Job Discussion Forums

[scot47]

For a philologist like me Bulgarian was a piece of cake. Lawyers like Bebsi clearly have more problems in picking up exotic languages.

Bulgarian is in fact the easiset of the Slavic languages. It has gone down the same developmental road as Modern Standard English in that it has simplified most of its declensions and conjugations. Nouns still have geders and adjectives agree with nouns. It is phonetic so is very easy to read.

If you want a tough time, try learning Polish or Russian. Or Czech.

[Stephen Jones]

Phonologically Romanian is very close to Catalan. I would amaze my sister-in-law by reading out a page of Romanian in a near flawless accent, even though I didn't know a word of the language. I just treated it like Catalan.

[Bebsi]

It is hereby declared, for the exclusive and sole benefit of the one known and referred to as Scot47, permanent resident of the site commonly known as Dave's ESL cafe, and for and unto his heirs and beneficiaries, notwithstanding the exceptions and exclusions herein, that the linguistic acquisitory process specifically regarding the language known as English, otherwise and hereinafter known as English language learning, shall be deemed to be in a state and condition referred to hereintofore and hereinafter as difficult, challenging and complicated insofar as it applies to those who are, have been or will be within the course of their natural lives, involved in the learned and noble profession that is more specifically known as the legal profession and more commonly known as lawyers, and that the said process shall by force of the laws of man and nature, remain to the said lawyers incomprehensible and unfathomable, just as the language used, employed and utilised herein shall be incomprehensible, unfathomable and beyond the powers of normal or any other logic insofar as it applies to laypersons or others who do not fall within the category of "lawyers".

Translation:

Well you see, Scot, we legal types have our own unique language, and even English comes with a lot of effort, just as the gobbledgook that we spout is a load of Bowlax to everyone else.

[scot47]

İt is strange how the field of language teaching is full of those who studied Law in İreland but decided that EFL in the Gulf or Saudi would be more lucrative.

Why do so many set out to be lawyrrs and end up as EFL teachers - or Real Estate Salesmen ın the Balkans ?

I do not meet many who have studied Law in England - or Scotland.

[Bebsi]

To quote an old Glen Frey song:

"It's the lure of easy money....
It's a losin' propostion, just one you can't refuse;
It's the politics of contraband,
It's the smugglers' blues."

Maybe it's a bit mis-quoted, but you get the gist; the lure of the easy money, not to mention the rich tapestry of adventure and romance, which the Gulf represents when you're still a tad young and awfully foolish.

Still, while the money wasn't nearly as easy, I must say there's been no shortage of adventure and romance.

[And please, no unkind comments about Bahrain!!!! ]