Phrasebook

en In the discotheque   »   em In the discotheque

46 [forty-six]

In the discotheque

In the discotheque

46 [forty-six]

In the discotheque

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Is this seat taken? I--th-----a- tak--? I_ t___ s___ t_____ I- t-i- s-a- t-k-n- ------------------- Is this seat taken? 0
May I sit with you? M------it--i-- y-u? M__ I s__ w___ y___ M-y I s-t w-t- y-u- ------------------- May I sit with you? 0
Sure. Sure. S____ S-r-. ----- Sure. 0
How do you like the music? How-do --- ---e-t-e---s-c? H__ d_ y__ l___ t__ m_____ H-w d- y-u l-k- t-e m-s-c- -------------------------- How do you like the music? 0
A little too loud. A-li-tl---o---ou-. A l_____ t__ l____ A l-t-l- t-o l-u-. ------------------ A little too loud. 0
But the band plays very well. But the--a---p--y- --ry-well. B__ t__ b___ p____ v___ w____ B-t t-e b-n- p-a-s v-r- w-l-. ----------------------------- But the band plays very well. 0
Do you come here often? D- y-u-com---er--o--e-? D_ y__ c___ h___ o_____ D- y-u c-m- h-r- o-t-n- ----------------------- Do you come here often? 0
No, this is the first time. N-,-thi--i---he-f-r----i-e. N__ t___ i_ t__ f____ t____ N-, t-i- i- t-e f-r-t t-m-. --------------------------- No, this is the first time. 0
I’ve never been here before. I--e----er-b--n h--- b--or-. I___ n____ b___ h___ b______ I-v- n-v-r b-e- h-r- b-f-r-. ---------------------------- I’ve never been here before. 0
Would you like to dance? W--ld you-l-----o-dan--? W____ y__ l___ t_ d_____ W-u-d y-u l-k- t- d-n-e- ------------------------ Would you like to dance? 0
Maybe later. M-yb-----e-. M____ l_____ M-y-e l-t-r- ------------ Maybe later. 0
I can’t dance very well. I--an’--d---e--e-y-w--l. I c____ d____ v___ w____ I c-n-t d-n-e v-r- w-l-. ------------------------ I can’t dance very well. 0
It’s very easy. I-’s------ea--. I___ v___ e____ I-’- v-r- e-s-. --------------- It’s very easy. 0
I’ll show you. I-l- ---w -o-. I___ s___ y___ I-l- s-o- y-u- -------------- I’ll show you. 0
No, maybe some other time. N---m-yb- ---- -ther-----. N__ m____ s___ o____ t____ N-, m-y-e s-m- o-h-r t-m-. -------------------------- No, maybe some other time. 0
Are you waiting for someone? A-- y-u-----i-- for---me-n-? A__ y__ w______ f__ s_______ A-e y-u w-i-i-g f-r s-m-o-e- ---------------------------- Are you waiting for someone? 0
Yes, for my boyfriend. Ye-,--or -- -o---i--d. Y___ f__ m_ b_________ Y-s- f-r m- b-y-r-e-d- ---------------------- Yes, for my boyfriend. 0
There he is! T--r- h- --! T____ h_ i__ T-e-e h- i-! ------------ There he is! 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!