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en In the discotheque   »   lv Diskotēkā

46 [forty-six]

In the discotheque

In the discotheque

46 [četrdesmit seši]

Diskotēkā

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Is this seat taken? Va- š- v---a-ir-b---a? V__ š_ v____ i_ b_____ V-i š- v-e-a i- b-ī-a- ---------------------- Vai šī vieta ir brīva? 0
May I sit with you? Vai e--dr---tu a-s-s-ie------ -l---s? V__ e_ d______ a________ J___ b______ V-i e- d-ī-s-u a-s-s-i-s J-m- b-a-u-? ------------------------------------- Vai es drīkstu apsēsties Jums blakus? 0
Sure. La---āt. L_______ L-b-r-t- -------- Labprāt. 0
How do you like the music? Kā-J-ms-patī--m-zi--? K_ J___ p____ m______ K- J-m- p-t-k m-z-k-? --------------------- Kā Jums patīk mūzika? 0
A little too loud. Ne-a--z-p-- s-a--. N______ p__ s_____ N-d-u-z p-r s-a-u- ------------------ Nedaudz par skaļu. 0
But the band plays very well. B-t-g--p- -pēl- -l--i la--. B__ g____ s____ g____ l____ B-t g-u-a s-ē-ē g-u-i l-b-. --------------------------- Bet grupa spēlē gluži labi. 0
Do you come here often? V-i-Jū- -e es-t b---i? V__ J__ t_ e___ b_____ V-i J-s t- e-a- b-e-i- ---------------------- Vai Jūs te esat bieži? 0
No, this is the first time. N-, š- i- pirm--re-ze. N__ š_ i_ p____ r_____ N-, š- i- p-r-ā r-i-e- ---------------------- Nē, šī ir pirmā reize. 0
I’ve never been here before. Es t--n-kad---l -----u -i-us-. E_ t_ n____ v__ n_____ b______ E- t- n-k-d v-l n-e-m- b-j-s-. ------------------------------ Es te nekad vēl neesmu bijusi. 0
Would you like to dance? V----ūs---jo--t? V__ J__ d_______ V-i J-s d-j-j-t- ---------------- Vai Jūs dejojat? 0
Maybe later. V-r--t-v-lāk. V_____ v_____ V-r-ū- v-l-k- ------------- Varbūt vēlāk. 0
I can’t dance very well. Es nepro-- --k-l--i--ej--. E_ n______ t__ l___ d_____ E- n-p-o-u t-k l-b- d-j-t- -------------------------- Es neprotu tik labi dejot. 0
It’s very easy. T---i--pa----m -------ši. T__ i_ p______ v_________ T-s i- p-v-s-m v-e-k-r-i- ------------------------- Tas ir pavisam vienkārši. 0
I’ll show you. E- Ju-- p-rā--šu. E_ J___ p________ E- J-m- p-r-d-š-. ----------------- Es Jums parādīšu. 0
No, maybe some other time. Nē- -a------du-citu r----. N__ l____ k___ c___ r_____ N-, l-b-k k-d- c-t- r-i-i- -------------------------- Nē, labāk kādu citu reizi. 0
Are you waiting for someone? V-i-Jū- k-du --i--t? V__ J__ k___ g______ V-i J-s k-d- g-i-ā-? -------------------- Vai Jūs kādu gaidāt? 0
Yes, for my boyfriend. Jā,--av- -r-u--. J__ s___ d______ J-, s-v- d-a-g-. ---------------- Jā, savu draugu. 0
There he is! T-- ----v-------! T__ j__ v___ n___ T-r j-u v-ņ- n-k- ----------------- Tur jau viņš nāk! 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!