Phrasebook

em In the discotheque   »   it In discoteca

46 [forty-six]

In the discotheque

In the discotheque

46 [quarantasei]

In discoteca

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Is this seat taken? È-----r- -u-s-- po--o? È l_____ q_____ p_____ È l-b-r- q-e-t- p-s-o- ---------------------- È libero questo posto? 0
May I sit with you? Po-so-s---r-i ac-a-t--a ---? P____ s______ a______ a v___ P-s-o s-d-r-i a-c-n-o a v-i- ---------------------------- Posso sedermi accanto a voi? 0
Sure. Vo---tie--. V__________ V-l-n-i-r-. ----------- Volentieri. 0
How do you like the music? Le-piac- --e-t--mu--c-? L_ p____ q_____ m______ L- p-a-e q-e-t- m-s-c-? ----------------------- Le piace questa musica? 0
A little too loud. È-u- -o’--r--p- -or-e. È u_ p__ t_____ f_____ È u- p-’ t-o-p- f-r-e- ---------------------- È un po’ troppo forte. 0
But the band plays very well. Ma i--co-ples-o--uon--b-n-. M_ i_ c________ s____ b____ M- i- c-m-l-s-o s-o-a b-n-. --------------------------- Ma il complesso suona bene. 0
Do you come here often? Vi--e-s-e--- qu-? V____ s_____ q___ V-e-e s-e-s- q-i- ----------------- Viene spesso qui? 0
No, this is the first time. No- è-l--pr--a vo-ta. N__ è l_ p____ v_____ N-, è l- p-i-a v-l-a- --------------------- No, è la prima volta. 0
I’ve never been here before. No- c- -ro --i -tat-. N__ c_ e__ m__ s_____ N-n c- e-o m-i s-a-o- --------------------- Non ci ero mai stato. 0
Would you like to dance? Ba--a? B_____ B-l-a- ------ Balla? 0
Maybe later. F-rse--iù-t--d-. F____ p__ t_____ F-r-e p-ù t-r-i- ---------------- Forse più tardi. 0
I can’t dance very well. N-n--o-b-ll-re-m---- bene. N__ s_ b______ m____ b____ N-n s- b-l-a-e m-l-o b-n-. -------------------------- Non so ballare molto bene. 0
It’s very easy. È--ol-- se-plice. È m____ s________ È m-l-o s-m-l-c-. ----------------- È molto semplice. 0
I’ll show you. G---lo f-c-io -e-er--/---s---o -o. G_____ f_____ v_____ / i______ i__ G-i-l- f-c-i- v-d-r- / i-s-g-o i-. ---------------------------------- Glielo faccio vedere / insegno io. 0
No, maybe some other time. N-, --r-- u-’--tra-v-l--. N__ f____ u_______ v_____ N-, f-r-e u-’-l-r- v-l-a- ------------------------- No, forse un’altra volta. 0
Are you waiting for someone? S-a---p-t-and-----l-u--? S__ a_________ q________ S-a a-p-t-a-d- q-a-c-n-? ------------------------ Sta aspettando qualcuno? 0
Yes, for my boyfriend. Sì, il --- -m---. S__ i_ m__ a_____ S-, i- m-o a-i-o- ----------------- Sì, il mio amico. 0
There he is! E-colo-c-- vien-! E_____ c__ v_____ E-c-l- c-e v-e-e- ----------------- Eccolo che viene! 0

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Genes influence language

The language we speak is dependent on our ancestry. But our genes are also responsible for our language. Scottish researchers have come to this conclusion. They examined how English differs from Chinese. In doing so they discovered that genes play a role, too. Because genes influence the development of our brain. That is to say, they shape our brain structures. With this, our ability to learn languages is determined. Variants of two genes are crucial to this. If a particular variant is scarce, tonal languages develop. So tonal languages are spoken by people without these gene variants. In tonal languages, the meaning of words is determined by the pitch of the tones. Chinese is included in the tonal languages, for example. If this gene variant is dominant, however, other languages develop. English is not a tonal language. The variants of this gene are not evenly distributed. That means they occur with differing frequency in the world. But languages only survive if they are passed down. In order to do this, children must be able to imitate the language of their parents. So they must be able to learn the language well. Only then will it be passed down from generation to generation. The older gene variant is the one that promotes tonal languages. So there were probably more tonal languages in the past than there are today. But one mustn't overestimate the genetic components. They can only add to explaining the development of languages. But there isn't a gene for English, or a gene for Chinese. Anybody can learn any language. You don't need genes for that, but rather only curiosity and discipline!
Did you know?
Thai is a member of the Tai-Kadai language family. It is the native language of 20 million people. In contrast to most western languages, Thai is a tonal language. In tonal languages, the pronunciation of syllables changes their meaning. Most Thai words consist of only one syllable. A word takes on a different meaning depending on the pitch in which a syllable is spoken. Altogether Thai distinguishes between five pitches. Thai society was strictly divided over many centuries. As a result, Thai still recognizes at least five different levels of speech today. These range from a simple vernacular to a very polite form of speech. Furthermore, Thai is divided into many local dialects. The language's semiotic system is a hybrid of an alphabet and syllabic writing. The grammar construction is not very complex. Because Thai is an isolating language, there are no declensions or conjugations. Learn Thai - it is really a fascinating language!