Languages spoken by Nicholas, Alexandra and Family - Page 6

kell · #**101** 12-19-2008, 03:01 PM

russ you gotta remember the old school of royal training made sure you never made those mistakes i never heard otto habsburg makeing those mistakes and yes i was there when gergi hasburg came to toronto but honestly lets change topics already this one is way over debated even if warren will string me up for my spelling error on the name

AnastasiaEvidence · #**102** 12-19-2008, 11:39 PM

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I am wondering AE, though, how many languages do you speak and when somebody talks to you in one language, can you switch quickly over to that language completely?

I can only speak one language if someone is only talking to me in one language. I really would get very confused if I began to pluck out words in German or any other language.

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Or do you encorporate other languages into your conversation as the words pop into your brain. If you can converse completely in one language, good for you. I can't. My brain adds the language as I go along so I sound more like I belong with the Catalonians.

No, I just talk in one langauge. I don't pluck out words from some other language while I'm speaking English. My brain couldn't do that unless, I was talking in only one language at the time. I would get very confused about what I was talking about.

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If you can converse completely in one language, good for you. I can't. My brain adds the language as I go along so I sound more like I belong with the Catalonians.

So, when you're speaking English you pluck out some words from another language? in a conversation? It is very odd to do that. I can not do that it would be very difficult.

Warren · #**103** 12-20-2008, 05:02 AM

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Originally Posted by kell

...but honestly lets change topics already this one is way over debated even if warren will string me up for my spelling error on the name

For using a lower-case w instead of W?

No, I'm more concerned with the way the temperatiure of the thread is rising. This could be an interesting discussion as it covers not just 'language' but communication within the Court, society and family across several countries and interrelated dynasties. I don't understand why it's turned into an "I'm right, you're wrong" argument and it seems so unnecessary when the contributors have so much knowledge to share.

kell · #**104** 12-20-2008, 07:16 AM

i agree with warren on this one

AnastasiaEvidence · #**105** 12-20-2008, 10:32 AM

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No, I'm more concerned with the way the temperatiure of the thread is rising. This could be an interesting discussion as it covers not just 'language' but communication within the Court, society and family across several countries and interrelated dynasties. I don't understand why it's turned into an "I'm right, you're wrong" argument and it seems so unnecessary when the contributors have so much knowledge to share.

Sorry, this topic did get very deep to part of the communication and the way the imperial family talked. I really didn't mean to be annoying or anything but, many people don't just pluck out words from another language especially when the other person in the conversation can't understand much.

Please, lets just stop arguing and put this discussion to a rest.

Russophile · #**106** 12-22-2008, 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnastasiaEvidence

So, when you're speaking English you pluck out some words from another language? in a conversation? It is very odd to do that. I can not do that it would be very difficult.

No, English is my native tongue. But I studied, French, German, Italian and Spanish--when in Spain. When somebody in Spain asked me a question, sometimes the start of a Spanish sentance would come out but with a French noun/subject or an Italian phrase. I believe that is what Bear was talking about when she said they (Royalty) spoke like that.
We asked Luisa (a friend of the family, pure Italian) in Italy, once how she thought. She said she spoke in Italian, drempt in English and swore in French.

kell · #**107** 12-22-2008, 04:36 PM

its almost x mas lets give this theard a little steam off period

AnastasiaEvidence · #**108** 12-22-2008, 07:48 PM

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its almost x mas lets give this theard a little steam off period

Thank you! It's good to have someone who understands.It seems everything has already been discussed, and that we need to know and there is no point in getting off -topic.

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No, English is my native tongue. But I studied, French, German, Italian and Spanish--when in Spain. When somebody in Spain asked me a question, sometimes the start of a Spanish sentance would come out but with a French noun/subject or an Italian phrase. I believe that is what Bear was talking about when she said they (Royalty) spoke like that.
We asked Luisa (a friend of the family, pure Italian) in Italy, once how she thought. She said she spoke in Italian, drempt in English and swore in French.

Please, let's not start this argument again. When everyone else already said that this discussion needs to be put to rest.

Warren · #**109** 12-23-2008, 06:00 AM

A bit more of the Christmas spirit would be in order.
Russophile was not trying to "continue the argument again". She was giving some information about herself, plus an anecdote.

kell · #**110** 12-23-2008, 10:09 AM

ya i know meant to anyone whos willing to shoot one accross the bow

AnastasiaEvidence · #**111** 12-23-2008, 10:39 AM

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A bit more of the Christmas spirit would be in order.
Russophile was not trying to "continue the argument again". She was giving some information about herself, plus an anecdote.

