Cyprus-Forum.com

[mrterrific]

I think part of the problem that English is spoken so much that it's sometimes an effort to force oneself to use Greek. Still, I always enjoy doing so - sometimes find that a conversation proceeds with me speaking (or attempting to) in Greek, with the other party (Cypriot) speaking in English. Still, I'm surprised given your last post, that you couldn't get the assistant to understand you.

And stop using age as an exucse, I'm sure you're not on your last legs yet

BTW: I thought you'd been living here 8 months, not since 1998 - or are you just permanently here for the last 8 months?

[devil]

I think part of the problem that English is spoken so much that it's sometimes an effort to force oneself to use Greek. Still, I always enjoy doing so - sometimes find that a conversation proceeds with me speaking (or attempting to) in Greek, with the other party (Cypriot) speaking in English. Still, I'm surprised given your last post, that you couldn't get the assistant to understand you.

And stop using age as an exucse, I'm sure you're not on your last legs yet

BTW: I thought you'd been living here 8 months, not since 1998 - or are you just permanently here for the last 8 months?

I've a feeling you are confusing me with the original poster.

I may not be on my last legs but I can assure you that I am on my last brain Unfortunately, it has developed an auto-erase function which makes learning rather more difficult than when I was at school 60-odd years ago.

[Alexis]

One of the difficulties that western Europeans have with Greek is its alphabet. This always makes learning a new language difficult.
I would say though that once you overcome this barrier Greek becomes that much easier. It is also very easy to read. Learning the alphabet is nowhere near as difficult as some people imagine though, especially as almost half the characters are similar to or the same as the Roman alphabet (particularly the capital letters).
Otherwise whilst Greek grammar is quite complex it isn't much worse than that of most other European languages and it follows similar sentence constructs. It certainly isn't what I'd class as that hard a language to learn on the global scale, what's difficult is getting the ball rolling. Not being that good after 8 months is certainly no embarrassment.

[dms007]

Some people would always keep complaining...
If they find Cyprus so bad what are they still doing here?

[mrterrific]

I've a feeling you are confusing me with the original poster.

You're quite right - my apologies. Wonder happened to the OP?

I may not be on my last legs but I can assure you that I am on my last brain Unfortunately, it has developed an auto-erase function which makes learning rather more difficult than when I was at school 60-odd years ago.

Me too. As a great philosopher of the twentieth century said: "Every time I learn something new, it pushes some old stuff out of my brain".

And I bet you can still give the young-uns a good run for their money. As another philosopher said: "That's the pity about youth - wasted on the young." Mind you, same individual also remarked: "When I'm good enough, I'll be too old."

[davidp]

OP still here and reading the posts with relish.

I lied a bit when I said i'd been here for eight months, I actually went back to the UK for two months so I have only been here for six months. No excuse really.

I can identify with one point that was raised earlier, when I visit a village near to mine I often try out the odd greek phrase but almost always get a reply from the Cypriots in English.

Nevertheless I will keep at it. And DMS007, I'm really not complaining just observing

[Alexis]

I can identify with one point that was raised earlier, when I visit a village near to mine I often try out the odd greek phrase but almost always get a reply from the Cypriots in English.

That's always the way though. When you want to try and practice the language you'll be surrounded by people who can speak English, so that when you actually need to use it you're not good enough.
Sometimes it's far easier to learn a language if you are forced to, i.e. no-one around you speaks your language. That's a big reason why Brits/Americans appear to be cr@p at languages.

[davidp]

I Couldn't agree more Alexis.

[rulla]

devil ( kalitera na men katalavis)

[devil]

Be surprised: I had a chat with two CCC/Carrefour guys the other day - in French Aucun problème!