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Re: off topic

Posted: 14 Dec 2012 21:55
by Rooster5man
http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/12/12/physicists-universe-simulation-test-university-of-washington-matrix_n_2282745.html?utm_hp_ref=mostpopular

Well then...

Also, @Alamos: Why Stalin?

Re: off topic

Posted: 14 Dec 2012 22:37
by Oleander
Vurn wrote:
Taalit wrote:Który język?
"Jaki" would sound better than "który" in this case. "Który" is rather used when you have, like, a list of something, or when regarding numbers, or people. :P
Those gosh darn distinctions absent from English, they're the hardest part for me. I remember when I just started learning Portuguese it took me forever to get the hang of estar vs. ser.

Re: off topic

Posted: 14 Dec 2012 23:23
by Vortex
Is it really that difficult? I mean, probably I'm biased because my native language is Spanish, but when I use them "ser" has always the connotation of "essence" and "estar" of "state" (names are similar too), so I have no trouble in distinguishing between each other. When I was studying English in the first years of primary school I always wondered how those two concepts could be represented with the same verb, but now I see it's rather a general rule than an exception to it :P

Re: off topic

Posted: 14 Dec 2012 23:30
by Anteroinen
OnyxIonVortex wrote:Is it really that difficult? I mean, probably I'm biased because my native language is Spanish, but when I use them "ser" has always the connotation of "essence" and "estar" of "state" (names are similar too), so I have no trouble in distinguishing between each other. When I was studying English in the first years of primary school I always wondered how those two concepts could be represented with the same verb, but now I see it's rather a general rule than an exception to it :P
Finnish also puts "ownership" under the same verb, olla:

"Tengo un perro." - "Minulla on koira."
"Soy de Finlandia." - "Olen Suomesta."
"Estoy en Finlandia." - "Olen Suomessa."

EDIT: So yeah, it is kind of hard.

EDIT2: We also lack a verb "to exist", so we use "olla olemassa" ("to be extant")

Re: off topic

Posted: 14 Dec 2012 23:38
by Vortex
interesting... *notes that down*

But some languages don't even use a copulative verb in most cases :P

Re: off topic

Posted: 15 Dec 2012 00:07
by Alamos
@Alamos: Why Stalin?
Stalin is not the important factor here.
The expression is.
LOOK AT THAT EXPRESSION.
THE MADNESS.
THE JOY.
THE PURE IMPOSSIBILITY TO COMPREHEND THE MINDSHATTERY THAT MUST BE HAPPENING INSIDE HIS HEAD.

Re: off topic

Posted: 15 Dec 2012 00:25
by bender
So it begins...............

Re: off topic

Posted: 15 Dec 2012 02:38
by dVanDaHorns
Learning another language's rules are just messed up, no matter which way you look at it. Heck, English is rightfully one of the hardest languages to learn, as not even its native speakers know all the ridiculous exceptions. (I.e. They're vs there vs their...actually, most non-English-as-first-language-speakers don't necessarily have trouble with that one...usually only fluent English speakers do. O.o)

And even though I'm fluent in French to the point where some people don't notice it's my second language, I still to this day screw up masculine vs feminine nouns...

I have yet to meet an actually-dead-easy language to learn. Yet.

Re: off topic

Posted: 15 Dec 2012 04:29
by Oleander
I think I heard once that Indonesian is quite easy. I'm not interested in learning it right now, though.

Re: off topic

Posted: 15 Dec 2012 05:32
by Rooster5man
I love how Languages and Meditations decided to make their stand in Off-Topic while I was gone XD
Pfff, no it's complete bollocks. =P
(@Berty on the DMT Theory) But it's interesting :P
Stalin is not the important factor here.
The expression is.
LOOK AT THAT EXPRESSION.
THE MADNESS.
THE JOY.
THE PURE IMPOSSIBILITY TO COMPREHEND THE MINDSHATTERY THAT MUST BE HAPPENING INSIDE HIS HEAD.
Figures that's why you chose it....XD