Yes, that's true. Warren, I wasn't trying to start anything with nobody. I want all of us to have a good Christmas time without any disagreements and trouble.

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No, English is my native tongue. But I studied, French, German, Italian and Spanish--when in Spain. When somebody in Spain asked me a question, sometimes the start of a Spanish sentance would come out but with a French noun/subject or an Italian phrase. I believe that is what Bear was talking about when she said they (Royalty) spoke like that.
We asked Luisa (a friend of the family, pure Italian) in Italy, once how she thought. She said she spoke in Italian, drempt in English and swore in French.

I apologize, you were not trying to start anything. You were only giving more information about the languages you've studied.

Russophile · #**112** 12-23-2008, 01:19 PM

You're okay. No apologies needed. Just trying to clairfy things here.

AGRBear · #**113** 01-08-2009, 02:18 PM

Happy New Year ALL!

russophile is not the acception but has the commmon problem (if one calls it a problem) of mixing languages.

I still don't understand why some of you are trying to convince everyone that Alexandra couldn't/didn't speak German after she left Hesse and lived with Queen Victoria.

AGRBear

AnastasiaEvidence · #**114** 01-09-2009, 05:30 PM

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I still don't understand why some of you are trying to convince everyone that Alexandra couldn't/didn't speak German after she left Hesse and lived with Queen Victoria.

I was posting information and proving that Alix didn't use German.

ChatNoir · #**115** 01-15-2009, 12:40 AM

A tidbit from FOTR:
That night, Dr. Derevenko arrived, accompanied by Avdayev. During this visit, as Alexei Sidorov noted in the duty book, Alexandra spoke to her daughters in German, a language that had been forbidden. Avdayev warned her that if she continued to speak in a language he did not understand in front of Derevenko, the doctor would not be allowed any future visits. The following day, when Derevenko arrived at the Ipatiev House, he was turned away owing to the empress's indiscretion.

Furienna · #**116** 01-15-2009, 04:42 AM

That was interesting, ChatNoir!

Anna was Franziska · #**117** 01-15-2009, 10:37 AM

Most likely the language was English and the Bolsheviks didn't know the difference. According to everyone they knew, Alexandra spoke to her children in English and, as Olga A. stated "German was never used in the family." You also have to consider that since Alexandra was known and hated for being 'the German woman/spy' naturally any language she spoke that they didn't understand would be taken by them for German. The Bolsheviks were certainly not was worldy and well educated as the upper classes, many were illiterate and most had never left the region in which they were born, so it's not likely they'd be able to distinguish between western European languages.

ChatNoir · #**118** 01-15-2009, 11:42 AM

From FOTR:
Another guard, a former worker from Verkh-Isetsk, remembered:
The first time, I was on guard in the garden, one day in the spring. I came on duty just as the Emperor and his family were let out for their walk. It semed to me as I followed them, that they spoke to each other soto voice in English, remarking on the prettiness of the flowers and the freshness of the air and scent of the trees.

Also:
That evening, when Dr. Derevenko arrived, Avdayev brought him into the Ipatiev House and allowed him to examine the tsesarevich's leg; during his visit, however, Alwexandra again spoke in German, this time to her daughters. Avdayev warned her for a second time that this was forbidden, though he did not, as he had previously threatened, forbid the doctor any further visits. On the following day, however, Derevenko was refused admittance.

kell · #**119** 01-15-2009, 11:50 AM

didnt the czars diary say it was in english and how frightened they were

AnastasiaEvidence · #**120** 01-15-2009, 01:07 PM

It is true that the elder sisters during exile spoke . The elder children Olga and Tatiana- were learning German lessons. They knew very little German. But, they didn't master the langauge though, not like English. The point I was making is that the children did not know any German during their life before captivity.Even after captivity the imperial children's German was NOT spoken fluently!

From the Life and Tragedy of Alexandra
Chapter XVI
All the Grand Duchesses were very Russian in their outlook and ideas. Their only experience of foreign countries had been in short visits to Darmstadt, and once to England, and they preferred life in their own country to anything else. They always spoke Russian among themselves and to the Emperor, English to their mother, and French to M. Gilliard. The elder girls had a smattering of German, but spoke it with difficulty; the younger ones and the Tsarevich did not know it at all.