Q: Can you actually read all the languages you translate from?
A: Yes. All translations under the My Translations tab are done from the original.
Q: Where/when/how did you learn to speak your (insert language-name here)? Why is your accent so hard hard to place.
A: Beyond the phonological transfer from my native language (American English), there could be many reasons: My pronunciation of Literary Arabic is mainly based upon my observation and recordings of the speech of Palestinians I encountered with while living in Jerusalem. My Dutch pronunciation is (by aesthetic choice) based on Belgian dialects, rather than those of the Netherlands. My Persian pronunciation, again owing to biographical accident, varies between Afghan and Iranian. My Spanish contains a rather crazy salad of Latin American and Iberian features thanks to a crazy salad of teachers (who themselves were often crazy, as many good language teachers often seem to be.) My Russian pronunciation, in addition to the American accent that seems to fade in and out, is distinctly non-Muscovite (thanks to years of exposure to white Russian emigrés and their descendants.)
Q: Are these the droids I'm looking for?
A: These are not the droids you're looking for
Q: Is that really your voice on all the recordings?
A: Yes.
Q: What is that graphic in your site header at the top of this window? Am I supposed to recognize it?
A: That's the logo I picked out. It's a stylized image of the Rosetta Stone atop the Tower of Babel
Q: What's your favorite language?
A: It's a three-way tie between Welsh, Persian and Arabic.
Q: Who is your favorite poet?
A: Hāfiz. After that, probably Ausiàs March and the Archpoet.
Q: Why are you going through my underwear drawer?
A: I thought maybe your mom had misplaced my clothes with yours after I left her room last night.
A: Yes. All translations under the My Translations tab are done from the original.
Q: Where/when/how did you learn to speak your (insert language-name here)? Why is your accent so hard hard to place.
A: Beyond the phonological transfer from my native language (American English), there could be many reasons: My pronunciation of Literary Arabic is mainly based upon my observation and recordings of the speech of Palestinians I encountered with while living in Jerusalem. My Dutch pronunciation is (by aesthetic choice) based on Belgian dialects, rather than those of the Netherlands. My Persian pronunciation, again owing to biographical accident, varies between Afghan and Iranian. My Spanish contains a rather crazy salad of Latin American and Iberian features thanks to a crazy salad of teachers (who themselves were often crazy, as many good language teachers often seem to be.) My Russian pronunciation, in addition to the American accent that seems to fade in and out, is distinctly non-Muscovite (thanks to years of exposure to white Russian emigrés and their descendants.)
Q: Are these the droids I'm looking for?
A: These are not the droids you're looking for
Q: Is that really your voice on all the recordings?
A: Yes.
Q: What is that graphic in your site header at the top of this window? Am I supposed to recognize it?
A: That's the logo I picked out. It's a stylized image of the Rosetta Stone atop the Tower of Babel
Q: What's your favorite language?
A: It's a three-way tie between Welsh, Persian and Arabic.
Q: Who is your favorite poet?
A: Hāfiz. After that, probably Ausiàs March and the Archpoet.
Q: Why are you going through my underwear drawer?
A: I thought maybe your mom had misplaced my clothes with yours after I left her room last night.
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