The Friday Five...
Got this from dargie and namastenancy:
1. If you could suddenly speak one language fluently (that you don't currently speak) what would it be? That caveat "that you don't currently speak" makes it difficult. I was just saying the other day how I'd like to be vocally fluent in Latin, which few people are. But technically I "speak" it in that I can read passages and understand them, especially if you let me use a dictionary.
There are so many languages I would love to be able to speak. Assyrian? Ancient Greek? Sanskrit? Tocharian? Anglo-Saxon? (I love dead languages!) If I could say "Etruscan" or "Mohenjo-Daran" and then reveal their secrets to the universe, I'd be the 21st century's Champollion or Michael Ventris - !
Okay, okay, putting my love of dead languages aside.... I think I'll say Chinese. It's a toss-up with Japanese, but I think Chinese has the edge as being more different (at least in sound), and having a more diverse culture and history.
2. If you were to suggest a foreign film, that you really enjoyed, what one would you suggest? What does "foreign" mean? "Filmed in a language neither English nor French"? I'll say The Wedding Banquet even though it didn't strike me as foreign, but the people who give out Academy Awards seemed to think so. Gerard Depardieu's The Count of Monte Cristo also came to mind (if I can call it foreign because it's from France) and ditto "Asterix". I've loved some Bollywood movies too, but can't think of the titles now, since they tend to be in Hindi and I have trouble remembering them. (Add that to the list of languages I'd like to learn.)
3. If you had to call another country home (other than the one you currently live in) what one would you choose? -- Italy. Second choice: the UK.
4. If you went out to buy an import music CD, what one would you buy? Opera.
5. If you were to chose an ethnic dinner, what would it be? Japanese.