[Cactus Jack]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

What would you say is closer? Portuguese and Spanish or Catalan and Spanish?

Originally Posted by Locke

I'm no expert, but I'd say Portuguese. My Spanish aint bad, but when I was in Europe I was hanging around with a group of Catalonians and I couldnt make out a damned thing.

I don't understand any Catalan when I hear someone speaking it. It's not like Castillian (Spanish) at all, Portuguese and Spanish are nearly identical.

Originally Posted by Hack&Lube

I spent a July in Montreal learning French at the University of Montreal from scratch as part of a paid program by the Quebec government (even gave us room and board in residence and a couple hundred bucks for food) but sadly, since it was Montreal, I drifted to speaking English all the time and partying. I did pick up a lot of basic concepts.

Originally Posted by amorak

All I know is you need to use it or lose it... Or else you'll end up in Paris, in a cafe, trying to remember what a lemon is again mid-sentence while ordering and call it a "lee-mon" instead of citron

I did the same program a years ago and freaking loved it! Montreal is so awesome, all of Canada would be much more interesting if it were like Montreal. Although I partied daily, frequented the gentlemen's clubs and spoke English most of the time while having a blast, I found that after nearly 2 months there my French became pretty good. However, like Amorak said, if you don't use it you lose it. A few years later and I know no one here that speaks French so it's virtually gone. Pity.