarian and we wanted to order something without meat. The guy at the street food stand didn't understand and then he asked: Do you speak Arabic? No, Do you speak Spanish? No, do you at least speak French? Also no. None of the languages helped even tho the other guy also spoke 3 languages.
After speaking 4 languages fluently I moved to Korea thinking it'll be easy to pick up another language. After 4 years of living here I still can't even have a very simple conversation. The language is so different that even after trying hard and spending money and time the learning doesn't move forward. And me working from home mostly with Europeans makes it even more difficult, but I can't get a local job without the language, chicken and egg problem.

Every language is good to know, and I kind of agree with my grandfather that every language is like another hand you have to disposal, but somehow you end up in situations that even 6 hands are not enough ;)

[–] relation_anon4238@thelemmy.club 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Agreed! What language do you speak that’s not English? :)