Public Research: Mothertongue (Part 4 - Europe) - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

HerenIstarion · 02-02-2006, 02:20 AM

Part of Public Research Project

This is yet another angle of approach to mothertongue question (or, precisely, narrowing it down) The poll enlists most numerous languages of Europe.

This is a list of top 10 most spoken languages in Europe.

Russian over 100 000 000 (mainly in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus)
German 98 000 000 (mainly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland)
French 66 000 000 (mainly in France, Belgium and Switzerland)
English 65 000 000 (mainly in the UK and Ireland)
Italian 58 000 000 (mainly in Italy)
Spanish 44 000 000 (mainly in Spain)
Polish 39 000 000 (mainly in Poland)
Ukrainian 39 000 000 (mainly in Ukraine)
Romanian 24 000 000 (mainly in Romania and Moldova)
Dutch 22 000 000 (mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium)

I count that the rest of the world has different numbers of distribution, but, seing as Civilizations poll has shown that majority of our members view themselves as belonging to Western Civilization, that the list pretty well covers that majority.

Lalaith · 02-02-2006, 04:15 AM

Can we have "other"?

HerenIstarion · 02-02-2006, 04:27 AM

Quote:

Can we have "other"?

Not really. You don't see option suitable, you don't vote (per instance, myself

). This is more focused version of other language surveys, studying largest group of more general polls.

wilwarin538 · 02-02-2006, 07:43 AM

I have two mother tongues,(I speek in both of them on a daily basis) so I just clicked French, English is the other one.

Lush · 02-12-2006, 10:31 PM

I have two mother tongues as well. Russian and Ukrainian. But I picked Russian because it was spoken more often in my house. Nowadays I think the pendulum is beginning to sway toward Ukrainian (thank you, Orange Revolution).

Holbytlass · 02-13-2006, 10:29 AM

Just English, one language-how boring

Did do the required 2 year study of Spanish in high school.

Hola! Me llamo es Holby, e tu? Como estas? Muy bein!
(My apologies to Spanish speaking people, I probably butchered that)

A_Brandybuck · 02-20-2006, 12:50 PM

My mothertongue is German.

Besides German, I am speaking English (surprise surprise

), French and a little bit of Dutch.
Well my French speech was better in earlier times. I spoke French the last time 5 years ago. But although I am not able to speak really Dutch, I am able to understand that, because of the close relation to English and German.

I don't count Spanish and Italian to my languages, but I can order a coffee.

Estelyn Telcontar · 02-20-2006, 01:15 PM

Though German is my mother-tongue, as I learned it first, I cannot remember a time when I did not also speak English, and my entire school and college education was in English (well, American

). So I consider myself bilingual.

Guinevere · 02-20-2006, 01:22 PM

My mothertongue is a German dialect (Schwyzerdütsch) but the written language is German proper. I also speak French and a little Italian, (since Switzerland has a French- and an Italian-speaking part.) In addition I can speak Norwegian. And, obiously, English.

Eönwë · 02-10-2008, 06:04 PM

I also have Hebrew (and no I am not Jewish)

Elmo · 02-10-2008, 06:09 PM

English, but with a heavy Scots flavour ken?

Finduilas · 02-10-2008, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Elmo

English, but with a heavy Scots flavour ken?

Nah, I dinna ken.

littlemanpoet · 02-11-2008, 05:01 AM

I probably should have asked this before I voted: what about us in the U.S. - mostly immigrants? My mother's tongue is English, but I'm all Dutch from way back. ???

View Poll Results: Your mothertongue is:
Russian	4	9.76%
German	4	9.76%
French	1	2.44%
English	30	73.17%
Italian	0	0%
Spanish	1	2.44%
Polish	0	0%
Ukrainian	0	0%
Romanian	0	0%
Dutch	1	2.44%
Voters: 41. You may not vote on this poll

