# Loosing a language

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loosing-a-language/194724>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [August 12, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loosing-a-language/194724 "2003-08-12T20:47:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loosing-a-language/194724/1 "2003-08-12T20:47:13Z")

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Lost it long ago actually. It saddens me.  
Like too many other Irish people, my command of the language is almost non-existant. I was fluent when I was about 12, but secondary education beat it out of me and now I have none.  
I put on the Irish language radio station this evening on a whim, and despite daily education in the language for about 15 years, this is what I heard.

…and…and…my…and…is…and…the…and…with…the…week…and…money…now…five…and…schools

small… asbestos…components…asbestos…here…we went…and…work…end of the week…work…talk…and…welcome

I am hoping that just letting it wash into my ears will bring it back a little. I hope it’s still in there, perhaps keeping my French company.

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**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loosing-a-language/194724/2 "2003-08-12T21:17:45Z")

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Loose your language, set it free  
If it comes back, it was meant to be

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**Author:** ![mipiace](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb9ed0/32.png) [@mipiace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mipiace)\
**Post date:** [August 12, 2003, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loosing-a-language/194724/3 "2003-08-12T21:20:13Z")

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Radio is fast so it is hard to understand. Is there a TV station? That has the added benefit of visual clues. How about people who speak the language that you can associate with. Also childrens books can help because the language is at a very basic level.

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**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 9:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loosing-a-language/194724/4 "2003-08-13T09:40:15Z")

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Iteki mo chara, judging by the spelling in this thread title your English isn’t too healthy either.

No offence 😃

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**Author:** ![Iteki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/eada6e/32.png) [@Iteki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Iteki)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2003, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/loosing-a-language/194724/5 "2003-08-13T09:57:03Z")

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Swedish is apparantly a parasitic language, eating up all possible challengers, including my English spelling, grammar and punctuation! See, I knew if I stayed here too long something like this would happen :smack:

Honestly **ruadh** , you should hear me speak, I make even less sense than when I type. I actually said “more bigger” yesterday. To a journo from Dublin. He gave me a very strange look and I could have died on the spot. Although I don’t see why I should feel uncomfortable, it’s a perfectly cromulent phrase!