02-02-2006, 02:20 AM	#1
HerenIstarion Deadnight Chanter Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 4,244	Public Research: Mothertongue (Part 4 - Europe) Part of Public Research Project This is yet another angle of approach to mothertongue question (or, precisely, narrowing it down) The poll enlists most numerous languages of Europe. This is a list of top 10 most spoken languages in Europe. Russian over 100 000 000 (mainly in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus) German 98 000 000 (mainly in Germany, Austria and Switzerland) French 66 000 000 (mainly in France, Belgium and Switzerland) English 65 000 000 (mainly in the UK and Ireland) Italian 58 000 000 (mainly in Italy) Spanish 44 000 000 (mainly in Spain) Polish 39 000 000 (mainly in Poland) Ukrainian 39 000 000 (mainly in Ukraine) Romanian 24 000 000 (mainly in Romania and Moldova) Dutch 22 000 000 (mainly in the Netherlands and Belgium) I count that the rest of the world has different numbers of distribution, but, seing as Civilizations poll has shown that majority of our members view themselves as belonging to Western Civilization, that the list pretty well covers that majority. __________________ Egroeg Ihkhsal - Would you believe in the love at first sight? - Yes I'm certain that it happens all the time! Last edited by HerenIstarion; 02-02-2006 at 02:24 AM.

02-02-2006, 04:15 AM	#2
Lalaith Blithe Spirit Join Date: Jan 2003 Posts: 2,779	Can we have "other"? __________________ Out went the candle, and we were left darkling

02-02-2006, 07:43 AM	#4
wilwarin538 Fluttering Enchantment Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 2,508	I have two mother tongues,(I speek in both of them on a daily basis) so I just clicked French, English is the other one. __________________ Comme une étoile amarante Comme un papillon de nuit C'est la lumière qui m'attire La flamme qui m'éblouit Fenris Muffin

02-12-2006, 10:31 PM	#5
Lush Fair and Cold Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: the big onion Posts: 1,770	I have two mother tongues as well. Russian and Ukrainian. But I picked Russian because it was spoken more often in my house. Nowadays I think the pendulum is beginning to sway toward Ukrainian (thank you, Orange Revolution). __________________ ~The beginning is the word and the end is silence. And in between are all the stories. This is one of mine~

02-13-2006, 10:29 AM	#6
Holbytlass Ghost Prince of Cardolan Join Date: May 2003 Location: The Party Tree Posts: 1,042	Just English, one language-how boring Did do the required 2 year study of Spanish in high school. Hola! Me llamo es Holby, e tu? Como estas? Muy bein! (My apologies to Spanish speaking people, I probably butchered that) __________________ Holby is an actual flesh-and-blood person, right? Not, say a sock-puppet of Nilp’s, by any chance? ~Nerwen, WWCIII

02-20-2006, 12:50 PM	#7
A_Brandybuck Haunting Spirit Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 95	My mothertongue is German. Besides German, I am speaking English (surprise surprise ), French and a little bit of Dutch. Well my French speech was better in earlier times. I spoke French the last time 5 years ago. But although I am not able to speak really Dutch, I am able to understand that, because of the close relation to English and German. I don't count Spanish and Italian to my languages, but I can order a coffee. __________________ „I don't know half of you half as well as I should like, and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."

02-20-2006, 01:15 PM	#8
Estelyn Telcontar Princess of Skwerlz Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: where the Sea is eastwards (WtR: 6060 miles) Posts: 7,500	Though German is my mother-tongue, as I learned it first, I cannot remember a time when I did not also speak English, and my entire school and college education was in English (well, American ). So I consider myself bilingual. __________________ 'Mercy!' cried Gandalf. 'If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you. What more do you want to know?' 'The whole history of Middle-earth...'

02-20-2006, 01:22 PM	#9
Guinevere Banshee of Camelot Join Date: May 2002 Location: Switzerland Posts: 5,830	My mothertongue is a German dialect (Schwyzerdütsch) but the written language is German proper. I also speak French and a little Italian, (since Switzerland has a French- and an Italian-speaking part.) In addition I can speak Norwegian. And, obiously, English. __________________ Yes! "wish-fulfilment dreams" we spin to cheat our timid hearts, and ugly Fact defeat!

02-10-2008, 06:04 PM	#10
Eönwë Flame Imperishable Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Right here Posts: 3,928	I also have Hebrew (and no I am not Jewish) __________________ Welcome to the Barrow Do-owns Forum / Such a lovely place

02-10-2008, 06:09 PM	#11
Elmo Pittodrie Poltergeist Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: trying to find that warm and winding lane again Posts: 633	English, but with a heavy Scots flavour ken? __________________ As Beren looked into her eyes within the shadows of her hair, The trembling starlight of the skies he saw there mirrored shimmering.

02-11-2008, 05:01 AM	#13
littlemanpoet Itinerant Songster Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: The Edge of Faerie Posts: 7,066	I probably should have asked this before I voted: what about us in the U.S. - mostly immigrants? My mother's tongue is English, but I'm all Dutch from way back. ???